MANILA, Philippines – The National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs may just be the youngest team this UAAP season as rookies outnumber the veterans in their 11-woman lineup in Season 81. 

But not all hope is lost as 5 of these freshmen made up the core of the four-time UAAP girls volleyball champion Nazareth School of NU. 

With former De La Salle men's volleyball team head coach Norman Miguel at the helm of the rebuilding Lady Bulldogs, fans should expect a whole new system composed of youngsters who dare to challenge the veterans of the collegiate scene. 

The homegrown blue-chip rookies bannering the squad are three-time best setter Joyme Cagande, Princess Robles, Ivy Lacsina, Elaine Cloza, and Jennifer Nierva. 

Other new faces include middle blocker Gelina Luceño from Bacolod while the NU beach volleyball pair of Klymince Orillaneda and Mary Antonette Landicho are suiting up for the indoor edition just to fill up the slots. 

After the graduation of UAAP Season 80 MVP Jaja Santiago, the Lady Bulldogs are down to only 3 veterans – captain Audrey Paran, Roselyn Doria, and Joni Chavez – as Jasmine Nabor, Roma Doromal, and Jorelle Singh opted not to return this season. 

Middle blocker Risa Sato also won't see action due to academic reasons. 

Although young and shorthanded, the Lady Bulldogs believe they can put up a fight as they vie for a return stint in the Final Four.– Rappler.com

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Former Los Angeles Lakers star Lamar Odom delivered his best numbers in his final game with Mighty Sports as the Philippine club salvaged a third-place finish in the 30th Dubai International Basketball Championships at the Shabab Al Ahli Club gymnasium here. 

Cheered on by a sizeable Filipino crowd every time he touched the ball, Odom racked up 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a block in Mighty’s 91-76 victory over reigning Lebanon league titlist Homenetmen on Saturday night, February 9. (READ: Jett Manuel, Lamar Odom shine as Mighty-PH cops Dubai bronze) 

The 6-foot-10 Odom even nailed a booming triple for a comfortable 83-64 advantage with less than 3 minutes to play.

“The fact that he can still play basketball, run up and down at his age, that’s already a big achievement for himself and I’m really happy for him,” said Mighty Sports coach Charles Tiu. 

Odom, who won back-to-back NBA championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, made headlines in 2015 for drug overdose that landed him in a coma and on life support.  

The 2011 Sixth Man of the Year, though, managed to turn his life around and looks to get back into competitive form starting with his stint with Mighty Sports. 

 “Just the fact that he’s been an inspiration to all of us and be part of his comeback, we wish him the best wherever he may end up,” said Tiu. “He’s been a good player with great attitude for us.”

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Tiu also credited the rest of the team bannered by resident Ginebra import Justin Browlee and University of the Philippines guard Juan Gomez de Liaño for closing out their campaign in the prestigious 10-team invitational tournament on a strong note – a marked improvement from a woeful one-win showing in Mighty's tourney debut in 2017. 

“Overall, I think the stint was a successful campaign,” Tiu said of his squad, which completed a four-game sweep of the group stage, dominated Oil Sports Club-Iraq in the quarterfinals, and made a spirited fightback that just fell short against Al Riyadi in the Final Four. 

In the battle for 3rd place against Homenetmen Lebanon, former Ginebra stalwart Jett Manuel saved his best for last with a team-high 19 points.

Big man Randolph Morris also finished with 11 points while Brownlee and Roosevelt Adams added 10 points each.– Rappler.com

TAGUM CITY – Davao roared with a strong finishing kick to remain as overall champion of the 2019 Batang Pinoy Mindanao leg Saturday, February 9, at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex here.

Victories in various fronts, including centerpiece swimming and athletics, capped the Davaoenos’ dominance in this annual age-group contest organized by the Philippine Sports Commission and Province of Davao del Norte. 

Davao cornered a total of 56 gold, 39 silver and 58 bronze medals, surpassing its 54-gold medal harvest in the previous edition of this tourney that also has STI College-Tagum and Alfalink Total Solutions as sponsors in Oroquieta City last year.

The Davao bets made big splash in the pool as sisters Liaa and Lora Amoguis spearheaded the attack in swimming, capturing a total of 17 gold medals while drawing 6 from athletics, 4 from taekwondo and 4 from karatedo. 

And before the tournament came to a close, the Davaoenos ran away with last few mints in baseball, chess and lawn tennis.   

The Davao batters led by Harold Gapate, Richard Gabatin and JM Metillo clobbered South Cotabato to clinch the gold medal while Wesley Magbanua ruled the 13-15 blitz boys in impressive fashion and the tandem of Harlene Herbabuena and Janinah Panisales dominated the under-13 girls’ doubles.

PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez expressed elation over the success of the first leg of this prestigious tourney meant for young athletes 15 years old and below.

“These young athletes showed that achieving peace through sports is very possible,” said Ramirez following the event that drew close to 3,000 athletes from as far as Cotabato and Tawi-Tawi. 

“Again, it’s not about championship or gold medal. It’s about our children and teaching them how to embrace unity and peace without any bias of religion, politics or ethnicity.” 

