PBA D-League: Blackwater deflates Cagayan to even semis series
MANILA, Philippines—Blackwater warded off Cagayan, 86-79, to send their semifinals series to a deciding game three Thursday in the PBA Aspirants Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Coming out flat in their previous meeting leading to a 76-91 defeat last Tuesday, the Elite looked more like the team who finished in the top two of the eliminations. “We had a day of making adjustments, it’s a good thing players responded really well. I challenged them to bounce back,” said Blackwater head coach Leo Isaac. Blackwater, though, still had to grind it out down the stretch repeatedly fended off comebacks from Cagayan Valley. Justine Chua scored 16 points to show the way for the Elite. Robby Celiz tallied 12 while holding James Forrester to seven points on 3 of 5 shooting. “I thought today we played good defense. The last time out we allowed Cagayan to do their thing. Today, if they pressure us, we will pressure them,” said Isaac. Llagas poured all but one of his nine points in the fourth quarter including a baseline runner which gave the Elite an 85-77 lead with under a minute to go. Eliud Poligrates scored 23 points and Ping Eximiniano added 15 for the Rising Suns, who committed 23 turnovers that led to Elite’s 16 points. Poligrated scored nine points in the third quarter and 14 in the first half but was held scoreless in the entire payoff period. Source:http://sports.inquirer.net/86859/pba-d-league-blackwater-deflates-cagayan-to-even-semis-series |
Rain or Shine logs first winBy Musong R. Castillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer1:07 am | Sunday, February 17th, 2013 0 8 2 RAIN OR SHINE rode a 17-0 run into the final minute of the match and forged a 91-82 victory over Meralco for its first win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup during an out-of-town match yesterday in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. The Painters trailed by five going into the bottom half of the fourth, but three-pointers from Paul Lee and Ronnie Matias kicked off that key run that gave them a 91-79 edge going into the final minute. Rain or Shine evened its record to 1-1 as it drew huge games from Bruno Sundov and Ryan Araña. Meralco dropped to 1-2. Meanwhile, unheralded workhorses Robert Dozier—who wasn’t even Alaska’s first choice—and Evan Brock—who Barako Bull coach Rajko Toroman once said rock could have the worst stats in the tournament—cross paths as they try to steer their respective clubs to the solo lead of the tournament. The Aces and Energy collide at 4:15 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum hoping to keep their unbeaten run. Petron Blaze, back to its old self after destroying San Mig Coffee last week, sets out in the 6:30 p.m. contest seeking to extend Barangay Ginebra’s miseries. Dozier cemented his slot in the Alaska roster last Wednesday when he went up against—and outplayed—the Aces’ first import choice Eric Dawson in an impressive 85-81 victory over Meralco, piling up 27 points that went with 14 rebounds and six blocks. “His versatility is amazing,” coach Luigi Trillo said of Dozier. Brock, on the other hand, may have been fired up by Toroman’s statement and took over scoring for the Energy with 25 points in a come-from-behind decision of Globalport last week. Meanwhile, Ginebra will play its final game with Herbert Hill and the Gin Kings will be hard-pressed to snap a two-game slide against a Petron side that is now humming on all cylinders. Vernon Macklin will replace Hill, but won’t arrive until late tonight. The scores: RAIN OR SHINE 91—Sundov 20, Araña 20, Norwood 10, Lee 9, Matias 9, Quiñahan 7, Cruz 5, Tiu 4, Ibañes 0, Rodriguez 0. MERALCO 82—Dawson 23, Cardona 21, Guevarra 8, Reyes 6, Ross 6, Buenafe 6, Manuel 6, Hodge 2, Hugnatan 2, Sharma 2, Artadi 0. Quarters: 22-23, 43-45, 66-65, 91-82 Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/87163/rain-or-shine-logs-first-win |
WAP joins clamor for Olympic wrestlingBy Marc Anthony Reyes
Philippine Daily Inquirer12:56 am | Sunday, February 17th, 2013 1 18 3 THE WRESTLING Association of the Philippines has joined the clamor lodged by its international federation to convince the International Olympic Committee to reconsider its decision to strike off the sport from its calendar starting the 2020 Games. WAP secretary general Karlo Silverio Sevilla yesterday said they go hand in hand with wrestling powerhouses Russia, Iran and the United States to keep what is considered the “world’s most ancient sport” in the Games’ roster of events. He added that though they felt “shocked and depressed with the turn of events,” they are taking a positive outlook on the issue. “It is heartening to witness and feel the strong resolve of the international wrestling community to keep the world’s most ancient sport in the Olympic Games,” said Sevilla via email. “The Wrestling Association of the Philippines (WAP) is honored to be one with all the national wresting federations fighting for our sport.” He also appealed on behalf of the country’s fledgling wrestling development program which is striving to work its way back in the Games after last taking part in 1988. “We are not yet a strong wrestling country, but we work hard for our Filipino children’s Olympic dreams. And it is for this compelling reason that we commit our small-but-earnest voice to the worldwide clamor to keep wrestling in its ancestral house and rightful home,” Sevilla added. The Philippines first took part in the Olympics in the 1948 London Games and continued to send grapplers until the 1988 edition in Seoul. Salvador del Rosario gave the country its best performance in the international stage when he won the flyweight gold medal in the 1970 World Wrestling Championships held in Columbus, Ohio. The Philippines ruled the Southeast Asian Games wrestling competitions held here in 2005 with five gold medals. WAP, headed by president Albert Balde, was established in 1969. Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/87157/wap-joins-clamor-for-olympic-wrestling |