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San Miguel Beermen seek to close out TNT KaTropa

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

NOW UP 3-2 in their best-of-seven Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup final series, the San Miguel Beermen go for the jugular and close out the TNT KaTropa in Game Six today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Seized control of the series with a gutsy 99-94 come-from-behind win in Game Five on Wednesday, the Beermen now channel their focus on going for the clincher that would merit for them a second league title this season and move a step closer to a rare grand slam.

Import Chris McCullough pulled through for San Miguel in the end last time around, draining key baskets and holding his own on defense as they made a late charge and pulled the rug from under a stunned TNT squad.

Down by as much as 16 points, 85-69, with 10 minutes to go in the final frame, the Beermen outscored the KaTropa, 30-9, the rest of the way to hack out the win.

The game was tight inside the last two minutes after Mr. McCullough made two free throws with 1:46 left to narrow TNT’s lead, 94-93.

TNT had several chances to add on to its lead after but could not capitalize on them.

San Miguel got the ball back and called time out with 33 ticks left.

Off the cease-fire, the Beermen went to Mr. McCullough who scored on a layup with 26 seconds remaining to hand the lead to his team, 95-94.

TNT called timeout and set up a play for import Terrence Jones.

But the TNT import missed his layup, forcing the KaTropa to foul Mr. McCullough with 13 seconds left.

The San Miguel import scored a deuce anew from the charity stripe to make it a three-point lead, 97-94, in their favor.

TNT tried to get back in the game but the three-point attempt of Troy Rosario failed to hit the mark.

Two made free throws by Chris Ross after put the game away for the Beermen.

Mr. McCullough had 35 points and 22 rebounds for San Miguel with Terrence Romeo adding 22 points.

June Mar Fajardo finished with 16 points and 11 boards.

For TNT it was Mr. Jones who led with 35 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists.

Jayson Castro and Mr. Rosario followed with 18 and 16 points, respectively.

Now in a position to close things out, the Beermen are all in to getting the title in today’s game and not give the KaTropa anymore chance.

“We still have one more game to get. We’ll come ready to play, mentally locked in, and get it. We don’t want this to go to a Game Seven,” said a pumped-up McCullough, who played all 48 minutes in Game Five, postgame.

He was seconded by coach Leo Austria who said that while it is not going to be easy as they expect TNT to come back with dogged determination to stay alive, still if they would find themselves in a strong position to finish things in Game Six they would go for it.

Over at TNT, coach Bong Ravena lamented anew his team’s inability to put the finishing touches on the game and win.

“We let another one slip away. We know San Miguel is no ordinary opponent. They have been in this position so many times and know what to do while we are new to this. But still it should not stop us. We have to do a better job next time and learn from this game. We are not out of it. They just have the upper hand,” Mr. Ravena said.

San Miguel is looking for its 27th league title and angling to put itself to win another PBA grand slam, something it was in a position doing but failed to complete in 2017. It won a grand slam 30 years ago in 1989.

TNT, for its part, is out to get its eighth PBA title but first since 2015 (Commissioner’s Cup).

San Beda, Saint Benilde out to keep streaks alive

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

LEAGUE-leaders San Beda Red Lions and College of Saint Benilde Blazers go for their sixth straight victory in National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95 when they return to action today against separate opponents at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

Currently sporting identical 5-0 records, the two remaining spotless teams in the ongoing NCAA season, the Lions and Blazers look to keep their impressive showing going against the Perpetual Help Altas (2-4) and Lyceum Pirates (5-1), respectively.

San Beda takes on Perpetual Help at 12 noon while CSB faces off with Lyceum at 4 p.m.

Playing in between at 2 p.m. are the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers (3-4) and Mapua Cardinals (2-5).

The latest of the wins of the defending champions Lions came at the expense of rivals Letran Knights on a rare Saturday offering of the league on Aug. 10, winning, 70-66, to keep them unscathed.

San Beda had control of the contest from the start until Letran threatened late in the game which the former successfully fended off through its defense to preserve the win.

Guard Evan Nelle came up big for the Lions with a team-high 18 points to go along with seven rebounds and three assists.

Donald Tankoua had 15 while James Canlas and Calvin Oftana each had 11 points for San Beda.

Out to derail the Lions in their bid are the Altas, who are coming off a narrow 87-85 loss at the hands of Lyceum in an NCAA on Tour offering at Perpetual Help’s home gym in Las Piñas on Aug. 8.

