MANILA, Philippines – The Gamboa-St. Clare Coffee Lovers continued its winning ways in the 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup, this time cooking the Mila’s Lechon Roasters, 70-58, at the Ynares Sports Arena, Thursday, February 1.

The action tightened up early into the 2nd quarter, when Mila’s launched a 7-0 attack to tie the game at 17. However, Gamboa went on a 4-minute, 18-0 run to completely burn the Roasters’ chances of a comeback. Aris Dionisio and Trevis Jackson scored 12 and 11, respectively, in the 1st half to lead the game-changing run.

Nothing changed much in the 3rd, as this time it was Raymond Rubio who did his part for Gamboa, scoring 8 of his 10 points in the quarter. However, the Roasters made a late run in the 4th on the improved shooting of Axel Inigo, cutting the Gamboa lead to 10, 68-58, but it was far from enough to earn them their first win of the tournament. 

Jackson led the Coffee Lovers with 19 points and 5 rebounds. Dionisio followed suit with 15 points of his own and import Mohammed Pare chipped in a game-high 18 rebounds to go along with 18 points.

After scoring only 2 points in the 1st half, Inigo went completely wild in the next half, especially in the 4th quarter, where he scored 14 of his 23 points and almost cut Gamboa’s lead to single digits. Gamboa was up by as many as 30 points before Inigo shot the Roasters back in the game. However, they still go down 0-3, tying AMA and EAC as the only winless teams left in the tournament.

The Scores

Gamboa-St. Clare (70) ­– Jackson 19, Dionisio 15, Rubio 10, Pare 8, Rebugio 8, Bitoon 4, Ambuludlo 3, Hallare 2, Acuno 1, Catura 0, Jumaquio 0, Decano 0, Alcober 0, Fontanilla 0

Mila’s Lechon (58) – Inigo 23, Montuano 12, Ng 9, Delfinado 5, Sarangay 2, Acibar 2, Derige 2, Parala 2, Padilla 1, Luz 0, Deles 0, Bellosillo 0, Crisostomo 0, Herradura

Quarter Scores: 17-10, 33-17, 57-29, 70-58

STANDINGS (as of Feb. 1, 2018)

Zark’s-LPU 3-1

JRU 2-0

Wangs-Letran 2-0

Che’Lu-SSC 2-1

Gamboa-St. Clare 2-1

Marinerong Pilipino 2-2

CEU 1-0

Akari-AdU 1-1

Go For Gold-CSB 1-1

Perpetual 1-1

AMA 0-3

EAC 0-3

Mila’s Lechon 0-3

MANILA, Philippines –  UAAP Season 79 Finals game one, second set. This crucial set surprised everyone as nobody expected that it would dictate the fate of the Ateneo Lady Eagles for the rest of the season. 

The ladies from the blue and white side of the court took the first set and were already leading 22-18 in the second set. However, errors plagued the Lady Eagles, allowing the La Salle Lady Spikers to take a one-point lead and extend the set point. From that turning point, Ateneo just surrendered the control to DLSU for that game – and for the rest of championship campaign. 

After winning 2-0 in the elimination round vs the Lady Spikers and earning top seed, the night of the finals game two was a heartbreaker for the Lady Eagles as DLSU took the game and the championship title for the second consecutive season. 

The tragedy goes on

The Ateneo Lady Eagles trudged on, arriving back home in Katipunan where the Ateneo community celebrated the season's campaign with the team. After sending off starting libero Gizelle Tan, 4th-year setter Jia Morado marched towards the podium to give her thanks, but to also bid goodbye to collegiate volleyball. (READ: Jia Morado foregoes final year of eligibility with Ateneo Lady Eagles)

"I am not only graduating from the Ateneo, but I am also graduating from the team," said Morado in tears. The statement shocked not only the Ateneo community, but also her own teammates who were unaware of her reflection on this decision. 

With Morado's excellent ability to set her teammates up for killer attacks gone in Season 80, the Ateneo Women's Volleyball team was left in jeopardy for the season. 

A month after the conclusion of UAAP Season 79, the Lady Eagles were hit with another tragic announcement from their school. 

Dubbed as the "key player" of the Lady Eagles against their archrivals DLSU, Michelle Morente was confirmed to be out of Ateneo de Manila University as she becomes ineligible to play for the school for the second time around. (READ: Ateneo confirms Michelle Morente out of Lady Eagles lineup) Morente was under probation in Season 78 after she failed to reach the cumulative QPI set by Ateneo. 

Ironically, Morente is now currently enrolled in DLSU and will undergo one year of residency before she is able to suit up for the Lady Spikers in Season 81. 

Without Morado and Morente for the rest of 2017, the Lady Eagles were forced to start from scratch by gathering up rookies with potential talents and honing them to be able compete in high-level collegiate competitions in the Philippines. 

The Lady Eagles made a run with the young team in the inaugural Phillippine Volleyball League (PVL) Women's Collegiate Conference– previously known as Shakey's V-League.

However, another string of mishaps struck the veteran Lady Eagles as outside hitter Jho Maraguinot was nursing a left foot injury and middle blocker Ana Gopico was out with a hamstring injury. The final straw was when outside hitter-turned-libero Kim Gequillana was stretchered off during a PVL match against the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws due to a left knee injury. 

Ateneo's campaign then came to an early end with a 3-2 record when the National University Lady Bulldogs eliminated them. 

Rebuilding process

During the PVL, Head coach Anusorn "Tai" Bundit's absence in the last few games fueled speculations of his status with Ateneo. Initially, reports confirmed that Tai was out of Ateneo, but University President Fr Jose Ramon Villarin reassured the publlic days later that Tai would continue to work together with team, especially for the upcoming season. (READ: Coach Tai, Lady Eagles still together this season, says Ateneo president)

But the drama did renew the relationship of Coach Tai with the Lady Eagles. PVL team captain Bea de Leon likened the current situation to the saying "problems sometimes are needed to make it even better." 

"We all know we have a common goal, which is to win and to build a champion team. At the end of the day when you look at your goals, that’s very similar. You work together and compromise in many things to make the relationship work and we were able to do that," described de Leon. 

Leaving the tragic 2017 behind, the Ateneo Lady Eagles never looked back and took their rebuilding stage day by day. Team captain Maddie Madayag and veteran players De Leon and Maraguinot are tasked to step up amongst the young team that will don the colors of the blue and white this season. 

