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‘Lethargic’ Lions book 12th win in a row

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

EVEN on a bad day the San Beda Red Lions just would not lose in National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95.

This after they topped the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers, 65-47, on Thursday for their 12th straight win despite their attack not in its usual fluid mode.

Struggled to get its true game going in the first two and a half quarters of the game, San Beda picked things up for the remainder of the contest to keep its clean state in the season intact.

It was a tight affair to begin the game as both teams did not budge in their push.

John Amores posted problems to the San Beda defense but still the latter managed to hold control on the hot shooting of Clint Doliguez to take a 21-17 lead at the end of the first 10 minutes.

In the second frame, things continued to be close, with the teams fighting to a knotted count of 24-all by the five-minute mark.

The Bombers though would have a stronger finish heading into the break than the Lions, outscoring the latter, 7-3, to take a 31-27 advantage at halftime.

Calvin Oftana and James Canlas jolted the San Beda attack to begin the third quarter.

The Lions tied the score at 36-all with 5:12 to go in the quarter.

Amores and Agem Miranda kept the Bombers afloat with timely baskets to help their team to stay on top, 42-39, at the 3:17 mark.

San Beda though was not to be denied of a charge back as it sprinted to the end of the quarter with a four-point cushion, 47-43.

Finally found their groove, the Lions picked up where they left off in the third to begin the final canto.They opened things with a 9-0 run in the first four minutes to build a 56-43 advantage.

The run proved to be telling as the Bombers were not able to recover from it.

JRU would only score four points after that as it saw San Beda run away with the win.

Canlas led the Lions with 18 points and seven rebounds followed by Oftana with 12 points.

Evan Nelle finished with 11 points and four assists while Donald Tankoua added 10 for San Beda, which next faces the streaking San Sebastian Stags.

For JRU it was Miranda who top-scored with 14 points with Amores finishing with 11.

“Again consistency both offensively and defensively we have to address that. The players really have to wake up. But still I give credit to the boys for stepping up the way they did in the second half,” said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez after their win.

Tweaked Philippine SuperLiga Invitational Conference rolls off on Sept. 24

ACTION in the Philippine SuperLiga resumes on Sept. 24 with the start of the Invitational Conference.

Adjusted to give way to the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games later this year, the Invitational Tournament, which like other PSL tournaments usually runs for two months, has been compressed to just three weeks with 10 playing dates.

In the tweaked schedule, the eight teams competing will be divided into two pools for the eliminations with the top four teams figuring in the semifinals — #1 versus #4 and #2 against #3 — heading to the one-game championship duel.

The eight competing teams are the Cignal HD Spikers, Foton Tornadoes, PLDT Power Hitters and Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors in Group A, and defending champion and newly crowned All-Filipino titlists F2 Logistics Cargo Movers, Petron Blaze Spikers, Generika-Ayala Lifesavers and Marinerang Pilipina Skippers in Group B.

“We need to finish the Invitational before November because by that time, focus will be on our country’s hosting of the SEA Games,” said Dr. Ian Laurel, PSL president, of the biennial event scheduled from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

Mr. Laurel was at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday, joined by representatives from the different teams, as they talked about the upcoming PSL tournament and their involvement in the SEA Games.

But despite being a short tournament than usual, Mr. Laurel assured PSL fans that the Invitational Conference will be an exciting one since the teams are out to finish their season on a high.

“Even if it’s a short tournament, I’m sure these teams want to end their year by winning this crown,” Mr. Laurel said at the forum held at the Amelie Hotel Manila.

The PSL also went on to reiterate that the PSL is committed to supporting the SEA Games and the national team competing in it.

They are doing it by hosting several tournaments in the lead-up to the Games where the Philippine team can sharpen its game.

The PSL, Mr. Laurel said, will host the second leg of the Southeast Asian Grand Prix on Oct. 4 to 6 where teams from Vietnam and Thailand, among others, will see action in Sta. Rosa. Laguna. The Philippine team is in Thailand for the first leg of the Grand Prix from Sept. 20 to 22.

To give the Philippine team a final tune-up for the SEA Games, the PSL will also stage the Super Cup on Nov. 5, 7 and 9 where the nationals will be pitted against a university team from Japan and two selections made up of PSL players.

ESPN5 will air all matches of the Invitational Conference on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, as well as the SEA Grand Prix and the PSL Super Cup. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Top cops blamed for illicit drug trade inside jails

ROGUE COPS recycled illegal drugs after kidnapping Chinese drug lords for ransom in an illicit business that leads all the way to the Philippines’ national jail and several regional police offices, according to a former police general.