Cagayan de Oro was at far second with 33 golds, 23 silvers and 42 bronze medals with Lady Jane Payla (jr grils pinweight), Angelo Lofranco (jr boys pin), Jhasli John Illudar (jr boys light fly) and Rhein Jhon Gidor (jr boys fly) bringing home boxing golds.

General Santos City came in third with 27 golds, 33 silvers and 31 bronzes, followed by Davao del Norte with 24-25-24 (gold-silver-bronze) medals. 

Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte also showed its strength in athletics by pocketing 8 gold medals including 4 from Aaron Gumban in the boys 13-15 5000m, 2000m steeplechase, 500m and 4x400m relay with Frits Gian Anasco, Dominic Jhon Gorre and Jomel Mosquiter.

Mosquiter delivered two golds in 110m hurdles and high jump while Gorre added two mints in 400m and 800m.

Koronadal City finished fifth with 22-12-9 gold-silver-medal haul – 20 of those coming from its archers led by the meet's most successful athlete, John Carlo Loreno, who bagged silver medals. 

Home team Tagum City also did well as it registered 13 gold, 12 silver and 18 bronze medals. – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA – Gervonta Davis retained his World Boxing Association super featherweight world title with a vicious first-round knockout of former world champion Hugo Ruiz on Saturday, February 9 (Sunday, February 10, Manila time).

Unbeaten Davis lived up to his knockout-artist reputation with his 20th win inside the distance out of his 21 victories.

The powerful southpaw hurt Ruiz with a straight left and then followed up with a three-punch combination capped by a right hook to the side of Ruiz's face that dropped the challenger to a knee.

Ruiz, blood streaming from his nose, was able to rise but referee Jack Reiss called a halt at 2:59 of the 1st round.

"Tonight I just wanted to put on a great performance," said Davis, who posted his 12th straight knockout.

Ruiz was a late replacement for three-division champion Abner Mares, who withdrew from the bout two weeks ago with a detached retina in his right eye.

Ruiz, a former super bantamweight world champion, was coming off a unanimous 12-round decision over Alberto Guevara on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao's 12-round demolition of Adrien Broner and took the fight on 10 days' notice.

Reiss said he stopped the fight when Ruiz failed to say if he felt he could continue.

"Ruiz didn't answer me," Reiss said. I told them clearly in the dressing room that you've got to show me you want to be in this fight.

"When I asked him 'Can you continue' in Spanish he kind of just looked down and didn't answer. He was really hurt, that nose was broken earlier and then he got hit on it again." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Phillippines – The Ateneo Blue Eaglets clinched a much needed Final Four bonus in their title defense after routing fellow contender Adamson Baby Falcons, 72-59, in the UAAP Season 81 juniors basketball tournament at the FilOil Flying V Centre on Sunday, February 10.

Leading MVP candidate Kai Sotto was up to his old tricks, dropping a 17-point, 17-rebound double-double in the easy win for an 11-3 record that sealed the No. 2 spot for the Blue Eaglets. 

Sotto's fellow Batang Gilas big man Geo Chiu also erupted for 18 markers and 10 boards off the bench.

The Final Four gets going on Friday with Ateneo toting a twice-to-beat semifinal advantage versus No. 3 FEU Baby Tamaraws (9-5).

Despite the loss, the Baby Falcons (9-5) still marched to the playoffs to face against the top-seeded NU Bullpups (13-1), who also hold a twice-to-beat edge.

Ateneo was hell-bent on clinching the last semifinal incentive as proved by their wire-to-wire dominance over the Falcons. The Blue Eaglets even led by as many as 22 points, 66-44, after a Chiu layup at the 6:40 mark of the 4th quarter.

Adamson never recovered from that point onwards as the Eaglets cruised to the final buzzer. 

Joshua Barcelona paced the Falcons with 14 points off the bench. Jake Engbino added 12 markers while twins Andrey and Adam Doria combined for 15 points and 9 rebounds. 

NU vs FEU 

To wrap up the season’s elimination round, the NU Bullpups gave the FEU Baby Tamaraws a playoff preview after a hard-earned 81-75 win.

Batang Gilas playmaker Gerry Abadiano led the charge yet again with 20 points and 3 assists. Streaky shooter Terrence Fortea chipped in 16 markers off the bench albeit on a 5-of-22 (22%) clip. 

FEU still led 67-64 at the 6:20 mark of the 4th after a Xyrus Torres go-ahead three. However, last season’s silver medalists closed the Baby Tams out with a huge, game-sealing 17-6 run ending with a Fortea layup, 81-73, in the final minute of regulation.

Star guard RJ Abarrientos led the Tamaraws’ efforts with 23 points and 8 assists. Royce Alforque tallied 14 markers, 5 boards and 4 assists while Torres added 13 points off the bench.

UE vs UPIS 

In the first contest of the day, the UE Junior Warriors finally broke a bottom-dwelling tie with the UPIS Junior Maroons after a nail-biting 80-76 win. 

UE finished 7th in the standings with a 2-12 record while UPIS fell rock bottom at 8th with a 1-13 slate.