Deanna Wong made headlines in Season 79 as a libero, but now she has to take on the bigger role of replacing Morado as the team's only setter. Before becoming a libero, Wong was naturally a setter back when she was playing in Cebu. After the PVL stint and their annual Thailand training camp, the team believes in her capabilities to become the "key" to their run this season. 

"This season’s team is really young, so parang all we have to do is guide the young ones especially Deanna. Because first time niya to play as setter ulit and parang nasa kanya lahat yung pressure because of the legacy that Jia left din na parang she has to bring the team up kasi siya talaga yung, she’s the key of this team," said Maraguinot. 

The bevy of rookies who are set to make their debut in Season 80 include middle blockers Bettina Abella and Anne Basa, outside hitter Candice Gequillana and a stacked libero squad comprising of Dani Ravena, Vanessa Baguiwet and Sydney Eleazar. 

Despite the many changes the team had to undergo this season, one thing that remains with the team is the "heartstrong" character that they have been showing everyone since Coach Tai led them to their first championship. 

"Siguro it’s still the mantra heartstrong. Because ever since naman we started training, its really our motivation every day, we know we’re starting from the bottom. So parang every day we just have to fight na we have to tell ourselves na we have to improve, we have to do this for ourselves," said Maraguinot. – Rappler.com

MINNEAPOLIS, USA – Tom Brady will attempt to write another chapter of NFL history here Sunday, February 4, as the New England Patriots chase a record-equalling sixth Super Bowl crown against a Philadelphia Eagles team desperate for their first ever win.

{source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">P-E-R-F-E-C-T.  <a href="https://t.co/AZIA1bzxg4">https://t.co/AZIA1bzxg4</a></p>&mdash; Super Bowl (@SuperBowl) <a href="https://twitter.com/SuperBowl/status/959264437042667520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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One year after masterminding the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, when the Patriots overturned a 28-3 third-quarter deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons, Brady is back on the stage he has come to dominate.

If last year's heroics confirmed his right to be regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time, a further triumph on Sunday at Minneapolis' US Bank Stadium will elevate the 40-year-old into his own personal pantheon.

A slew of records could go up in smoke if the Patriots overcome the threat posed by an Eagles side revelling in the role of underdogs.

A sixth win for Brady would give him more Super Bowl wins than any other player in history.

Brady would also become the oldest quarterback to win the Super Bowl, surpassing his great rival Peyton Manning, who was 39 when he led the Denver Broncos to victory over the Carolina Panthers two years ago.

Win or lose, Brady will already become the oldest non-kicker to play in the showpiece when he suits up this weekend, 16 years after guiding the Patriots to his first Super Bowl triumph, a 20-17 win defeat of the St. Louis Rams in 2002.

So far, Brady has shown little sign of yielding to Father Time.

He has amassed a league-leading 4,577 yards this season, and talks of playing into his mid-40s.

"Why does everyone want me to retire so bad?" he said this week. "I'm having fun."

Uncertain future?

Yet there are undeniable clouds on the horizon for the Patriots machine, the so-called Evil Empire who remain the team that the rest of the NFL loves to hate.

Two of head coach Bill Belichick's most trusted lieutenants, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive counterpart Matt Patricia, are expected to depart at the end of the season to pursue head-coaching opportunities.

And the Boston franchise's campaign has also been jolted by a reported rift – denied – between Belichick, Brady and team owner Robert Kraft, sparked by the shock trade of back-up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in October.

Lying in wait for Brady and Belichick are an Eagles team who powered into the Super Bowl with a 38-7 rout of the Minnesota Vikings that no one saw coming.

The Eagles sealed their place thanks to a dazzling display from quarterback Nick Foles, the back-up who was thrust into the starting position after an injury ended Carson Wentz's season in December.

Wentz's injury prompted many Eagles fans to wonder if the team was cursed. But after an uncertain start, Foles delivered the game of his life to blitz the Vikings in the NFC Championship decider.

Foles, however, accepts that even if he helps upset the Patriots, he will revert to being a back-up next season when Wentz returns fitness.

Underdog mentality 

The 29-year-old is unfazed by that prospect.

"I'm excited to watch Carson get healthy and get back on his feet and hopefully be part of him getting back to where he was," said Foles, who was only 16 when Brady was winning his third Super Bowl ring, against the Eagles in 2005.

If there is a gulf in experience between Brady and Foles, a chasm separates Belichick and Eagles counterpart Doug Pederson.

Belichick 65, has won seven Super Bowl rings, two as an assistant with the New York Giants and five as head coach with the Patriots, in a career spanning five decades.

Pederson, 50 and only two years into his first head coaching job, was coaching a high school team in Louisiana when Belichick won his fifth Super Bowl in 2005.

Pederson, however, says the Eagles are embracing the role of underdogs. Some of his players have even taken to wearing latex dog masks during their postseason.

"I think that's the mentality of our football team," Pederson said.

"I think that's the mentality of our city, and I'm OK with that.

"I've been an underdog my whole career, my whole life. Everything I've done, I either haven't been good enough or something negative has been written or said, and I just blow it off." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - Jerwin Ancajas has fought in Macau, Australia and Northern Ireland since winning the IBF junior bantamweight championship at home in the Philippines in November of 2016. Now he’ll try to make his impact in the United States, beginning with his fourth title defense this Saturday, February 3 (Sunday Manila time) when he meets Israel Gonzalez at the Bank of America Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

{source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">IBF Super Flyweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas will defend his belt against Israel Gonzalez of Mexico in his US debut!<br><br>***<br>Watch the Ancajas-Gonzalez fight LIVE on ESPN5 on February 4 at 10:00 AM. <a href="https://t.co/1SSvQRV8Ei">pic.twitter.com/1SSvQRV8Ei</a></p>&mdash; ESPN5 (@Sports5PH) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sports5PH/status/958870177445105664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It’ll be his first under new promoter Top Rank, the same company that handled the career of his co-promoter Manny Pacquiao, and will afford him the opportunity to make an impression on a wider audience with live coverage in the United States and Philippines on ESPN.

It’s new territory for the 26-year-old from Panabo City, who now makes his home at his “Survival Camp” compound in Magallanes, Cavite, and he hopes to live up to expectation of Filipino fans looking for the next great fighter to get behind.

“Just like sir Manny because he is really my idol, that is why his heart to win, I also want to apply that to myself,” said Ancajas (28-1-1, 19 knockouts).

“I also want to become the best among boxers because I did not get into boxing just for the sake of being in boxing. I got into boxing because I wanted to be counted among the best.”