High ranking officials from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), National Capital Region Police Office and Police Regional Office 3 were involved, former CIDG chief Benjamin B. Magalong yesterday told senators investigating corruption in the country’s prison system.

“All roads practically lead to the New Bilibid Prison,” the retired police director, now mayor of Baguio City, said at a Senate hearing.

“They peddle drugs recovered through legitimate police operations,” Mr. Magalong told the Senate justice committee. “Part of their modus operandi is to arrest Chinese drug traffickers and seize illegal drugs.”

Mr. Magalong named the high-ranking officials involved in the illegal drug trade at a closed-door meeting with several senators. Many of these officials are still active, he told reporters later.

Still, he said rogue cops in the illegal drug trade has decreased under the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

The mayor said a part of the seized drugs would be legally declared, while a “sizeable amount” would be kept in a safe house and later distributed, some to inmates in the national jail in Muntinlupa City.

Meanwhile, the Justice department said none of the prisoners illegally released for good conduct have left the country.

The agency has put the 1,914 convicts of heinous crimes under immigration lookout to check whether they have left the country, Justice Undersecretary Markk L. Perete said in a mobile-phone message.

Mr. Duterte has said convicts who fail to surrender by Sept. 19 will be hunted down “dead or alive.”

The president earlier fire Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor E. Faeldon for allowing the release of ineligible convicts. Mr. Perete said 1,304 convicts have surrendered.

Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra has said convicts who failed to surrender woul be re-arrested without a warrant.

He also said recomputation of the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) has started after the DoJ and the DILG signed the revised rules implementing the law on early release.

The rules disqualify convicts of heinous crimes including murder, rape, destructive arson, parricide, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and violations of certain provisions in the Dangerous Drugs Act from early release.

The Ombudsman has suspended at least 30 prison officials for alleged corruption. — Charmaine A. Tadalan and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Ceres stretches lead at the top of PFL race

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

DEFENDING Philippines Football League champion Ceres-Negros FC stretched its lead at the top of the ongoing league race after beating rival Kaya FC-Iloilo, 2-0, on Wednesday at the Biñan Football Stadium in Laguna.

Gaining the full three points with the win, Ceres, now with 46 points from a record of 15 wins and a draw put itself in even stronger position to repeat as champion with its lead now at nine points over second–running Kaya (12-1-3) at 37 points.

Mike Ott and OJ Porteria provided the goals for the “Busmen” in a match not short in drama with both teams ending the match with just 10 men.

Mr. Ott put Ceres ahead in the 15th minute when he found the bottom of the net off a pass from teammate Porteria.

Mr. Porteria then doubled their lead in the 30th minute with a well-struck solo effort into the far post.

The match saw red cards handed out to Jordan Mintah of Kaya and Super Herrera of Ceres after a rough collision in the middle of the pitch before the break.

Kaya tried to make up for the deficit in the second half but Ceres held tough, not allowing any comeback to happen on its way to the win, which was the third in as many games this season over Kaya.

Should Ceres-Negros win four of its remaining games in the tournament, it will be awarded an unprecedented third straight league title.

While they are happy to be in commanding position, Ceres is not getting ahead of itself and instead is going game by game until it reaches its goal.

“[It’s] Still too early to talk about the title. We’re going game by game so it’s a big win for us. We beat our direct opponent for the title and it’s very, very important but we need to continue. We have seven games more. We have to win four games to be sure that we are champions again,” said Ceres coach Risto Vidakovic postgame.

He went on to give credit to his players for playing the way they did from start to finish.

“I want to congratulate my players. They played really good today and they gave everything. We controlled the game from the first minute until the end,” the Ceres coach said.

For Kaya, the defeat stung because it poured called water on its push to narrow the gap in the standings and make the race tighter with Ceres.

But the team vowed to move on and learn from the defeat even as it tries to make the most of what it has in its control.

“I think my players really tried their best,” a disappointed Kaya coach Noel Marcaida said after the match.

“This game really showed Ceres’ strength in their clinical finishing. I only recall maybe three chances for them in the whole game, and they converted two. You can really see the disappointment in the players. All we can do now is focus on finishing strong in the league, starting with the two games we have in Iloilo coming up,” he added.

PHL women’s volleyball team battles Indonesia in ASEAN GP

By John Bryan Ulanday

THE Philippine women’s national volleyball team finally gets to test the waters in an official tournament when it battles against three other countries in the historic ASEAN Grand Prix today at the Terminal 21 Mall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

Fresh from a 12-day training camp in Bangkok that included scrimmages against Thailand national team and Japan ball club, the Nationals try to apply the lessons they have learned in their first real test against Indonesia at 3 p.m. (Manila time) as part of their build-up to the upcoming 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) hosting later this year.

