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Djokovic stops Nadal in straight sets to reach Indian Wells final

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ON TO THE FINAL. Novak Djokovic will meet Milos Raonic at the Indian Wells final. Photo by Daniel Murphy/EPA

INDIAN WELLS, USA - Novak Djokovic toppled a resurgent Rafael Nadal in straight sets Saturday and to reach the Indian Wells final, where he'll be seeking a third straight and record fifth overall title.

The 28-year-old world number one from Serbia was the heavy favourite coming into the joint ATP and WTA Tour event and he showed why as he dispatched long time rival and nine-time French Open champion Nadal 7-6 (7/5), 6-2. 

"Today the first set was decided by just one or two points," Djokovic said. "The second set was very close and I played the last 3 games very well.

"I am glad I overcame this challenge, which is one of the greatest in sport, playing against Rafa."

Djokovic improved to 21-1 this season and will square off in Sunday's final against Canadian Milos Raonic, who beat Belgian David Goffin 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

The women's final is also on Sunday with Serena Williams vying for her first Indian Wells title since 2001 when she takes on former champion Victoria Azarenka. 

Djokovic showed why he has been so dominant at Indian Wells, the hardcourt tournament in the California desert that he hopes this year will be a stepping stone to his first French Open title and a career Grand Slam.

Djokovic beat Roger Federer in three sets in the title match here the past two years, and now aims to surpass the record of four Indian Wells titles he shares with the Swiss.

Djokovic and Nadal have butted heads 68 times with Djokovic now holding a 25-23 edge, including winning 10 of the last 11.

"It could have gone either way but I managed to stay composed and serve well in important moments and just believed that I can win," said Djokovic, who overcame an early break in the opening set.

Nadal, who will turn 30 in June, is also a multiple champion here having won three times in 2007, 2009 and 2013.

But the Spaniard had to work a lot harder to hold his serve for much of Saturday's one hour, 58 minute match, spending almost twice as long as Djokovic in his service games.

Nevertheless Nadal's solid Indian Wells effort allayed some of the fears raised by the 14-time Grand Slam champion's first-round exit at the Australian Open.

"Today was closer than the last couple of times against the best player of world, so was a very positive week for me," Nadal said.

Raonic finding answers

The 25-year-old Raonic stormed into his 17th career ATP final by overpowering Belgian 15th seed Goffin.

Raonic, who is going through a makeover under the tutelage of new coach Carlos Moya, blasted 10 aces to help counter 35 unforced errors.

"I lost my way a little in the second set, but in the third I stuck to my identity," Raonic said.

Raonic roared through the first set in 34 minutes but struggled in the second with his serve as he tried to increase speed without sacrificing other components of his game.

"I feel even when I am not playing my best I am able to find the answers," said Raonic.

"I am definitely able to play at a higher level this year and when a crisis occurs during a match I can find the solutions better."

Raonic is going to have to find some answers against 11 time Grand Slam winner Djokovic who has beaten him all five times they have met previously.

"Milos is probably playing the best tennis that he has ever played," Djokovic said. "I think looking at his performances this year, winning in Brisbane, playing semis of Australian Open, and then coming back off injury and playing already in finals here, it's quite impressive.

"His serve was phenomenal .... seems like he has improved even more, especially the second serve. He's going for it more. He's not giving you the same look." – Rappler.com


Eddiva succumbs to Hooker’s guillotine choke at UFC Fight Night 85

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THIRD STRAIGHT LOSS. Filipino fighter Mark Eddiva has lost his third straight fight in UFC since winning his debut. File Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA. Philippines - Filipino fighter Mark Eddiva lost his third straight fight as he yielded to New Zealander Daniel Hooker on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 85 on Sunday, March 20 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia.

The 26-year-old Kiwi made quick work of Eddiva, finishing the 30-year-old Baguio City native in just 84 seconds with a high-elbow guillotine choke.

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Filipino fighter Mark Eddiva taps to Daniel Hooker&#39;s first-round guillotine choke. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCBrisbane?src=hash">#UFCBrisbane</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RapplerSports">@RapplerSports</a> <a href="https://t.co/CuLWVGkwUC">pic.twitter.com/CuLWVGkwUC</a></p>&mdash; NISSI ICASIANO (@Nissi_Icasiano) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nissi_Icasiano/status/711360829040369665">March 20, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The long-limbed Hooker was looking to impose his length and height leverage early on by advancing in front of Eddiva, but he was welcomed with stinging jabs and a couple of sidekicks to the midesection. 

As Eddiva closed the distance and attempted to convert a single-leg takedown, Hooker avoided being plunged to the mat by grabbing his opponent’s neck for a guillotine. 