{source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">IBF Super Flyweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas will defend his belt against Israel Gonzalez of Mexico in his US debut!<br><br>***<br>Watch the Ancajas-Gonzalez fight LIVE on ESPN5 on February 4 at 10:00 AM. <a href="https://t.co/1SSvQRV8Ei">pic.twitter.com/1SSvQRV8Ei</a></p>&mdash; ESPN5 (@Sports5PH) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sports5PH/status/958870177445105664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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His opponent for this fight, a relatively inexperienced foe fighting outside of his native Mexico for the first time, has a respectable record of 21-1 (8 KOs). Virtually no video footage exists of him, though Ancajas’ matchmaker Sean Gibbons says he’s seen him twice in Mexico.

“What I've seen of him is his work on the mitts…I can tell that he is a good boxer because his punches are perfect, and he has good footwork,” said Ancajas. “I also saw his sparring and I could see that he has a technique. I see him as a real boxer, that is why I said to myself this fight will boil down to who will have the mentality, the brains. I will also need to pressure him.”

Should Ancajas win, and do so in spectacular fashion, he’ll set himself up for some high profile bouts in the increasingly-popular junior bantamweight division.

If he had his pick, he’d like to face Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, the WBC champion from Thailand who twice defeated Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez last year in upset victories. A win over the man who beat the man will prove his superiority at 115 pounds, Ancajas believes.

“Right now I want the Thai because he is the best among us,” said Ancajas. “I want to try, as a fighter, I want to try his expertise, his strength.” – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – After months of waiting, Will Gozum has made his decision to return home to the UP Fighting Maroons, as confirmed by the Maroons’ basketball Twitter account, Thursday, February 1.

 {source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We can all sleep now. Welcome home, Will Allen Gozum! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nowheretogobutUP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nowheretogobutUP</a> <a href="https://t.co/gzRfpM94zg">https://t.co/gzRfpM94zg</a></p>&mdash; UP Fighting Maroons (@upmbt) <a href="https://twitter.com/upmbt/status/959060465505751040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>

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 that has already added the highly-touted Nigerian big man Bright Akhuetie and former Adamson guard Jaydee Tungcab.

Aside from these new acquisitions, the Fighting Maroons still have the services of team captain Paul Desiderio, also a Gilas 2023 pool member, for one more season as they make a legitimate push to break a 32-year title drought.

The 6-foot-6 Gozum, who averaged 13.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2.6 blocks in his final season with the Robins, will also reunite with former teammates Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano in the UAAP Seniors tournament. They were once a formidable trio with the UP Integrated School Junior Fighting Maroons before Gozum was cut from the team due to undisclosed reasons.

Gozum’s addition looks to bolster a once-undersized UP frontcourt which relied too much last season on Ibrahim Ouattara for rebounds and post defense. With him playing alongside Akhuetie, UP now boasts a complete lineup that aims to take some pressure off their backup bigs and established backcourt players like Desiderio, Jun Manzo and Diego Dario.

Gozum was part of the Mapua team that ultimately lost last year to the eventual champion College of St. Benilde-La Salle Greenhills. He will look to finish what he started next season, this time back home with UP. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Ian Sangalang provided stellar plays on both ends of the floor down the stretch as the Magnolia Hotshots avoided a colossal meltdown and nipped the Blackwater Elite, 78-72, for their 5th straight win that placed them atop the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup standings at the Mall of Asia Arena Friday, February 2.

With the game tied at 72-all, Sangalang buried a go-ahead bucket for the Hotshots with 55 seconds remaining before forcing Mac Belo to a backcourt violation with 44.1 seconds left, 74-72.

A Mike Digregorio steal showed a sliver of hope for Blackwater but John Pinto muffed his layup as Jio Jalalon and Justin Melton coolly sank their free throws to secure Magnolia's 6th win in 7 outings. 

Aldrech Ramos paced the Hotshots with 14 points, 9 coming in the 4th quarter alone, to go with 5 rebounds while Mark Barroca also chipped in 14 markers, 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

Sangalang had 8 points and 4 rebounds, Melton finished with 8 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists while Marc Pingris made his presence felt with 12 boards, 8 assists and 4 points in the win.

"It was a very tough game. We know Blackwater will come out very hard for this game. 3-game losing streak na sila eh. Ang worry ko lang is being complacent so I try to motivate my players to go hard and match the intensity of Blackwater. Although we had some lapses in the end, because of our experience and chemistry, nakalusot kami sa game na ito (we went away with the win)," said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero.

Magnolia led by as much as 18 points in the 3rd quarter before crumbling down in the 4th as Mac Belo took matters in his own hands and scored the Elite's first 12 points, highlighted by back-to-back 3-point plays, that trimmed their deficit to 6, 64-70.

Belo knocked down two straight buckets in the last 1:30 minutes, capped by a fadeaway jump shot with 1:07 minutes left to tie the game at 72-all.

Belo starred for the Elite with 25 points, 14 coming in the final frame, to go with 6 rebounds and 6 steals but all that went down the drain as Blackwater (2-5) absorbed its 4th straight loss for 11th place.

Allein Maliksi had 17 points for Blackwater while Poy Erram added 13 rebounds and 6 points.

The Scores:

Magnolia (78): Barroca 14, Ramos 14, Melton 8, Sangalang 8, Pascual 7, Dela Rosa 6, Jalalon 6, Simon 6, Pingris 4, Herndon 3, Reavis 2, Brondial 0, Gamalinda 0

Blackwater (72): Belo 25, Maliksi 17, Cortez 8, Erram 6, Jose 4, Pinto 3, DiGregorio 2, Marcelo 2, Sena 2, Sumang 2, Palma 1, Cruz 0, Javier 0

Quarter scores: 23-13, 42-29, 61-54, 78-72 . – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ Asean Basketball League (ABL) team Alab Pilipinas has officially parted ways with primary sponsor Tanduay and is now renamed San Miguel Alab Pilipinas, according to an Instagram post by team owner Charlie Dy last Thursday, February 1.

{source} <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Beo4YOIFbna/" data-instgrm-version="8" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Beo4YOIFbna/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">ALAB PILIPINAS @alabpilipinas welcomes our new partners #SanMiguelPalePilsen #Petron and #Magnolia and will now be called #SanMiguelAlabPilipinas  #Serbisyo #Malasakit #BuhaySMB</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sportsagentcd/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Charlie</a> (@sportsagentcd) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2018-02-01T03:20:20+00:00">Jan 31, 2018 at 7:20pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> {/source}

The move by the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) came after Tanduay reportedly pulled out of the team due to disagreements between the partners’ respective managements.