Bruising big man Jesse Sullano burst out with a season-best 29-point, 17-rebound double-double in the win. Shane Dichoso had a dub-dub of his own after a 20-marker, 15-board outing with 7 assists to boot. 

Jacob Estrera saved his best for last, chipping in a season-best 30 points with 9 boards. King Vergeire tallied a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double while Jordi Gomez de Liaño added 12 markers and 9 boards off the bench.

UST vs DLSZ 

The UST Tiger Cubs ended De La Salle Zobel’s season with an 85-64 beatdown. 

One-and-done wonder rookie Mark Nonoy finished his juniors career with a game-high 16 points plus 7 rebounds and 7 assists in just 20 minutes on the floor. Jomar Amador added 15 markers and 6 boards.

Nonoy now moves on to the seniors ranks, joining the UST Growling Tigers just in time for the PBA D-League season on Thursday, February 14.

Nat Sevilla had a nice season-ender performance, dropping 13 points and 15 rebounds in the tough loss. Lance Jomalesa also had a 10-marker, 12-board double-double off the bench while Henrie Subido led all Archer scorers with 14 points.

The Scores

First Game

UE 80 – Sullano 29, Flores 12, Almacen 10, Tan 8, Dichoso 7, Gatdula 5, Tajonera 3, Alinsoring 3, Villarta 2, Manaug 1, Lima 0. 

UPIS 76 – Estrera 30, Vergiere 14, Gomez de Liano 12, Labao 11, Tuazon 9, Napalang 0, Lopez 0, Galotera 0, Armamento 0, Cordero 0, Villaverde 0, Abreu 0.

Quarters: 18-22, 34-32, 54-60, 80-76.

Second Game 

UST 85 – Nonoy 16, Amador 15, Benzonan 9, Casingcasing 9, Manabat 8, Lina 6, Oliva 6, Dolendo 5, Marzan 3, Estrella 2, Dumlao 2, Beliran 2, Javier 2, Barranco 0.

DLSZ 64 – Subido 14, Sevilla 13, Cudiamat 11, Jomalesa 10, Macasaet 7, Villarin 5, Unisa 4, Milan 0, Luna 0, Danao 0, Marana 0, Dee 0. 

Quarters: 31-21, 53-27, 64-44, 85-64.

Third Game 

Ateneo 72 – Chiu 18, Sotto 17, Diaz 10, Padrigao 6, Jaymalin 6, Fetalvero 6, David 5, Espinosa 2, De Ayre 2, Narciso 0, Salandanan 0. 

Adamson 59 – Barcelona 14, Engbino 12, An. Doria 9, Sabandal 8, Ad. Doria 6, Hanapi 5, Prodigo 2, Tulabut 2, Capulong 1, Santos 0. 

Quarters: 22-16, 42-26, 58-42, 72-59. 

Fourth Game 

NU 81 – Abadiano 20, Fortea 16, Tamayo 11, Felicilda 9, Alarcon 7, Dayrit 6, Javillonar 4, Torres 4, Gonzales 2, Mailim 2, Buensalida 0, Enriquez 0, Vinoya 0.

FEU 75 – Abarrientos 23, Alforque 14, Torres 13, Sajonia 12, Anonuevo 7, Tolentino 5, J. Bautista 1, Ona 0, Barasi 0, Sleat 0, Bagunu 0, Bradley 0, S. Bautista 0, Libago 0.

Quarters: 20-28, 39-44, 58-58, 81-75.

Standings 

^NU 13-1

^ADMU 11-3

*FEU 9-5

*AdU 9-5

UST 7-7

DLSZ 4-9

UE 2-12 

UPIS 1-13

^ twice-to-beat bonus

* semis berth

– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Phoenix's unbeaten run could only go for so long.

Rain or Shine puffed enough gas in overtime to deal Phoenix its first loss in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup after a grind-out 98-94 triumph at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, February 10. 

The Elasto Painters squandered a five-point lead in the final minute but finally got things done in the extra period to improve to 6-1 and become the first team to clinch a quarterfinals berth.

Beau Belga was at the forefront of Rain or Shine's fourth straight win, submitting all-around numbers of 16 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists while Kris Rosales tied his career-high of 16 points. 

Although quiet the entire game with 5 points, Mark Borboran delivered when it mattered most by knocking down the final shot with 12 seconds left in overtime that closed all doors on any potential Fuel Masters comeback. 

Calvin Abueva tried to shave Phoenix's deficit to a whisker but muffed his triple as Raymond Almazan secured the defensive rebound and the win for Rain or Shine. 

Maverick Ahanmisi finished with 13 points and 5 boards, Almazan had 12 markers while Rey Nambatac chipped in 10 points and 5 rebounds in the win. 

The Fuel Masters trailed by as much as 14 points the entire game, 56-70, and by as much as 8 points in the 4th quarter, 67-75, before riding on Jason Perkin's hot hands and Matthew Wright's heroics to forge overtime.

Down 82-87, Wright buried a stepback triple with under a minute left to make it a one-possession game for Phoenix while Perkins shrugged off Almazan's outstretched arms to bury the game-tying layup. 