When both men went crashing down to the canvas, Hooker placed himself in the full mount position with the unremitting choke still fastened tightly.

Eddiva resisted for a brief moment, but he had no other choice but to tap at the 1:24 mark of the first round as the strangle was extremely constricted. 

The 5-foot-8 Team Lakay representative finds himself in dangerous territory as his third-straight setback may earn him a pink slip from the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization.

With the disappointing defeat at the hands of Hooker, Eddiva downgrades to a 6-3 win-loss slate and has not won a single bout since outpointing Jumabieke Tuerxun in his March 2014 promotional debut. 

On the other hand, Hooker enters the winner’s column for the first time since May 2015 and improves his professional record to 13-6. 

In addition, Hooker claimed his sixth triumph by way of submission in his 7-year prizefighting career. – Rappler.com

Spurs beat Warriors, remain perfect at home

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HOME ADVANTAGE. LaMarcus Aldridge and the San Antonio Spurs avenged their loss to the Warriors earlier in thes eason. File photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES, USA - The San Antonio Spurs shut down Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, winning the clash of NBA heavyweights 87-79 on Saturday to remain perfect on their home floor this season.

The reigning NBA champion Warriors may be marching toward a single-season record for victories, but they still couldn't find a way to win in San Antonio, where they haven't come away with a victory since February 14, 1997.

The Spurs, who have put together a magnificent season in the shadow of Golden State, improved to 59-10 and 35-0 at home. They have won 44 straight regular-season games in San Antonio in a streak dating to last March.

San Antonio's streak is tied for the second-longest in NBA history behind only the continuing home streak of Golden State, now at 50 games.

The Spurs held the Warriors scoreless over the final 2:33, building a three-point lead to the final eight-point margin as they asserted themselves against a Warriors team that beat them in Oakland on January 25.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 26 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard added 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Spurs, who held reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Curry to 14 points.

Curry connected on just 4 of 18 shots - only one of 12 from 3-point range.

The Warriors, playing without injured Aussie big man Andrew Bogut who was hurt in a win at Dallas on Friday, were led by Klay Thompson's 15 points.

They suffered just their seventh defeat of the season against 62 wins, a hiccup in their pursuit of the single-season record of 72 victories set by the Chicago Bulls of 1995-96. – Rappler.com

Wade reaches 20,000 points as Miami destroys LeBron’s Cavs

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FLASH. Dwyane Wade continues to drop buckets in the NBA. Photo by EPA/ERIK S. LESSER

MANILA, Philippines – Dwyane Wade reached a milestone and led his Miami Heat past LeBron James’s Cleveland Cavaliers in dominant fashion, 122-101, on Sunday, March 20, at the American Airlines Arena in South Florida.

Wade finished with 24 points and during the game, hit a runner that made him the 41st player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points. Rookie Josh Richardson continued to impress with 19 points and 4 3-pointers.

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LeBron, who sat out the final 15 minutes because it was a 28-point deficit entering the fourth period, finished with 26 points. The former Miami Heat superstar dropped to 0-3 in games against the Heat in Miami since returning to Cleveland in 2014.

The Heat improved to 40-29 while the Cavs dropped to 49-20. – Rappler.com

WATCH: LaMarcus Aldridge throws down over-the-rim alley-oop

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LOS LOBBERS. LaMarcus Aldridge was feeling it on Saturday night. Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images/AFP

MANILA, Philippines - The San Antonio Spurs have a reputation for technically sound hoops, but LaMarcus Aldridge showed on Sunday, March 20 that they can entertain, too.

Midway through the first quarter of their game against the Golden State Warriors, Boris Diaw threw up a hook shot-like lob from the corner which sailed into the hands of Aldridge, who threw it down for the alley-oop.

The Spurs held on to win at home, 87-79, with Aldridge scoring 26 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.

The Warriors dropped to 62-7 and must win 11 of their final 13 games to surpass the 72-10 regular season mark of the '95-96 Chicago Bulls. The Spurs remain just 3 games behind the Warriors at 59-10.

The two teams will meet twice more before the regular season ends, with games scheduled for April 8 and April 11. – Rappler.com

Meet Mara Lopez, new Gameplan host

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24 year-old Mara Lopez has been living all our mermaid dreams since she was a little girl. Her dad established the first surfing school in the Philippines in 1996, which meant that she was brought up to love and explore the sea.

“You start walking on the reef, the sand, and the smell of fresh air and saltwater just hitting your face… it’s just something you don’t get in the city,” she recounted.

Mara first tried surfing when she was 6 years old and learned to wake up early to catch the good waves.