According to a report by Spin.ph, the team was informed of the move after their 94-91 overtime victory against the Chongson Kung Fu in the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex last Wednesday, January 31. However, at the time, Alab Pilipinas head coach Jimmy Alapag had no comment on the reported move and insisted on waiting for Dy to talk about it.

The SMC last sponsored the Philippines’ ABL representative San Miguel Beermen in 2012 and 2013, the latter year being the season that the country last won the ABL Championshi

With the new move now finalized, Alab is set to debut new uniforms in their Sunday matchup against the Singapore Slingers. They currently hold a 7-4 record after starting the season 0-3. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Ricci Rivero, Prince Rivero and Brent Paraiso have gone on leave from the De La Salle University Green Archers basketball team, according to an official statement by DLSU’s Office of Sports Development (OSD) published on Friday, February 2. 

As reported in a series of tweets by DLSU Sports, the OSD has banned players from "engaging in sponsorships from commercial entities" to keep the players focused on games and practices. In connection with this, the Rivero brothers and Paraiso requested to go on leave from the basketball team "to honor their contractual obligations to their existing endorsements."

DLSU assured that the players are currently enrolled and are attending their respective classes.

{source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">De La Salle University - Office Of Sports Development&#39;s Official Statement:<br><br>The DLSU Men’s Basketball Team management announces that they have implemented a policy that prohibits players to enter into sponsorship agreements with commercial entities. 1/4</p>&mdash; DLSU Sports (@dlsusports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dlsusports/status/959387556461690880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2018</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This will allow the players to focus on the games and team practices without any restrictions. 2/4</p>&mdash; DLSU Sports (@dlsusports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dlsusports/status/959387559028711424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In this connection, team members Prince Rivero, Ricci Rivero, and Brent Paraiso have requested to go on leave from the basketball team to honor their contractual obligations to their existing endorsements. 3/4</p>&mdash; DLSU Sports (@dlsusports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dlsusports/status/959387561725587457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Prince, Ricci, and Brent are currently enrolled in the University and are attending their respective classes. 4/4</p>&mdash; DLSU Sports (@dlsusports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dlsusports/status/959387564221190144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This statement comes after other media outlets published reports that the Rivero brothers and Paraiso have been kicked out of the team because they “broke a school rule.”

This development is the just another link to the string of events that have rocked the Green Archers team in the offseason after losing a 3-game series to rival team Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles. Late last year, 2-time UAAP MVP Ben Mbala announced his exit from the team due to his desire to play professionally in Mexico. Not long after, 1-time champion head coach Aldin Ayo signed a reported 6-year contract with the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers in early January. Louie Gonzales was appointed shortly after to replace him as DLSU coach.

Of the 3 players, Ricci has been widely touted as the future of the team after averaging 14.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals in a Mythical 5 campaign for Season 80. He has also been cleared by DLSU to join the Gilas 2023 prospect pool and was present in the team’s practice, albeit as a spectator, last Monday, January 29, in the Meralco Gym. – Rappler.com 

MANILA, Philippines - Mac Belo could not help but blame himself despite almost steering the Blackwater Elite to a massive come-from-behind win against the heavily-favored Magnolia Hotshots.

The Elite trailed by as much as 18 points in the 3rd quarter, 34-52, before Belo took it upon himself to carry Blackwater back into the game, scoring the team’s first 12 4th quarter points to closed the gap to 64-70.

The Far Eastern University standout then knocked down back-to-back shots in the final two minutes, including a fadeaway jumper with 1:07 minutes left, to equalize the game at 72-all.

When it was time to tie the game again after Ian Sangalang put the Hotshots up 74-72, Belo, however, could not weave the same magic as he turned the ball over when he was forced to a backcourt violation by Sangalang.

(It is my fault. It was the last possession and I turned it over. I thought he was going to foul me but I was wrong and I became relaxed. On my part, it was a mental lapse.)

Belo had a chance to redeem himself seconds later after Mike Digregorio stole the ball and ignited a fastbreak but instead of going for the layup, he dished it to teammate John Pinto, whose layup only hit the board. Magnolia ended up winning it 78-72. 

“Kasi may situation na pwede na akong lumayup, pero mas pinili ko siyang ipasa. Medyo kinapos ‘yung tira ni Nard. Pero sabi naman ni coach, walang sisihan. Ano lang talaga, bad start. Tapos noong huli na kami nagrun. Mahirap talaga bumalik sa ganoon.”

(It was a situation that I could have went with a layup but I chose to pass it up. Nard’s (Pinto) shot fell short. But coach said we should not blame each other. It was a bad start and we came back late. It is hard to comeback from a deficit that big.)

Belo, who finished with 25 points, 6 rebounds and 6 steals, knows he can only learn and improve from his mistakes and help the Elite arrest their 4-game skid.

“Alam ko matututo ako sa ganoon.”

(I know that I can learn from those errors.)

Blackwater, which is at 11th place with a 2-5 slate, will face a tough task of coming back to its winning ways as it clashes with the San Miguel Beermen on February 9 at the Cuneta Astrodome. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Chris Tiu stayed true to being more aggressive for Rain or Shine as he knocked down timely buckets in crunchtime to lift the Elasto Painters over the reeling Meralco Bolts, 90-84, in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena Friday, February 2. 

Tiu scored 5 points in a 7-0 run that Rain or Shine used to turn a 79-all deadlock to an 86-79 lead with 52 seconds left in the game. The Elasto Painters preserved that advantage to get their second win in a row. 

Meralco cut the deficit to 4 points after a Reynel Hugnata triple with 26.1 seconds left but could not find the bottom of the net in the dying seconds. It dropped to a 2-5 card, tying the Blackwater Elite.

Tiu finished with 18 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds and two steals for the E-Painters, who improved to 4-3 to join the TNT KaTropa at 4th place. 

Ed Daquioag added 16 points and 3 steals in the win while Beau Belga registered a double-double of 13 points, 13 rebounds and 3 assists. 

"I hope tuloy tuloy na (it continues) but we play Magnolia on Friday and I think they're the hottest team now. And Paul (Lee) will play that game. Like I said, we just have to think how we can get better," said Rain or Shine head coach Caloy Garcia.