James Yap, who led Rain or Shine in scoring with an average of 16.3 points in its first 6 games, went for the potential game-winning triple but to no avail. He was limited to 2 points on a 1-of-9 clip. 

Perkins saw his career-high 27 points and 9 rebounds go to waste as the Fuel Masters slipped to 5-1. 

Wright delivered 16 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists while Abueva chalked up 16 points, 12 boards and 4 dimes in the losing effort. 

The Scores

Rain or Shine 98 - Belga 16, Rosales 16, Ahanmisi 13, Almazan 12, Nambatac 10, Norwood 8, Torres 6, Borboran 5, Maiquez 4, Daquioag 4, Yap 2, Mocon 1, Ponferada 1.

Phoenix 94 - Perkins 27, Wright 16, Mallari 12, Jazul 7, Kramer 6, Mendoza 5, Marcelo 3, Napoles 2, Dennison 0, Chua 0, Revilla 0.

Quarters: 24-20, 45-36, 70-61, 87-87 (reg.), 98-94 (OT).

– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Rain or Shine may have the best record in the PBA right now, but Beau Belga believes that would hardly matter if the team fails to translate its success to the playoffs.

The Elasto Painters became the first team to clinch a quarterfinals berth in the 2019 Philippine Cup after bagging their sixth win in 7 games following a valiant 98-94 overtime triumph over Phoenix on Sunday, February 10. 

"Useless 'yung 6-1 and top seed kung 'di ka aabot ng malayo sa conference. 'Yun 'yung pinaka-challenge sa amin," Belga, who showed the way with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists, told reporters after the game. 

(It's useless to have a 6-1 record and the top seed if we cannot make a deep run in the conference. That's the challenge for us.) 

"We just need to work hard just like kung ano 'yung mga ginagawa namin dito sa games na ito." 

(We just need to work hard just like what we've been doing in the past couple games to maintain our success.) 

Playing its seventh game since the PBA opened the season on January 13, Rain or Shine showed signs of fatigue as it was forced to an extra period for the first time this conference. 

The match also marked the Elasto Painters' smallest win margin since drubbing their last 3 opponents by an average of 10 points. 

Rain or Shine will then play its eighth game in exactly a month on Wednesday, February 13, against Magnolia before the league takes a two-week break to give way to Gilas Pilipinas' stint in the World Cup qualifiers. 

While the continuous games may have taken a toll on their bodies, Belga was just glad that the Elasto Painters displayed excellent resiliency to retain their winning ways. 

"'Yun ang kagandahan noon, kahit sunud-sunod ang laro, naipapanalo namin. Actually, most of the guys may nararamdaman, ako from Friday may ubo tsaka sipon ako. Pero wala, kailangan laruin dahil magkukulang kami sa tao eh." 

(What's good is even if we had a series of games, we were able to win them. Most of the guys are hurt. I have cough and colds since Friday. But that's how it is, we need to play because if not, we will be undermanned.) 

"Good thing pagkatapos ng Wednesday, mahaba-haba 'yung pahinga, makaka-recover 'yung katawan," Belga added. 

(The good thing is after Wednesday, we have a long break so our bodies can recover.) – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel got a win run going for the first time after dealing Magnolia a 113-92 thrashing behind Arwind Santos, Terrence Romeo and June Mar Fajardo in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday, February 10. 

Santos, Romeo and Fajardo combined for 74 points as the Beermen displayed their might to cruise to their fourth win in 7 games and keep the Hotshots winless in two games in a rematch of All-Filipino finalists last year. 

Scorching hot all night, Santos went 7-of-11 from three-point distance to finish with 29 points to go with 4 rebounds and 1 block in the wire-to-wire win that saw San Miguel go off an 18-2 start and never look back.

Romeo showed flashes of his old form with 23 points built on a healthy 8-of-10 shooting with 3 assists and 2 steals while Fajardo was his usual self with 22 markers, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.

Playing catchup basketball throughout, Magnolia managed to cut its deficit to just 6 points early in the 3rd quarter, 45-51, before San Miguel pulled away and stretched its lead to as large as 24, 112-88. 

It was a career night for Beermen guard Alex Cabagnot, who delivered 11 points, 4 assists and 3 steals, as he tied PBA legend Philip Cezar for 8th place in the all-time assists list 3,130 dimes. 

Five players finished in double figures for Magnolia led by Ian Sangalang, who had 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals, but the team still couldn't crack the winning column. 

Paul Lee and Rome dela Rosa had 16 and 14 points, respectively, in the loss while Rodney Brondial and Jio Jalalon conjoined for 23 markers. 

The Scores

San Miguel 113 – Santos 29, Romeo 23, Fajardo 22, Cabagnot 11, Lassiter 9, Ross 6, Nabong 3, Tubid 3, Pessumal 3, Mamaril 2, Zamar 2, De Ocampo 0, Vigil 0, Lanete 0.

Magnolia 92 – Sangalang 19, Lee 16, Dela Rosa 14, Brondial 12, Jalalon 11, Pascual 8, Simon 4, Calisaan 4, Abundo 2, Gamalinda 2, Barroca 0, Reavis 0, Herndon 0, Melton 0.