SAINT BENILDE
Just like San Beda, CSB seeks to keep intact its unblemished record, which it further enhanced with an 82-77 victory over the Arellano Chiefs last Tuesday.

Despite being forced to a two-week break with three of their scheduled matches washed out by inclement weather, the Blazers showed no rust as they kept humming.

Justin Gutang, who hurt his knee in their last game a fortnight ago came back strong, posting all-around numbers of 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Foreign player Clement Leutcheu finished with a team-high 13 markers for Saint Benilde while Yankie Haruna had 11 points and eight boards.

Jimboy Pasturan was the other Blazer in double-digit scoring with 10 points.

After the game, CSB coach TY Tang credited his team’s offensive execution as key to their victory over Arellano.

“I think our offense carried us in this win. We moved the ball well and we knocked down our shots,” Mr. Tang said.

CSB’s opponent Lyceum is fresh from its victory over Perpetual Help last week, its fifth straight win that pushed it to third place to date.

Go For Gold rolls out partnership with Fiba in World Cup 2019

GO FOR GOLD has taken a bold initiative to create overwhelming enthusiasm among Filipino basketball fans in the coming Fiba World Cup 2019.

Making it possible is the partnership signed by Fiba with Go For Gold Philippines, which got the green light to run promotions related to the worldwide Fiba competitions in the Philippines until June 30, 2020.

“The theme would be to support our Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team in the Fiba World Cup and hopefully the Philippines does well in the tournament,” said Go For Gold godfather Jeremy Go.

For starters, Go For Gold hopes to generate more interest on the national basketball team by raffling off two tickets for a single winner to watch the Gilas squad live against Angola during the elimination round on Sept. 4 in Foshan, China.

Aside from taking on Angola, Gilas Pilipinas will also face Serbia and Italy in the preliminary group stages of the World Cup on Aug. 29–Sept. 15.

Raffle contest participants should follow the mechanics at the Facebook page of Go For Gold PH and Scratchit for a chance to win tickets to the PH-Angola match in an all-expense-paid trip.

The Philippines will be appearing in its second consecutive Fiba World Cup with Gilas headcoach Yeng Guiao forming a formidable team made up of Philippine Basketball Association stars whose goal is to at least reach the second round.

The joint effort of Fiba and Go For Gold to gain more backing for the participation of Gilas Pilipinas in the world stage was recently sealed by Go and James White, Fiba marketing head of sales.

“Fiba normally goes global, but this is the first time that Fiba will work with a local sponsorship. It was a creative idea, very smart,” said White during the contract signing at the Tektite Tower office of Powerball Marketing & Logistics Corp., the prime mover behind the Go For Gold program.

Go For Gold, a staunch supporter of basketball in the country, has a team in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League and the PBA D-League.

12 teams compete in PVL Collegiate Conference

THE PREMIER VOLLEYBALL League’s (PVL) Season 3 Collegiate Conference is set to open this Saturday (Aug. 17) featuring 12 of the best collegiate teams led by UAAP Season 81 Women’s Volleyball champions, the Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eagles, and the NCAA three-peat queens, the Arellano University (AU) Lady Chiefs.

The PVL Collegiate Conference will be running simultaneously alongside the ongoing 2019 PVL Open Conference to be able to give way to the Southeast Asian Games, which will open in November. Three matches will be played per game date with the main event getting streamed on iWant and sports.abs-cbn.com LIVE every 12 noon.

While defending champions University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons are skipping this year’s edition, there is still is topnotch talent in the field. Joining the Lady Eagles in Group A are San Beda University (SBU) Lady Red Spikers, Adamson University (AdU) Lady Falcons, San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R) Golden Stags, Univ. of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD) Lady Altas, and the Colegio de San Juan De Letran (CSJL) Lady Knights. Meanwhile, AU will be heading Group B, which includes the Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP) Lady Engineers, Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) Lady Pirates, Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws, and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses, and the College of St. Benilde (CSB) Lady Blazers.

The teams will play in a single round robin, with the top two of each pool meeting in a best-of-three crossover semifinal series. The winners in the semifinal round will also figure in a best-of-three series for the Gold Medal, while the losing teams will fight in a knockout match for the Bronze Medal.

Volleyball fans can expect their favorite players to be leading the charge for their favorite teams like Ponggay Gaston (ADMU), Regine Arocha (AU), Eya Laure (UST), Lycha Ebon (FEU), Bianca Tripoli (UPHSD), Joyce Sta. Rita (SSC-R), Ella and Nieza Viray (SBU), Rocelyn Hongria (LPU), Marie Simborio (CSJL), Rachel Austero (CSB), Chiara Permentilla (AdU), and Michelle Gamit (TIP).