“We learned a lot from the training camp, every match we felt that we are getting better. Conditioning-wise and skills, we are good,” said head coach Shaq Delos Santos who is joined by Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc., (LVPI) president Joey Romasanta and secretary general Ariel Paredes in the Rebisco-backed team’s Thailand trip.

The Nationals, however, will be playing without ace hitter Alyssa Valdez who suffered an unfortunate ankle injury just before her departure to Thailand to join her teammates.

Still, Mr. Delos Santos is confident on his skillful wards for the ASEAN GP with the presence of enough seasoned volleyball players like skipper Aby Marano, Ces Molina, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Jovelyn Gonzaga.

“These are mostly veteran players. They can make do with what’s given. We will do our best under the circumstance,” added Delos Santos as the Nationals also take on Thailand and Vietnam over the weekend.

Out to provide added firepower to the shorthanded Nationals is the Fil-Am scoring sensation Kalei Mau coming from a rewarding championship and MVP season with F2 Logistics in the Philippine SuperLiga All-Filipino tourney.

Ms. Mau will be joined in a collective Philippine women volleyball team effort by Mylene Paat and Eya Laure together with middle blockers Majoy Baron, Roselyn Doria and Maddie Madayag.

Also in the mix in the team to provide a tough floor defense are liberos Kath Arado and Dawn Macandili as well as facilitators and setters Jia Morado and Alohi Robins-Hardy.

This ASEAN GP, which is the first ever volleyball event in the Southeast Asian region history, will have a second leg to be hosted by the Philippines on Oct. 4 to 6 in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Authorities arrest hundreds of Chinese for cybercrimes

ABOUT 600 allegedly illegal Chinese workers have been arrested in the Philippines in less than a week after Beijing’s call for a crackdown on online gambling.

About 324 undocumented Chinese nationals will be deported after being apprehended on Monday in the western Palawan province for alleged cybercrimes, the Iimmigration bureau said in a statement on Tuesday.

The agency earlier said it arrested 277 Chinese nationals on Wednesday for allegedly conducting illegal online operations in Pasig City.

Those arrested were wanted for fraud and investment scams in China, the Immigration bureau said, citing information from Chinese authorities.

Last month, China urged the Philippines to crack down on online casino operations catering mostly to Chinese nationals.

Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte has said he would not ban the billion-peso industry despite Beijing’s opposition because it benefits the Southeast Asian nation.

Albay Rep. Joey S. Salceda on Wednesday said the ways and means committee, which he heads, will hold hearings on the risks of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) and decide whether they should stay in the country.

The congressman was asked to comment on China’s request for the Philippines to ban online casino operations in the country.

He noted that these are legal under the franchise of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

The Finance department has threatened to shut down operators found evading withholding income taxes from their workers.

The agency has issued 130 letter-notices to operators with P21.62 billion in tax liabilities, it said.

The Philippine gaming regulator has said it won’t halt existing online casinos but will stop accepting applications for new licenses at least until the end of the year to review concerns about the burgeoning sector.

More than 50 Philippine offshore gaming operators have received licenses since 2016, and the industry employs about 138,000 workers, most of them from China. Revenue from the offshore gaming industry is projected to reach P9 billion this year, according to the Philippine gaming regulator.

China has no authority to force the Philippines to ban online gambling involving Chinese nationals as part of its effort to crack down on a practice that supposedly causes illegal outflow of money, Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago L. Sta. Romana said earlier — with Bloomberg

Quirino is the Philippines’ new wakeboarding mecca

THE PROVINCE of Quirino emerged as the country’s newest wakeboarding haven with the successful staging of the recent 1st Invitational Wakeboarding Competition at the world-class Quirino Watersports Complex in the capital town of Cabarroguis.

More than 80 players from the country’s top wakeparks took part in the inaugural tournament of the facility as part of the Panagdadapun Festival marking the 48th provincial founding anniversary.

Jet Brigance of Decawake Clark Cable Park topped the Open Men Wakeboard category, followed by Larry Sacabon of Quirino and Jon Dimacali of Republic Wakepark who bagged second and third places, respectively.

JP Canuto of CamSur Watersports Complex ruled the Open Men Wakeskate, with Regi Causing and Renan Turiano, both from Republic Wakepark, capturing second and third spots, respectively.