The Bolts had 11 more assists but committed 23 turnovers which Rain or Shine used to score 27 points. The E-Painters swiped 13 steals to the Bolts' 1. 

KG Canaleta had 24 points and 8 rebounds while Hugnatan added 13 in the losing effort.

The Scores: 

Rain or Shine (90): Tiu 18, Daquioag 16, Belga 13, Yap 11, Ahanmisi 9, Ponferada 9, Almazan 6, Borboran 4, Norwood 3, Cruz 2, Nambata 2

Meralco (84): Canaleta 24, Hugnatan 13, Amer 8, Lanete 8, Dillinger 7, Newsome 5, Hodge 4, Baracael 4, Caram 4, Faundo 4, Tolomia 3, Salva 0, Ballesteros 0

Quarter scores: 26-21, 45-39, 65-66, 90-84 – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Whether the issue regarding several Rain or Shine players asking to be traded is true or not, Elasto Painters head coach Caloy Garcia made it clear that to be traded, one must perform well. 

"Sabi ko nga sa kanila, we just have to be professional about it and put the effort because ang nagbabayad naman talaga sa salary nila is 'yung owners and that's the only way that we can repay them," said Garcia during the post-game presser of Rain or Shine's 90-84 win over the Meralco Bolts on Friday, February 2.

(I told them that we just have to be professional about it and put the effort because the ones who pay their salary are the team owners, and that's the only way we can repay them.)

"Mahirap naman i-trade 'yung player na hindi mo rin makukuha 'yung gusto mo. The only way you can be traded is if you play good, because if you play good, you can get something na maganda kapalit."

(It is hard to trade a player if you cannot get what you want in return. The only way a player can be traded is if you play good, because if you play good, the team can get something good in return.)

Garcia shot down rumors that Raymond Almazan, Beau Belga, and Jericho Cruz, contrary to earlier reports, are demanding trades, although he believes that Cruz wants to reunite with former coach Yeng Guiao, who is now the tactician of the NLEX Road Warriors. 

"Good terms kami ni Raymond. Si Beau, matagal na yang isyu na 'yan, years ago pa 'yan." (Raymond and I are in good terms. About Beau, that issue goes years back.)

"Si Jericho naman, he really wants, I think, to go back to coach Yeng, which is, sabi ko 'This is a job, you have to love your job, you have to play hard,'" Garcia added.  (Jericho really wants, I think, to go back to coach Yeng. I told him, "This is a job, you have to love your job, you have to play hard.")

Trade rumors aside, Garcia is glad to see his guys step up as Rain or Shine remained at the upper echelon of the league, tying the TNT KaTropa at 4th place with a 4-3 card.

The E-Painters will try to extend their winning streak to 3 in a row as they face top seed Magnolia Hotshots on February 10. 

"I just have to think more of the team rather than who we play against. Kung maganda naman ang samahan namin, maganda rin 'yung kalabasan," Garcia said. (I just have to think more of the team rather than who we play against. If we bond well, we also play well.) – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA – MMA fighter Conor McGregor switched to the boxing ring to make one of the richest professional fights in history possible and now Floyd Mayweather hints he might return the favor.

Mayweather, who hasn't fought since knocking out McGregor in that boxing match last year, teased fans Friday night by posting a picture on his Twitter page of himself wearing mixed martial arts gloves and standing in an UFC cage.

"Billion Dollar Man," Mayweather said in the tweet.

Mayweather and McGregor's cross-combat fight in August failed to live up to the hype in the ring as veteran Mayweather easily outpunched the inexperienced McGregor, but it did well at the box office.

(READ: Mayweather batters McGregor, wins by TKO in round 10)

The contest generated 4.3 million pay-per-view buys in North America, trailing only Mayweather's 2015 world title boxing match with Filipino Manny Pacquiao that generated 4.6 million buys and earned $600 million. 

It is the second time this week Mayweather has teased his fans with the idea. Earlier this week he posted video on Twitter and Instagram of himself shadow boxing in a cage.

He said "Come at the king, you best not miss..."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Come at the king, you best not miss... <a href="https://t.co/uHx4SJngHx">pic.twitter.com/uHx4SJngHx</a></p>&mdash; Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) <a href="https://twitter.com/FloydMayweather/status/958856343925882880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Mayweather's August fight with the Irishman was supposed to be his last as it secured his perfect 50-0 record. But the American has retired several times only to negotiate "comeback" fights for bigger paydays. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs bested the Adamson Lady Falcons in 4 sets, 25-15, 25-23, 16-25, 25-13, on Saturday, February 3, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Jaja Santiago led the Lady Bulldogs with 11 spikes, 4 blocks and one service ace that tallied to a total of 16 points. Risa Sato and Joni Chavez made 9 excellent digs apiece. 

Chiara Permentilla and Mylene Paat both scored double digits of 12 and 11 points, respectively to lead the Adamson Lady Falcons. 

After Adamson prevented the Lady Bulldogs from sweeping the match, NU managed to stretch the lead to 10 points, 19-9. The Lady Bulldogs maintained the double digit lead and back-to-back blocks surrendered the game to NU. 

The Adamson Lady Falcons took the lead early in the first set until NU countered with 5 straight points. Team Captain Santiago made the first service ace of the season as NU went up by 7 points, 21-14. Urdas followed with another ace at set point to take the 1-0 lead for NU, 25-15.

The Lady Bulldogs limited Adamson to 3 points at the first technical timeout in the second set, 8-3. Adamson managed to cut the deficit to 1 after Joy Dacoron's service ace, 10-9. Mylene Paat turned the tables for Adamson as she scored two straight points to nab the lead, 14-12.

Risa Sato made back-to-back aces to tie the score at 22-all. Santiago brought NU back to the set point once again and Roselyn Doria’s block denied Adamson from taking the second set.

The Lady Falcons rallied back in the 3rd set and stretched the lead to 16-9. Tonnie Ponce made a crucial shot from the backrow and NU failed to receive her attack which saw Adamson lead by 10. Permentilla finally denied NU of taking the game in straight sets as her attack ended the 3rd set at 25-16. 

The Scores:

NU (91) – Santiago 16, Paran 9, Urdas 9, Sato 8, Doria 8, Nabor 5, Singh 1.

AdU (76) – Permentilla 12, Paat 11, Dacoron 9, Soyud 7, Galanza 6, Emnas 4, Perez 2, Ponce 1. 

Set Scores: 25-15, 25-23, 16-25, 25-13.