Quarters: 28-12, 51-42, 82-69, 113-92.

– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Deprived of his United States debut 3 weeks ago, Genisis Libranza made sure he would gain instant recognition when given the chance again.

Libranza, adjusting to the new fighting style of Mexican Gilberto Mendoza, won by a close but unanimous decision in their flyweight tussle Saturday night, February 9, (Sunday, February 10, Manila time) at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The 25-year-old Libranza was supposed to see action in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Adrien Broner collision for the World Boxing Association welterweight crown on January 19, but his supposed opponent, Carlos Buitrago came in 5 pounds over the limit and the bout was cancelled.

Fortunately for Libranza, international matchmaker Sean Gibbons and MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions head Joe Ramos were able to schedule him against Mendoza in the undercard of the Gervonta Davis-Hugo Ruiz  battle for the WBA super featherweight belt.

Davis caught Ruiz with a thunderous right hook and won via first-round knockout, extending his unbeaten run to 21 with an amazing 20 knockouts.

The Agusan del Sur-born and Davao-based Libranza, fighting out of Nonoy Neri’s Boxing Stable, on the other hand, struggled past Mendoza in their eight-rounder.

“He fought so different from all his YouTube fights I have seen. He was supposed to be an aggressor and our plans were to counter, but it turned out the other way around. I had to adjust mid-fight and luckily, I was able to get the win,” Libranza told Dr Ed de la Vega of Philboxing.

Libranza, who was trained by Ting Arriosa before Neri returned to the US last week and took over, raised his record to 18-1 with 10 knockouts, and though he failed to finish off Mendoza (11-7-2), did well enough to be considered for more US fights.

Meanwhile, Genesis Servania, another Filipino prime prospect, is slated to tangle with unbeaten Mexican Carlos Castro on Sunday, February 10 (Monday, February 11, Manila time), for the vacant World Boxing Council Continental Americas super bantamweight crown at Save Mart in Fresno, California.

Born in Bacolod but is now based in Japan, Servania, 32-1, with 15 knockouts, is bracing for a tough fight against Castro, who is 21-0 with 9 knockouts. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – It's all part of the game. 

That's how both Chris Ross and Paul Lee described their physical clash following an intense battle during San Miguel's 113-92 clobbering of Magnolia in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday, February 10.

The two bumped at each other for several possessions and exchanged sweet nothings midway through the 2nd quarter, with Lee drawing two offensive fouls from Ross in a span of two minutes. 

Ross, likewise, was fouled twice by Lee. 

There was even one point when Lee escaped the referees' gaze with an apparent elbow to Ross' groin area with 6:23 minutes left in the first half.

But the Beermen playmaker was quick to dismiss the on-court spat. 

"Just playing basketball, man. Body bumpin' is part of the game. Refs caught him and called fouls, so that was that," Ross told reporters. 

The Hotshots guard echoed his counterpart's sentiments. 

"It's a part of the game so pisikal lang talaga. Part of the game. Normal lang naman 'yun. Basketball 'yung nilalaro namin," Lee said. 

(Physicality is part of the game. It's just normal. We're playing basketball.) 

Ross, though, had the last laugh as San Miguel notched its second straight win for a 4-3 card while Magnolia remained winless in two games. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Even if the UAAP women's volleyball championship has eluded Ateneo for the last 3 seasons, the Lady Eagles want to live up to the expectations of the program that has grown over the years. 

The blue and white have been battling in the title round for 6 straight years until the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws knocked them out in the semifinals last season to end the dominant Ateneo-La Salle finals rivalry. 

But the Lady Eagles believe the crown is within their reach again this year as they tapped another winning mentor. 

Former Ateneo men's volleyball team three-peat champion coach Oliver Almadro takes the reins from Tai Bundit – who led the Lady Eagles to two titles. 

Captain Bea de Leon also decided to return for her fifth year, and together with veterans Maddie Madayag and Kim Gequillana, they hope they can start and end their UAAP careers with a championship. 

Then there's promising rookie Vanie Gandler, who stepped up for the Lady Eagles' offense during the preseason. 

The Lady Eagles likewise proved impressive in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference where they surprised the competition by setting up a Finals showdown with the league-leading Creamline Cool Smashers bannered by former Ateneo stars Alyssa Valdez and Jia Morado. 

As Ateneo looks to have completely moved on from last season's heartbreaks, the Lady Eagles now believe they have the materials again to reclaim the crown. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Two current world champions, a rising gymnast and the gold medal winners in the 2018 Asian Para Games lead the list of major awardees to be honored during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night on February 26. 

International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas and World Boxing Organization (WBO) counterpart Donnie Nietes, World Artistic Gymnastics Championships bronze medallist Carlos Yulo and the Philippine para chess team along with fellow Asian Para Games winners make up part of the 23 major awardees who will be recognized by the country's sportwriting fraternity.

Ancajas successfully defended his IBF title 3 times last year, Nietes won the WBO belt just before the turn of 2019, Yulo became the first Filipino and Southeast Asian male gymnast to win a medal in the world meet, while the Philippine para team finally broke through in the Asian Para Games by bagging a total of 10 golds in Indonesia.