Don’t miss the opening of the 2019 PVL Collegiate Conference this Saturday (August 17) with the third match streaming LIVE on iWant and sports.abs-cbn.com.

Warriors’ forward Draymond Green dismisses doubters

LOS ANGELES — Forward Draymond Green, who recently agreed to a $100 million contract extension to stay with the Golden State Warriors, took exception Wednesday to anyone who thinks the former world champions will struggle to compete in 2019-20.

“I’ve heard people say we’re not gonna make the playoffs. That’s crazy to me,” Green told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols on The Jump. “I mean, that’s just, like, that’s total disrespect, but no different than the disrespect we’ve all been getting for years.”

Las Vegas odds for the Warriors to make the playoffs aren’t as good as they were when Golden State won NBA titles in 2015, 2017 and 2018, but Green is thinking positively even when fans don’t consider them favorites heading into the season.

“I like it,” said Green, who has been with the Warriors for those past three titles. “You know, being the underdog. It’s been a while since we been the underdog. But it brings that underdog chip back, and I miss that chip.”

Meanwhile, Joseph Tsai plans to buy the remainder of Brooklyn Nets from Mikhail Prokhorov and become sole owner of the NBA franchise, the New York Post reported.

When Tsai purchased 49 percent of the team last year for $1 billion, he locked in the right to buy the remaining 51 percent before the 2021-22 season for $1.35 billion, according to the report. Tsai, 55, is the co-founder of the Chinese shopping website Alibaba. He also owns the WNBA’s New York Liberty.

The combined $2.35 billion transaction would be the highest price ever paid for a sports franchise in the United States. David Tepper paid $2.2 billion for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers last year, the same amount Tilman Fertitta spent for the NBA’s Houston Rockets in 2017. — Reuters

Balinas Jr. Memorial Chess tourney

INTERNATIONAL Master Ricardo “Ricky” De Guzman will be the man to beat in the qualifying round of the Grandmaster Rosendo Balinas Jr. Memorial Chess Tournament on August 17 at the Activity Hall of Alphaland Makati Place.

The 1982 Asian Junior Champion De Guzman looms as the player to beat owing to his big wins as the top Filipino performer in the standard competition of the 17th Asian Continental Chess Championships-2nd Manny Pacquiao Cup at the Tiara Oriental Hotel in Makati last December.

The pride of Antipolo City De Guzman also won the Open Kitchen Chess Tournament last June 18 and the 7th leg of National Executive Chess Championships dubbed as Grandmaster Rosendo Balinas Jr. chess cup last June 22.

The event will be played in a 7-round Swiss System format, 20 minutes plus five seconds delay mode. — Marlon Bernardino

Pujols passes Beltre in Angels’ win

LOS ANGELES — Albert Pujols drove in three runs, and left-hander Dillon Peters pitched six solid innings to help the Los Angeles Angels post a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series in Anaheim, Calif.

Pujols went 2-for-4 to raise his career hit total to 3,168 and surpass fellow Dominican Republic native Adrian Beltre (3,166) for most among players born outside the United States.

Pujols had a two-run single in the eighth to give the Angels a 6-3 lead as they avoided a three-game sweep and won for just the fifth time in the past 19 contests.

Peters (3-1) gave up two runs and four hits during a 94-pitch effort. He struck out six and walked one.

Pirates right-hander Chris Archer (3-9) struck out 10 in five innings but saw his winless stretch reach 12 starts. Archer gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks. Pittsburgh is 6-25 since the All-Star break.

Pujols’ first hit — which snapped the tie with Beltre — was a run-scoring single during a four-run, fourth-inning uprising. Luis Rengifo delivered a run-scoring double later in the frame and scooted all the way around the bases due to a misplay by Pirates left fielder Bryan Reynolds.

Peters didn’t start off well, as he walked Kevin Newman and hit both Reynolds and Starling Marte to load the bases. Newman scored as Josh Bell grounded into a double play, and Melky Cabrera singled to right to make it 2-0.

Pujols moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on David Fletcher’s double to deep left-center. Rengifo added his hit to left to score Fletcher, and the charging Reynolds failed to field the ball. It rolled to the fence as Rengifo circled the bases.