– Rappler.com

PHILADELPHIA, USA – You're not reading the headline wrong. And if you've already seen it, you'll agree, because for the first time in a long time, the WWE gave their fans something they wanted.

Good things came in threes last Monday morning, January 29, Manila time. Up until this year, the Royal Rumble was pretty much a 30-man spectacle that drew fans in for the sake of the spectacle; it was a way for the company to force its own chosen heroes – people the fans didn’t necessarily like, or at least favor to win the whole thing – down the crowd's throats.

Instead, not only did we get another Royal Rumble match that empowered the women, but we also got winners nobody can malign in Japanese stars Shinsuke Nakamura and Asuka, and we also got a huge surprise in the debut of former UFC fighter Ronda Rousey. It was a night that never let up in the big moments, as though they truly wanted to reestablish the prestige of the Rumble as an event.

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Asuka was pretty much a shoo-in to win thanks to her dominant showing in her entire WWE career thus far, but Nakamura's victory was more surprising given the wide-open field that was the men’s Royal Rumble match. There was little indication that the Rockstar would even be a favorite, given his rather ambivalent direction on SmackDown Live at the moment. Of course, the Rumble is where anything can happen and where careers can be made because it's the soft reset for WrestleMania.

Beyond the choice of winners, however, both Royal Rumble matches have to be commended for how good they were as matches. I mentioned that the Rumble is usually a 30-man spectacle, and half the joy is figuring out who's coming down—you don't normally tune in and expect a 5-star classic, but boy, did this year's match set the bar high for future iterations. Small stories were satisfyingly told with many of the wrestlers, and the eventual result was earned by some good action.

For the women, around half of the Royal Rumble participants were WWE alumnae from the past decade, such as Molly Holly, Jacqueline Moore (who’s also a former WWE Cruiserweight Champion), Kelly Kelly, Torrie Wilson, Lita, Michelle McCool, and the most popular of them all, Trish Stratus. Even though nobody thought they had any chance to win against the current crop of women, their inclusion in this Rumble is an overt gesture of gratitude to them for helping pave the way – and in some instances, an apology of sorts to the women who were truly good wrestlers of their time, a time that saw them more as eye candy than actual competitors.

And speaking of surprises, the men’s Rumble kept them to a limit, but did they deliver. You had two NXT guys in Adam Cole and current NXT Champion Andrade "Cien" Almas, both good choices to represent the brand, and a couple of truly shocking returns in The Hurricane and Rey Mysterio. Yes, Rey Mysterio, who's so far in a one-off appearance for the Rumble, but is in negotiations for more. Here's hoping we see more of him either on SmackDown Live or 205 Live.

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Now, the challenger to the WWE Universal Championship will be decided at the Elimination Chamber this month, as I predicted heading into the Rumble. It's most probably going to be Roman Reigns. Meanwhile, Shinsuke Nakamura is set to take on AJ Styles, even when Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens try to be a thorn in the Phenomenal One’s side. I'd actually take a fatal 4-way match between all of them just out of how insane that would be and to reward Zayn and Owens' tremendous work so far, but Nakamura deserves this moment.

In fact, Nakamura needs this as a proving ground for us to see whether he could finally step up and take ownership of the SmackDown brand. It's no secret that Nakamura tends to mail it in when he seems to feel that the program is beneath him, like in his matches with Jinder Mahal last year, so this has to be good enough as an incentive for him to step up. Only time will tell, but if we go by Styles and Nakamura’s epic performance at Wrestle Kingdom 10, then we shouldn't be disappointed.

 A new cruiserweight tournament

Since Enzo Amore's firing last week after RAW 25, the WWE Cruiserweight Championship is in a state of limbo, and 205 Live wasted no time hitting two birds with one stone addressing this issue. First, they got themselves a new General Manager in Drake Maverick, formerly known as Rockstar Spud of Impact Wrestling. Then Maverick announced a huge 16-man tournament for the vacant championship, with the finals happening at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans.

{source} <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mQ1tpjh60mg" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe> {/source} 

This is pretty much this year's iteration of the Cruiserweight Classic, and going by how the cruiserweights wrestled in the tournament, then it's going to be hot every week. The tournament already began this week with Cedric Alexander and former Cruiserweight Champion TJP advancing to the second round in some pretty solid matches, so if you want some good wrestling, go do yourself a favor and watch this week’s episode.

*****

Do you listen to podcasts? Would you want to listen to a local podcast about pro wrestling? If the answers to those questions – especially that last one – are yes, then you should check out the cleverly-named Smark Gilas-Pilipinas Podcast, featuring PWR General Manager Stan Sy, wrestling writer and Wrestling God Romeo Moran, and all-around multimedia person and former voice of PWR Raf Camus! On their latest episode, current PWR champion Ralph Imabayashi is back on the show after two years to discuss many things and tell many stories! Listen to it here! 

 – Rappler.com 

MANILA, Philippines  – The National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs' opening game victory over the Adamson Lady Falcons saw the head coaching debut of Raymund "Babes" Castillo in the UAAP seniors division. 

Juniors coach Castillo took over former Lady Bulldogs coach Roger Gorayeb, after NU failed to reach the final 4 in Season 79. 

As NU was about to sweep their Saturday opening game over Adamson, the Lady Falcons capitalized on the errors committed by NU and limited the Lady Bulldogs to only 16 points in the entire set.

"If you look closely on the 3rd set, dami nilang (NU) errors. Siyempre, we gave a lot of free points sa kabila so that means, 'di lang kami nagproproduce. So issue talaga namin is: 'How can we produce consistently?'" said Castillo.

(If you look closely on the 3rd set, NU had so many errors. Of course, we gave a lot of free points to the other side so that means, we're just not producing. The issue is: "How can we produce consistently?")

Castillo traced the Lady Bulldogs' small production in the 3rd set back to the team's condition and admits that it is still a work in progress as the Lady Bulldogs continue their Season 80 campaign. 

"Condition. 'Yung katawan. We wanted to produce more on the 3rd set, makikita mo kunwari sa battery, medyo bumaba nang konti. That's our struggle, pinag-aaralan namin kung paano gagawin iyon."

(Condition. The body. We wanted to produce more on the 3rd set, it's like what you see in a battery, it went down a bit. That's our struggle. We're learning how we should do it.)

The NU team is currently running on 11 members only, as libero Bia General was declared ineligible one week before the start of the UAAP season. Joni Chavez was tasked to fill in General's shoes and managed to execute 9 excellent digs in her place. 