Ernie Gawilan (para swimming), Arthus Bucay (para cycling), Kim Ian Chi (para bowling), Sander Severino (para chess), and the Para Chess Team (Standard P1 men, Standard B2-B3 men, and Rapid B-1 men) are members of the national squad that accomplished the country's best finish yet in the quadrennial meet.

Also recipients of major awards are Thirdy Ravena (amateur basketball), San Miguel Beer (pro basketball), Meggie Ochoa (jiu-jitsu), Christian Tio (kiteboarding), El Joshua Carino (cycling), Arnel Mandal (wushu) and the pair of Jannery Millet and Milo Rivera (motorsports).

Completing the list are Team Manila and Tanauan Little League (softball), Philippine dragon boat team, O'Neal Cortez (Jockey of the Year), and Sepfourteen (Horse of the Year).

A total of 75 awardees make up the 2018 honor toll list led by Athletes of the Year Margielyn Didal, Hidilyn Diaz, Yuka Saso and fellow Philippine women's golf team members Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go.

Bowling great Bong Coo and cycling champion Paquito Rivas are the year's recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Meanwhile, bestowed with Special Awards are June Mar Fajardo (Mr. Basketball), Marck Espejo (Mr. Volleyball), Jaja Santiago (Ms. Volleyball) and Neil Etheridge (Mr. Football).

Olympian and bemedalled athlete Bea Lucero-Lhuillier will be the special guest speaker in the traditional awards night organized by the country's oldest media organization. – Rappler.com

NANTES, France – Emiliano Sala's former club Nantes gave a final rousing send off to the Argentine striker, whose body was recovered from a crashed plane this week, with a series of moving gestures on Sunday, February 10. 

Known as the Canaries because of their yellow strip, Nantes played in a one-off full black outfit with Sala's name on the back of each shirt.

Tickets for the Ligue 1 game against Nimes were sold at a symbolic nine euros in memory of the player's shirt number, which they have also withdrawn from use.

As the Nimes players came out onto the pitch, they headed to the main Nantes stand and placed flowers before a large written tribute readin 'Emi forever.'

Around 37,000 fans were on hand to see a giant portrait of Sala displayed in the center-circle ahead of the game and a minute's silence was observed before spilling into rousing applause.

Nantes coach Vahid Halilhodzic, who excelled when he himself was the club's No. 9, said he felt a special attachment to Sala, who he described as a "lovely lad."

"He has left an eternal mark on this club, on top of it all (the death) it was such a shock, him disappearing and the hope gradually dwindling," he said.

The Bosnian, who coached Lille and PSG previously, and more recently Algeria and Japan, said the club could not hide behind Sala's disappearance.

"It's a nightmare of course," he said after his team's 4-2 defeat after being 2-0 up.

"But no side of mine has ever given up a lead like that and conceded 4 goals at home. Never. From now on I want an outright battle for survival."

"The players are obviously shaken, and this is a very heavy thing to deal with," added the 66-year-old.

Fans appeared still focussed on Sala himself.

"He was a warrior on the pitch and a nice guy off it," said Nantes fan Nathalie as she laid yellow flowers at a makeshift shrine of scarves, photos and bouquets outside the stadium.

"He was a straightforward guy who displayed the kind of personal qualities we would like to see more of in football," said another fan, 21-year-old Aubin Dubuche.

Nantes sold Sala to Premier League club Cardiff during the transfer window but on his way to a new life, the player and his pilot crashed into the channel near the British island of Guernsey on January 21.

Nantes players had promised to 'win for Sala' and goals from Kalifa Coulibaly and Abdul Majeed Waris gave them a 2-0 halftime lead over Nimes, but emotions had worn the home side's nerves thin and they collapsed to a 4-2 defeat.

Nimes are now 10th while Nantes are 15th, just 5 points clear of the drop zone. – Rappler.com

LONDON, UK – Manchester City destroyed Chelsea 6-0 to return to the top of the Premier League after Liverpool's convincing win against Bournemouth.

Tottenham stayed on the fringes of the title race by riding their luck to beat Leicester 3-1 while Manchester United clambered into the top 4 for the first time since August.

Here are 5 things we learned from the Premier League this weekend:

City a class apart

The past two champions of England met in Manchester on Sunday, February 10, and it was not even a contest as Chelsea trailed 4-0 midway through the first half against a rampant City.

A huge week for Pep Guardiola's men that saw Arsenal and the Blues visit the Etihad either side of a trip to Everton has ended with maximum points and City back on top of the table on goal difference ahead of Liverpool, albeit having played a game more.

On this form, City do not need any encouragement and Chelsea provided plenty.

The visitors went to sleep from a quickly taken free-kick for Raheem Sterling's opener in the fourth minute and Ross Barkley even teed up Sergio Aguero's second goal with a careless header back towards his own goal.

The Argentine went on to complete his 11th Premier League hat-trick, equalling Alan Shearer's record.