Pittsburgh had runners on first and third with no outs in the seventh, but right-hander Ty Buttrey induced Erik Gonzalez to hit into a double play. Elias Diaz scored on the play to pull the Pirates within 4-3.

Los Angeles’ Shohei Ohtani and Kole Calhoun opened the eighth with singles off right-hander Geoff Hartlieb, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch.

With the infield playing in, Pujols squirted a grounder past the dive of shortstop Newman and into center field to drive in two. Rengifo added a run-scoring single later in the inning to make it 7-3.

Diaz had an RBI single in the ninth for the Pirates. — Reuters

Liverpool win Super Cup

ISTANBUL — Champions League winners Liverpool won the Super Cup 5-4 on penalties against Chelsea on Wednesday after the game ended 2-2 following extra-time.

With the first nine penalties all converted, Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham saw his effort blocked by the legs of Liverpool keeper Adrian to hand victory to Juergen Klopp’s side in the annual clash between Champions League and Europa League winners.

It was a memorable moment for the Spanish goalkeeper who only joined the club nine days ago and found himself thrust into the side following the injury to first-choice Alisson Becker in the Premier League opener against Norwich City on Friday.

Liverpool, who beat Tottenham Hotspur in June’s Champions League final, have now won the trophy on four occasions while Chelsea have lost their last three appearances in the match.

While the Super Cup does not carry anywhere near the prestige of either of UEFA’s two season-long competitions, the first ever all-English affair was a good quality encounter played in hot, muggy conditions.

Chelsea went ahead in the 36th minute when N’Golo Kante drove from midfield and found Christian Pulisic, who turned inside and delivered the perfect through ball for Olivier Giroud to confidently slot home.

American Pulisic then beat Adrian with a fine shot after a swift run down the flank but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Liverpool manager Klopp introduced Brazilian Roberto Firmino at the break and he had an instant impact, poking the ball past the advancing Kepa Arrizabalaga and Sadio Mane tapped into the unguarded goal to make it 1-1 in the 49th minute. — Reuters

Staying fit

Tiger Woods didn’t exactly have a good start to his pro-am appearance at the BMW Championship yesterday. He did his usual pre-round routine, spending some on the range before teeing off, but his relative rust still showed. It was hardly unexpected, to be sure; including last week’s aborted stint at The Northern Trust, he has played just 234 holes since claiming the Masters last April. Nonetheless, it didn’t augur well for the Presidents Cup captain who looked to turn the back half of the FedEx Cup Playoffs into a successful bid for a spot on the team also as a player.

Creditably, Woods turned his round around after his first shot found the fairway bunker. Even as he didn’t really stripe one off the tee until the fifth hole of the pride of Medinah Country Club, he showed his sharpness just about everywhere else on the course. The result was a promising four-under-par score on the front nine, during which he also got in extra chips and putts in front of adviser Matt Killen. He then elected to pick his spots the rest of the way, as much a reflection of his preparation as of the precautions he needed to take in order to stay fit for actual competition.

As Woods explained in his presser, he “took the back nine off, chipped and putted quite a bit.” And, he was happy to add, his back felt “way better … Definitely doesn’t feel like it did on Friday,” when he had to withdraw from playing at Liberty National due to an oblique strain. Which, in a nutshell, means he’s confident of his chances at Medinah, where, not coinci “good memories,” he noted, while adding that “the golf course is a lot bigger. It’s a lot longer than I remember. They’ve certainly lengthened it since ‘99 and ‘06 (when he won two of his four PGA Championships), and when we played here in [‘12 for the Ryder Cup].”

Considering Woods’ goal of suiting up in red, white, and blue inside the ropes at the Presidents Cup, he will need to not just improve on his recent showing; projections compel him to finish no lower than 11th to qualify for the Tour Championship next week, a must if he wants to rack up points for an automatic selection to Team USA. “I’m hoping to put myself in the top eight. Right now, I’m seeded 12th, and I’m trying like hell to make the team on my own, to be part of the core group of guys.”

In this regard, here’s the good news: Woods is confident of his chances. “It was nice to take those days off. I just had to let [my back] calm down and get a bunch of treatment on it. And [now] it feels so much better.” Meanwhile, here’s the not-so-good news: Even assuming his body cooperates for the entire weekend, he will still need to execute his plan. And walking the walk at the pink of health isn’t a certainty given his lack of reps. “I’m trying to win this tournament just like anybody else in this field … and, hopefully, I can make that happen.”

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Chinese warships’ entry illegal, Palace says

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter

CHINA is violating international law for the unauthorized entry of its warships into Philippine waters, President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s spokesman said yesterday.