"Makikita mo si Joni, si Joni we barely saw her last year pero ngayon, she took 70-80% of the game," said Castillo. "This means that on the first game, maganda ginawa niya, I'm sure gaganda ng gaganda iyan."

(You see Joni, we barely saw Joni last year but now, she took 70-80% of the game. This means that on the first game, she did good, I'm sure it will get better.)

Castillo makes Chavez the example of he wants his team to be this season, as he emphasizes that each member of his team has a role to fill in despite being short on the roster. 

"This team is run by clear roles, bawat isa. So 'yung role ni Jaja, eh kasi importante lang 'yung role ko, ganoon din ka-importante role ni Gayle. Kunwari, may napilayan diyan, may tatayo ulit," said Castillo. 

(This team is run by clear roles, every one. So Jaja's role, my important role, Gayle's role is also as important. For example, if some gets injured there, someone will stand up again.) – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spikers survived a 5-set opening match against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Tigresses, 25-20, 17-25, 25-22, 15-25, 15-8, on Saturday, February 3, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The deciding set favored the Lady Spikers as Michelle Cobb's service ace gave them the 5-0 start. The Tigresses managed to cut the lead to 1, 6-5, as DLSU committed a 4-touches error. UST committed 3 straight errors, allowing the defending champions to clean up the 5th set with a block by Aduke Ogunsanya on Cherry Rondina's attack.

Season 79 MVP Majoy Baron led the Lady Spikers with 12 points, including 5 blocks and 2 aces. Cobb's debut as a starting setter saw her make 37 excellent sets to compliment her team-high of 4 service aces. 

Rondina continues her killer instincts into the season as she registered a total of 28 points. Filipino-Italian rookie Minela Alessandrini made immediate impact in her UAAP debut with 18 points and 3 blocks. 

The Lady Spikers got a headstart to the match as they led UST, 12-7. DLSU's errors cost them the lead as UST was able to cut the deficit to 1, 20-19. Season 79 Majoy Baron managed to close out DLSU's run with a kill block.

UST took control of the second set as they took an early lead and limited DLSU to only 17 points. Alessandrini backed up Rondina in scoring, equalizing the match at one set apiece.

The Lady Spikers rallied back to secure a 8-point lead, 15-7, in the third set. Errors continued to plague DLSU midway into the set as a double contact error allowed UST to tie the score at 21-all. Back-to-back crosscourt shots by Baron and Dy secured the 3rd set for the Lady Spikers, 25-22.

The determined Tigresses looked to deny the Lady Spikers from taking the match in the 4th set. UST capitalized on DLSU's errors and managed to take a 10-point lead by the second technical timeout, 16-6. DLSU surrendered the 4th set to UST after committing a total of 12 errors compared to UST's 3.

The Scores:

DLSU (97) – Baron 19, Cheng 12, Ogunsanya 10, Dy 9, Tiamzon 9, Cobb 6, Layug 2, Luna 2, Tiu 2.

UST (100) – Rondina 28, Alessandrini 18, Pacres 6, Bicar 4, Palec 3, Francisco 2, Viray 1. 

Set Scores: 25-20, 17-25, 25-22, 15-25, 15-8

– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - Larry Fonacier and Cyrus Baguio's 4th quarter heroics powered the NLEX Road Warriors in halting their 4-game skid with an 81-78 victory over Barangay Ginebra in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay Saturday, February 3. 

NLEX trailed by as much as 14 points before gaining its bearings as it closed the gap to just 4 points entering the final period, 55-59.

It was in the 4th quarter when Baguio, who scored just two points in the first 3 quarters, showcased his scoring aplomb, racking up the Road Warriors' first 11 points in the final period to keep the team within striking distance, 66-71.

Fonacier then took the scoring cudgels and buried a layup then a triple with 5:03 left in the game as NLEX took a 75-73 advantage. 

Ginebra once again took the upper hand behind Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter until JR Quinahan knocked down back-to-back buckets for a 79-77 NLEX lead with 1:47 minutes remaining.

Slaughter had a chance to tie the game after hauling down an offensive board off Aguilar's missed triple but he split his charities as Alex Mallari secured the rebound for NLEX.

Fonacier then sank a technical free throw due to Ginebra's delay of the game violation while Ravena split his freebies, leaving no time for the Gin Kings to get a decent 3-point attempt.

Fonacier finished with 17 points while Baguio had a well-rounded showing of 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists. Quinahan and Mallari chipped in 14 and 11 markers, respectively, in the win. 

Aguilar finished with 21 points and 7 boards while LA Tenorio was the only other Ginebra player to reach double figures with 12 points and 5 rebounds.

NLEX and Ginebra have identical 3-4 cards.

The Scores: 

NLEX (81): Fonacier 18, Quinahan 14, Baguio 13, Mallari 11, Ravena 7, Taulava 5, Tiongson 4, Alas 4, Miranda 2, Soyud 2, Ighalo 2, Uyloan 0, Gotladera 0

Ginebra (78): J. Aguilar 21, Tenorio 12, R. Aguilar 9, Slaughter 9, Thompson 8, Cruz 8, Ferrer 6, Mercado 5, Taha 0, Caguioa 0

Quarter scores: 19-20, 35-43, 55-59, 81-78

– Rappler.com

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – Thirteen Russian athletes and two coaches banned for life for doping and then controversially cleared of wrongdoing may be headed to the Pyeongchang Olympics after all, the IOC said on Saturday, February 3.

Already 169 Russians have been cleared to compete as 'clean' athletes despite a blanket ban on Russia from taking part in the Winter Olympics following revelations of state-sponsored doping.

Just 6 days from the opening ceremony of the February 9-25 Games, International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said the cases of the 15 would be examined by a specialist IOC panel who would rule on whether they would be allowed to take part.

"We will take an individual view of each of these athletes before reaching a decision," he told a press conference following the first day of a two-day IOC executive board meeting in Pyeongchang.

IOC chiefs were stunned last Thursday when the Court for Arbitration for Sport overturned life bans imposed on 28 Russian athletes linked to a state-sponsored doping scheme operating at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, ruling them potentially eligible for participation in Pyeongchang.

However, of the 28, 13 have either retired from sport or are unavailable for another undisclosed reason, leaving only 15 still eligible to take part, according to a source close to the case.

Adams said that the IOC's invitation revue panel will examine each case individually before making a decision but promised that would happen before the Games get underway.