In the Advance Wakeboard, Jerome Javaluyas of Lago De Oro Wakepark captured the men’s division, while Shaina Alva of Pradera Verde dominating the women’s division.

Meanwhile, Charles Villegas Pradera Verde and Justine Buendia of Republic Wakepark conquered the Advance Wakeboard, men’s and women’s divisions.

The Philippine wakeboard team to the 30th Southeast Asian Games also demonstrated exhibition runs and were impressed by the tournament-quality and tension of the cables.

In the overall medal tally, Republic Wakepark of Nuvali, Laguna made a 7-medal haul, followed by the Quirino host park with five medals, Pradera Verde and Deca Wakepark with two each, and Lago de Oro and CamSur, with one apiece.

Started in 2007 by then governor Dakila Carlo Cua, the Quirino WaterSports Complex is a 9.5-hectare full-size cable park, and boasts of 450-meter wakeboard cable, a 2.5-hectare lagoon, and a deck area of 251 square meters.

It also has a winchpark for beginners with a 100-meter cable and 3,000-sq.m. lagoon.

Owned and managed by the provincial government, the sprawling property also has a two-story pavilion, function rooms, a multi-purpose hall, an infinity pool, an adjunct hostel, and guest villas under construction.

Once fully completed, it is expected to boost the positioning of the province as an adventure and sports tourism destination in the Cagayan Valley.

FEU cognizant of balanced UAAP competition and need to deliver

WITH COMPETITION in the ongoing season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines stiffer than ever, the Far Eastern University Tamaraws recognize that they have to adjust accordingly and deliver.

Currently in the middle of the pack with a 2-2 record following their 66-55 win over the De La Salle Green Archers on Wednesday, the Tamaraws said they expect the road in UAAP Season 82 to continue to be challenging as all teams are capable of winning at any given time, a testament to the kind of parity the league has right now.

“Competition this season is so balanced. All the teams are capable of winning at any given moment, at any given time,” said FEU coach Olsen Racela after their win over La Salle.

The win was a bounce back for the Tamaraws, who lost in their previous game against the defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles.

Against La Salle, FEU had to dig deep, relying on the plays of veteran Wendell Comboy down the stretch and Cameroonian big man Patrick Tchuente.

“I’m just happy with the way we responded today especially coming off that loss to Ateneo,” said Mr. Racela of their showing in their last game.

Tchuente had a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds to go along with three blocks with Comboy scoring five of the last seven points of his team on his way to 11 points, and going 3-of-9 from three-point land.

Mr. Racela said they hope to sustain such level of play when they take on the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers next.

“The schedule is a bit tricky as we play almost in bunches and preparation is a challenge. But I’m looking forward to that game (UST). I always tell the players that every game is different, every UAAP game is different. It’s been showing this season. The favored teams are losing while those deemed in the disadvantage are winning. It’s like that this year. We have to be ready each time,” said the FEU coach.

FEU battles UST on Sunday, Sept. 22, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

2K announces inaugural NBA 2K20 Global Championship

NEW YORK — 2K is excited to announce it is partnering with the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), and ESL, the world’s largest esports company, to create the NBA 2K20 Global Championship. Featuring more than $100,000 in prizes, the NBA 2K20 Global Championship is a new competitive tournament designed for aspiring NBA 2K20 players worldwide. The global tournament will feature head-to-head competition in a series of online and offline events that will take place from October 2019 to February 2020, culminating in a final event in the United States to crown the first-ever NBA 2K20 global champion. Registration is open today at www.nba2kgc.com.

“We’re excited to partner with the NBA, NBPA and ESL to create this first-of-its-kind tournament for NBA 2K,” said Jason Argent, Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations at 2K. “For anyone who is interested to test how their skills match up on a global scale, we encourage you to register and see if you truly have what it takes to become the best head-to-head player in the world.”

“The global scale of the tournament reflects the incredible growth of basketball around the world,” said Matthew Holt, NBA Senior Vice President, Consumer Products & Gaming Partnerships. “The NBA 2K20 Global Championship offers a chance for anyone in the world to compete.”

“We are thrilled to be working with these partners in creating this milestone event in gaming,” said Josh Goodstadt, EVP of Licensing for the NBPI, the commercial arm of the NBPA. “Our players come from all over the world and this is a unique experience which will allow fans from every corner of the globe to engage and compete with them through NBA 2K.”

From Oct. to Nov. this year aspiring NBA 2K20 players will compete in local online qualifiers in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions that will lead to online playoffs, which will determine who advances to the regional finals. Regional finals will be hold as live events at the ESL studios in Los Angeles, Paris and Sydney, where each winner will receive $15,000 and other prizes from the NBA and 2K.