Wijnaldum an unsung hero

Often overshadowed by the firepower of Liverpool's front 3 and the defensive stability brought by the signings of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, Georginio Wijnaldum has quietly knitted the midfield together all season.

The Dutch midfielder was badly missed in a 1-1 draw at West Ham that saw Jurgen Klopp's men hand City the chance to take top spot in midweek.

Wijnaldum returned in style, scoring with a delicate lobbed finish in Saturday's 3-0 win over Bournemouth.

The goal capped an outstanding all-round display from Wijnaldum, which only served to highlight the importance of keeping him fit for the title run-in.

Kids are all right for Spurs

With Dele Alli still recovering from his hamstring injury and Eric Dier sidelined by a virus, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was rewarded for trusting his emerging youngsters.

Pochettino fielded a central midfield of Oliver Skipp, 18, and Harry Winks, 23, for Sunday's 3-1 win against Leicester.

While Winks has been in and around the team for the past 18 months, he is still a relative novice when the stakes are at their highest.

This was just Skipp's 10th appearance, and only his fourth start, yet he and fellow Englishman Winks kept Tottenham in the title race with composed displays that belied their tender years.

Tottenham's failure to sign a single player for the past two transfer windows could prove a long-term bonus if Winks and Skipp make the most of their opportunities.

Formidable Pogba fuels United charge

Fouled in a potential flashpoint during Manchester United's 3-0 win at Fulham, Paul Pogba's immaculate response to the incident showcased the maturity and class that is driving his side's revival.

Pogba had already put United ahead with a blistering strike at Craven Cottage when he was clipped by Fulham's Maxime Le Marchand and responded by briefly squaring up to his fellow Frenchman.

But rather than get distracted by a needless squabble, Pogba quickly shrugged off the incident and unfurled a sublime pass that launched another United attack seconds later.

Freed of the constant feuding with former United boss Jose Mourinho, Pogba is thriving under interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who deploys him in a free-roaming role that suits his flamboyant style.

Fittingly, it was Pogba's calmly taken second-half penalty that wrapped up the points on Saturday.

Lack of clean sheets could cost Arsenal

Arsenal beat bottom side Huddersfield 2-1 on Saturday to stay in the hunt for Champions League places with Chelsea and a resurgent Manchester United.

Their failure to record their first away clean sheet in the league under Unai Emery after a late own goal did not worry the Spaniard unduly but their defensive vulnerabilities could ultimately prove decisive in the race for the top 4.

Emery played down the issue, saying: "The clean sheet is important but our goal is to win. Maybe we can take a clean sheet and only draw." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – There could be another boxer from the Pacquiao family.

Emmanuel "Jimuel" Pacquiao Jr, the eldest among Filipino boxing icon Manny's brood of 5, looks to be following his father's footsteps after seeing action in a two-round bout.

Battling budding fighter Lucas Carson, the 18-year-old flaunted his boxing chops by pulling off a knockdown in the 1st round.

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Although obviously still unrefined, Jimuel displayed the fearlessness his father possessed on the way to becoming the sport's only eight-division world champion.

Manny was not in attendance during the fight, but the video posted by Joven Sports Promotions showed he witnessed his son's bout through video call.

The older Pacquiao is coming off a dominant unanimous decision win over Adrien Broner to defend his World Boxing Association regular welterweight belt in January. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – NLEX guard Kevin Alas underwent successful surgery on the right knee he reinjured, his father and Phoenix head coach Louie said.

The older Alas said his son is already in "high spirits" after going under the knife on Saturday, February 9, but he chose to remain in the hospital to get his bearings back. 

"Okay naman, medyo masakit daw kaya nag-stay siya (He's okay. He stayed in the hospital because he was still feeling pain)," Louie told reporters after Phoenix's first loss in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup.

"He's in high spirits na. Ayaw lang kumain. (He's already in high spirits. He just has no appetite.)"

Missing two whole conferences last season after tearing the ACL on the same knee, the younger Alas already suited up for the Road Warriors but was bitten by the injury bug again just 5 games into his PBA return.

Initial diagnosis revealed he didn't sustain major injuries. However, the MRI showed he tore his ACL anew. (READ: Alas says he's fine after bad fall, but bares injury fear lingers)

The incident may have taken a toll on the national team stalwart.

"Ayaw daw muna niyang manood [ng basketball] eh," the older Alas said. "Siguro 'pag nag-uumpisa na siyang mag-therapy, which is after two weeks, or nagre-rehab na."

(He said he still doesn't want to watch basketball games. Maybe he'll start watching when he is already undergoing therapy, which is after two weeks, or when he's already on rehab.) 

Kevin is expected to sit out for the next several months as NLEX looks for answers after dropping 4 of its 6 games in the all-Filipino conference. –Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – There was never any doubt, but now it's official: Ateneo Blue Eaglets star big man Kai Sotto is the UAAP Season 81 Juniors MVP.

The 7-foot-1 unicorn finished with 97 statistical points (SPs) – a full 15 points ahead of UST Tiger Cubs' one-and-done rookie Mark Nonoy (81.9286 SPs). 