“It’s a violation of the UNCLOS,” presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo told reporters yesterday, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. “I am sure the secretary of Foreign Affairs will do something about that,” he added.

The Armed Forces earlier said at least five Chinese warships had passed through the Sibutu Strait in Tawi-Tawi province in southern Philippines without notifying authorities.

Mr. Panelo said he would discuss the issue with Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua, who has invited him to dinner. “We will call their attention,” the spokesman said.

The Philippines should expect more frequent passage of Chinese warships through its waters as China expands its naval reach, Jay L. Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute of Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, posted on Facebook.

“The Chinese warships’ actions of passing through without even acknowledging the Philippine queries therefore run counter to the Philippines’ legitimate maritime safety regulations,” he said.

Mr. Batongbacal noted that the Chinese government “requires foreign warships exercising innocent passage to notify and seek the consent of China before entering its territorial seas.” Their entry without notice violates their own policy and shows a double standard, he added.

Mr. Batongbacal said the Sibutu Strait is a well-used international sea route and warships are allowed innocent passage under international law.

A passage is innocent “as long as it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal state and should take place in conformity with the convention and other rules of international law.”

But if the Chinese ships passed through while their weapons were active or as part of a larger military exercise, then the passage was not innocent.

Passing ships must also not stop unless there is an accident or it has to save another ship or person in distress, Mr. Batongbacal said.

Lt. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana, chief of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command, has said the passage was “not innocent.”

Mr. Panelo earlier said the president planned to invoke a 2016 ruling by an international arbitration panel in the Hague that rebuffed Chinese claims over parts of the South China Sea when he visits Beijing later this month.

The United Nations tribunal in July 2016 ruled China’s efforts to assert control over the South China Sea exceeded the law, rejecting its shared claims with Taiwan to more than 80% of the main waterway.

China rejected the decision of the international court, which has failed to halt its island-building activities in areas also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.

The court rebuffed years of Chinese activity in the disputed sea under President Xi Jinping, whom Mr. Duterte will meet during a visit to later this month.

Mr. Duterte, who has sought closer investment and trade ties with China since he became president in June 2016, will also bring up the alleged ramming by a Chinese ship of a Filipino fishing boat at the Reed Bank in June, Mr. Panelo said.

Philippine military looking at security risks of Chinese POGO workers

THE Philippine military is looking at the security risks of Chinese-dominated online gaming operations in the capital, where gambling centers are very near military installations, Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana told The Chiefs segment on Cignal’s One News Channel.

“We are still verifying that,” the Defense chief said when asked if Philippine Online Gaming Operations or POGOs present security risks.

“Having a POGO per se is not a threat to our security,” Mr. Lorenzana said, even as he noted that there is a potential for these “to be used by unscrupulous people to attack or to even listen to what we are saying — to spy on us.”

There is a POGO center at Eastwood City and another at Araneta Center near Camp Aguinaldo, the Armed Forces headquarters in Quezon City, Mr. Lorenzana said.

Resorts World, a joint venture between Alliance Global Group and Genting Hong Kong, is occupying part of a former military camp and is near Villamor Airbase, home of the Philippine Air Force.

Senator Leila de Lima last month warned against the planned setup of a 32-hectare complex called Pogo Island in Kawit, Cavite, which she claimed could be the start of a creeping Chinese colonization.

There were earlier reports that a wealthy Chinese-Filipino businessman had bought the former Island Cove resort from the Remulla clan in Cavite and turned it into a complex for Chinese POGO workers.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has sought closer trade and investment ties with Beijing since he assumed power in 2016 as part of his pivot away from the US.

Philippine police in April said it would probe claims that China could use Huawei for spying. Authorities later found no evidence of that. The US has increased pressure on its allies to sever ties with the telecommunication company.

Bangsamoro may tap Middle East funds

THE new Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao is looking for funding from the Middle East to provide electricity to villages, the Finance department said in a statement yesterday.

Officials from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao met with Finance officials last week to discuss the plan, which will create livelihood and jobs and attract investments, it said.

“Power generation is crucial to you especially in the island communities and some communities that are off the grid,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez Ill told Bangsamoro officials, according to the statement.

The autonomous region is also considering tapping the private sector for the electrification program, the Finance department said.

Among those present at the meeting were Bangsamoro Chief Minister Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim and Ministers Naguib Sinarimbo and Eduard Guerra. — Beatrice M. Laforga

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