Explosive findings

The IOC's disciplinary commission banned 43 Russian athletes for life and disqualified all Russians from competing at the Pyeongchang Games over the doping conspiracy. It later said that 169 athletes who had proved they were clean would be allowed to compete.

Following an appeal against the life bans by 42 athletes, CAS cleared 28 citing insufficient evidence against them, and also lifted bans on 11 others, but barred them from taking part in the 2018 Olympics.

Adams said that the IOC reserved the right to appeal against the CAS decision, viewed by Olympic officials as undermining the fight against doping in sport.

Last week, the IOC responded to the court's ruling by saying that lifting the ban "does not automatically confer the privilege of an invitation" to the Games.

He was speaking after the first day of a two-day IOC board meeting which will be followed by a two-day full IOC session from Monday.

Last week's CAS hearings were a result of allegations of a vast state-sponsored doping programme contained in the report into Sochi authored by sports law professor Richard McLaren for the World Anti-Doping Agency.

His explosive findings laid out the workings of the program– from the use of secret state agents to passing urine samples out of testing labs through mouse-holes. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spikers slipped past the University of Santo Tomas Lady Tigresses whose fierce outside hitter Cherry Rondina exploded with 28 points on Saturday, February 3. 

A part of DLSU's escape was the 5-0 start to the 5th and final set of the match, which was capped off by a Michelle Cobb service ace. This was crucial to giving the Lady Spikers a signficant cushion to take the win that was closed out by Aduke Ogunsanya's block on Rondina's spike. 

In Season 79, Cobb was never awarded a starting position as her talents were overshadowed by 3-time best setter Kim Fajardo. She had very limited playing as she only occassionally came off the bench to assist Fajardo. 

Now that the team has lost the services of Fajardo due to graduation, Cobb is now filling in some big shoes this Season 80. 

In her debut as a starter, she already made immediate impact with 37 excellent sets, 6 points off two blocks, and a team-high of 4 service aces. 

Head coach Ramil de Jesus assessed her contributions and the team's performance with a "passing grade" due to the victory. Referring to Cobb, De Jesus understands that she still needs improvement, but she is not expected to be exactly like a Kim Fajardo. 

"Sa ngayon passing grade. Pero kasi nga marami pa ako nakikitang hindi ko naman hinahabol na hanapan na gawin yung mga ginagawa ni Kim Fajardo. Pero sa akin kasi, kung ano siya, kung ano ang style niya, iimprove-in niya yung style niya. Then siguro yung magiging ano pa... more on itaas niya yung bola," said de Jesus. 

(For now it's a passing grade. But I still see a lot of things that I'm not really trying to hard to find that she should do what Kim Fajardo does. But for me, whatever she is, whatever her style is, she should improve on her style. Then most probably she should set the ball higher.) 

"Mas maganda siguro yung nadidiskartehan niya 'yung set niya and at the same time, hinahanapan niya kung papaano magkakaroon ng open block or single block yung spikers." (It would be better if she if strategizes her set and at the same time, she will be finding out how to set up open blocks and single blocks for the spikers.)

As the defending champions were tested by the Tigresses, it serves as a sign for Cobb and the Lady Spikers to adjust to the rotation and mature in order for them to clinch a 3-peat title this season. 

"Sinabi ko sa mga players ko kung gusto natin manalo, dadaan tayo sa pinakamahirap na parte ng laro so hopefully makakapag-adjust sila nang kaagad. Kasi every game ineexpect ko kay Cobb na mas matuto o basta maging mature sa game," said de Jesus. 

(I told the the players that if we want to win, we are going to go through the most difficult parts of the game so hopefully they will be able to adjust immediately. Because every game, I will expect that Cobb will learn more and be more mature in the game.) – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Cyrus Baguio couldn't have picked a better time to play his best game in an NLEX uniform, turning in an all-around performance reminiscent of his heydays to help the Road Warriors arrest a 4-game skid.

Baguio registered 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists in NLEX's 81-78 come-from-behind win over Barangay Ginebra Saturday, February 3, and had the biggest plus-minus among the Road Warriors with +14 in 25 minutes of action.

Quiet in the first 3 periods with NLEX down 55-59, the former University of Santo Tomas stalwart found his offensive niche in the 4th quarter, scoring the team's first 11 points to keep the Road Warriors within arm's reach before Larry Fonacier and JR Quinahan provided the finishing touches.

"Tingin ko ito pa lang ata 'yung magandang laro ko simula noong na-trade ako sa NLEX," said Baguio, who was shipped to the Road Warriors August last year from the Phoenix Fuel Masters. (I think this is the best game since I was traded to NLEX.)

Baguio averaged just 5.3 points in NLEX’s first 6 outings, which saw the Road Warriors drop 4 straight games after winning their first two. In those 6 games, Baguio did not reach double figures.

Although his scoring was one of the key reasons for the win, the 37-year-old deflected the credit to the team's overall defense after NLEX forced Ginebra to 24 turnovers to score 31 points.

But Baguio was not just about scoring as he also had a hand on the less glamorous end of the floor, swiping more than one-third of NLEX' 11 steals.

"Maganda lang talaga 'yung depensa namin kanina, para sakin mas gusto ko 'yung mga ganitong laro 'yung dikit para lalong mag-grow ‘yung team kasi baka sakaling magamit namin sa future games namin," said Baguio. "Pinakaimportante 'yung depensa namin, na-stop namin sila.”

(We played great defense. I like these kind of tight games for us to grow as a team and we can use the lessons we learned here for our future games. The most important of all is our defense. We stopped them.)

With their one-month slump behind them, Baguio hopes the winning does not end against the Gin Kings as they became relevant in the playoff race again, tying Ginebra and Phoenix at 6th place with identical 3-4 cards.

"Malaking tulong 'yung panalo namin ngayon. At least nawala na 'yung malas. The more na natatalo ka, nada-down 'yung morale ng mga players e, nawawalan ng kumpyansa." (This win is a big boost for us, at least, we got rid of the curse that comes with the losing streak. The more that you lose, the more that players lose their confidence.)

"Meron pa kaming apat nagameso kailangan lang ituloy namin at dagdagdan 'yung ginawa namin kanina,” Baguio concluded. (We still have 4 games left so we have to continue playing like this and add more to what we did when we won earlier.)

NLEX will face the reeling Meralco Bolts next on February 9 at the Cuneta Astrodome. – Rappler.com