Despite the mass exodus of team stalwarts like Dave Ildefonso, SJ Belangel, Joaqui Manuel, and Jason Credo, the 16-year-old prodigy adjusted accordingly and finished with league-leading averages of 25.1 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks on an efficient 60.3% clip.

More importantly, the Eaglets finished 11-3 in the elimination rounds and clinched the all-important twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four.

Ateneo now looks to rely on Sotto even more as it faces the battle-tested FEU Baby Tamaraws on Friday, February 15.

UST's Nonoy, Ateneo's Forthsky Padrigao (64.6250 SPs), FEU's RJ Abarrientos (61.6429), and Adamson's Joem Sabandal (60.9286 SPs) join Sotto in the Season 81 Mythical Five. –Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas resumed its buildup for the sixth and final window of the World Cup qualifiers on Monday, February 11, sans the services of naturalized player Andray Blatche.

The national team will be without the former NBA player for almost a week after he left the country for China on Monday to honor his commitments with Chinese Basketball Association team Tianjin Gold Lions.

Blatche, who had been practicing with Gilas since February 4, will be back as he reunites with the team in Qatar on February 16. 

The Filipinos have less than a week to gear up for their must-win battle against the Qataris on February 21. 

Only 10 men were present in the practice, headed by mainstays Jayson Castro, Gabe Norwood, and Paul Lee. 

Marcio Lassiter, Poy Erram, Raymond Almazan, Roger Pogoy, Mark Barroca, Thirdy Ravena, and Troy Rosario completed the squad.

Missing in action are Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar, who are coming off Barangay Ginebra's out-of-town PBA game in Davao on Saturday, February 9, and June Mar Fajardo, who is feeling under the weather. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – From world crown contender to pretender.

That's the plunge Genesis Servania's reputation took following his lopsided unanimous decision loss to American Carlos Castro in a super bantamweight tussle on Sunday, February 10, (February 11 in Manila) at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.

The highly favored Servania was thoroughly beaten by Castro, 100-90, 98-92, 99-91, setting back plans for the pride of Bacolod to be given another crack at a world title.

Coming from 3 straight stoppages, Servania was tipped to hand the unscathed Castro his first defeat.

Instead, it was the Japan-based Servania who got schooled by the 24-year-old, less-experienced prime prospect from Phoenix, Arizona.

Hampered by a right eye cut he sustained from an accidental clash of heads in the 2nd round, Servania was unable to cut off the ring, allowing Castro to use his superior footwork and boxing skills to foil the Filipino's attempts to land the big punch, especially in the last two rounds.

Servania suffered only his second loss against 32 wins with 15 knockouts. Castro posted his 22nd win with 9 KOs and could challenge for the world title in his next bout.

For Servania, who narrowly missed the World Boxing Organization featherweight belt to Oscar Valdez on October 22, 2017 – decking the Mexican in the 4th round and losing by close unanimous decision – it will be back to the drawing board with trainer Mark Gil Melligen in their training hideaway in Kanazawa, Ishikawa.

Another option is for Servania to climb back to the 126-pound division, where he admitted he was most comfortable with.

At 27, Servania can still regain world acclaim. – Rappler.com

TOKYO, Japan – World No. 1 Naomi Osaka has split from her coach Sascha Bajin just weeks after winning the Australian Open to complete back-to-back grand slam victories, the Japanese player said Monday, February 11. 

"Hey everyone, I will no longer be working together with Sascha. I thank him for his work and wish him all the best in the future," the 21-year-old tweeted in a shock announcement.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hey everyone, I will no longer be working together with Sascha. I thank him for his work and wish him all the best in the future.</p>&mdash; NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@Naomi_Osaka_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Naomi_Osaka_/status/1095064722293096448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Bajin, a former hitting partner to Serena Williams, responded:

"Thank you Naomi. I wish you nothing but the best as well. What a ride that was. Thank you for letting me be part of this."

Osaka, who became the first Asian  to hold the top ranking after beating Czech Petra Kvitova in the Melbourne final, had worked with the German for just over a year. No reason was given for the decision to part ways.

The Japanese player captured her first slam by stunning Williams at last year's US Open in a final remembered as much for the American's astonishing rant at the chair umpire  following a coaching violation.

Based in the United States, Osaka linked up with Bajin in late 2017 and enjoyed a breakthrough year, climbing from 72 in the world to the top of the women's rankings.

During that period she won the prestigious Indian Wells tournament before scooping her first major in New York, while Bajin was named WTA coach of the year.

Osaka, who grew up in the US and speaks little Japanese, melted hearts when she fought back tears after her emotional US Open win over her idol Williams as booing echoed around the stadium.

She won more fans with a nail-biting 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 win over Kvitova in the Australian Open final, after which Osaka sobbed tears of joy as the jeers were replaced by cheers.

Former greats Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have all heaped praise on the new darling of women's tennis.

"Winning back-to-back grand slam tournaments is a rare and special achievement, and I'm thrilled these results have propelled Naomi to the top of the women's game," said Chris Evert, the first ever WTA world No.1.

"Her exciting brand of tennis, coupled with the dignity she displays on and off court, is a winning combination that tennis fans really embrace." – Rappler.com