The Global Finals will hold on February 22, 2020 at the ESL studio in Los Angeles, where eight finalists will compete to determine who will be crowned the first-ever global champion. The winner of the NBA 2K20 Global Championship will receive $100,000 in prizes.

Follow NBA 2K on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook for the latest NBA 2K20 news.

Isaiah Thomas

Isaiah Thomas just can’t seem to catch a break. Just when he looked primed for a comeback season with the Wizards, he found his preparations derailed by an injury during an otherwise-routine workout early this week. Tests revealed him to have torn the radial collateral ligament in his left thumb, requiring surgery and convalescence for the next eight weeks. Nonetheless, he was typically upbeat, noting in a tweet that he “[h]urt my damn thumb tryna play defense… Never again lol never again!” No doubt, his positive disposition was likewise spurred by prognoses that he, in general manager Thomas Sheppard’s words, will “make a full recovery.”

Which is all well and good. Thomas certainly deserves some news countering all the tough times he has gone through in the last two years. Not too long ago, he was an All-Star for the highly regarded Celtics; he finished the 2016-17 season norming 28.9, 2.7, and 5.9 in nearly 34 minutes of play. And he shone in the playoffs as well; among his highlights in the same campaign for the top seeds was a gutsy 53-point effort in Game Two of the East semifinals against, well, the Wizards on the natal day of his sister Chyna, who died in a car accident a month before.

In truth, Thomas played hurt for the Celtics then. He aggravated a right hip injury in Game Six of the same series against the Wizards, but soldiered on until Game Two of the conference finals versus the Cavaliers. And, with reason, he thought his above-and-beyond effort for the green and white would be reciprocated in kind. “My time is coming. They know they have to bring the Brinks truck out,” he said a month and a half later in reference to his expiring contract and his expectations of an extension at maximum salary.

Thomas was wrong. The Celtics dealt him to the Cavaliers the next month, a trade that was nearly scuttled in light of questions on the state of his health. And, since then, his career has been up and down — okay, mostly down. Between abbreviated stints with the Lakers and Nuggets, all that remained of the Brinks truck was his quote. The Hancock he has affixed on his deal with the Wizards puts him in line for a $2.32-million payday through the next year, just a tad higher than his previous one.

How good Thomas can still be at a seemingly broken-down 30 remains to be seen. He continues to hold a glass that’s half full to him, and possesses a resolve that keeps him reaching for the stars. It’s how he has always been, and why he thrived even at a diminutive 5’9”. And it’s how he will always be, and why he can’t ever be counted out.

 

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.

Palace says unfazed by brokers’ threat

THE PRESIDENTIAL palace said it is unfazed by customs’ brokers’ threat to fight President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s plan to remove them from the Bureau of Customs as a way to cut corruption, his spokesman said yesterday.

“Even if they want to fight, the president is mandated by the Constitution to serve the people and to protect the people,” presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo told reporters on Wednesday.

Adones S. Carmona, president of the Chamber of Customs Brokers, told ABS-CBN News that the country’s almost 12,000 brokers will fight the plan.

Norberto V. Castillo, president of the Philippine Association of Customs Brokers in Education, said the government should upgrade the bureau’s technology and professionalize its ranks.

He said Mr. Duterte could not just order the removal of brokers because the government is mandated to enforce the Customs Brokers Act of 2004.

Customs brokers have rejected claims that they were to blame for corruption at the Customs bureau. The chamber said it would defend the livelihood of its nearly 12,000 licensed members, adding that the palace should instead modernizing Customs.

Albay Rep. Joey S. Salceda on Wednesday said his ways and means committee would study the Customs Brokers Act to see if Mr. Duterte’s wish to expel brokers from the bureau could be accommodated. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Polio resurgent, Health dep’t says

THE DEPARTMENT of Health reported a case of polio this year after almost two decades of being free from the disease.

In a statement, the agency confirmed that the crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease is “re-emerging in the Philippines, 19 years after the country was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization (WHO).

One polio case was confirmed in Lanao Del Sur in southern Philippines, while the virus has been detected in samples tested from Manila sewages. Another case of polio was still being confirmed in Davao, it said.

Plio is caused by the poliovirus, which infects the brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis or even death. There are vaccines for polio but there are no known cures.

The WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released a joint statement on Thursday saying local government units must “ensure that vaccination campaigns are planned and implemented effectively.”

“Every community leader, religious leader and celebrity must mobilize their communities to participate in immunization activities,” they said. — Gillian M. Cortez

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