“One of the most important things (my dad) taught me was to wake up ridiculously early so we can get the lineup all to ourselves. He said this is how we become one with the waves, when we get it all to ourselves. We wake up at 4 AM, start walking to the lineup before 5 and wait for sunrise,” she shared.

Since then, Mara’s love for surfing has deepened her relationship with nature and all things beautiful. What started as simply her sport, created ripples of positive change and continues to fuel her passion to take care of the world we live in.

“When I’m out there in the ocean, that’s the place that I feel closest to God. You see the sun, the sunrise, the sky, the clouds, the water, the fishes underneath you… You just everything that’s beautiful and I know I’m gonna be surfing for the rest of my life.”

“Surfing has given me a whole new perspective when it comes to taking care of our oceans. It has given me the heart to care for the environment more. I want to continue surfing in our beautiful oceans. I want my children to see it. I want my children’s children to see it. My game plan in life is to do everything I can to make this world a better place,” she said. – Rappler.com

Mourinho signs pre-contract with Man Utd – reports

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PRE-CONTRACT. Spanish newspaper El Pais reports a deal has been struck that could see Jose Mourinho, seen in this file picture dated 09 December 2015, making £15 million (19 million euro), even if he doesn't end up taking charge at Old Trafford. File Photo by ANDY RAIN/EPA

MADRIDSpain – Jose Mourinho has signed a pre-contract agreement with Manchester United with a view to replacing Louis van Gaal as manager of the English giants next season, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on Sunday, March 20.

Citing sources from Gestifute, the agency company owned by Mourinho's representative Jorge Mendes, El Pais suggest a deal has been struck that could see the former Chelsea boss make £15 million (19 million euro), even if he doesn't end up taking charge at Old Trafford.

If United doesn't complete the deal by May 1, Mourinho will be entitled to £5 million compensation, should negotiations drag on beyond June 1 or break down, the 20-time English champions would owe the Portuguese a further £10 million.

Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea in December after losing 9 out the first 16 games of their Premier League defense. 

"I look forward to the future," Mourinho told BT Sport this week.

"I want my football back, time flies and July will be just around the corner."

Van Gaal is under mounting pressure if he is to see out the final season of a 3-year deal he signed in 2014.

United was dumped out of the Europa League by bitter rivals Liverpool 3-1 on aggregate on Thursday and face an uphill battle to make it into next season's Champions League via a top-four finish in the Premier League.

They currently sit sixth in the table, 4 points behind Manchester City in fourth, ahead of their trip to City later on Sunday. – Rappler.com

WATCH: Mark Hunt decimates Frank Mir with walk-off knockout

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LIGHTS OUT. Mark Hunt (L) turns the lights off on Frank Mir with his signature right hand before taking one look at his fallen opponent and then walking away while shaking his head. Screengrab from MMA Discussion Facebook

MANILA, Philippines – Mark Hunt sent a strong message to the entire heavyweight roster by knocking out two-time division kingpin Frank Mir in the main event of UFC Fight Night 85 on Sunday, March 20 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia.

The 41-year-old Kiwi veteran turned the lights off on Mir at the 3:01 mark of the first round with his signature right hand before taking one look at his fallen opponent and then walking away while shaking his head.

{source}<div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3";  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-video" data-allowfullscreen="1" data-href="/mmadiscussion2.0/videos/vb.653783554734489/899484596831049/?type=3"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/mmadiscussion2.0/videos/899484596831049/"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mmadiscussion2.0/videos/899484596831049/"></a><p>Mark HUNTOOOOOOO!!!! #MMADiscussion #UFCBrisbane</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mmadiscussion2.0/">MMA Discussion</a> on Saturday, 19 March 2016</blockquote></div></div>{/source}

“We have an after-party at the Hamilton hotel. Come down. It’s only $25 to come,” said Hunt, who invited the crowd to his after-party during his post-fight interview. 

The former UFC heavyweight titleholder took the risk of exchanging leathers with Hunt in the toe-to-toe trade, where the 36-year-old American was met with solid bombs from his heavy-handed foe. 

Mir, who tried several times to take his counterpart down to the floor, courted danger by repeatedly ducking his head, allowing Hunt to set up the knockout punch by throwing two flicker jabs and then swinging a wild right behind the ear. 

“There's always a winner and a loser. It's sad one of us had to lose tonight. Frank is a good dude. I respect him a lot," Hunt stated. 

With the impressive victory over Mir, Hunt improves his professional record to 12-10-1 and captures his ninth win by way of knockout. 

Meanwhile, Mir downgrades to an 18-11 win-loss slate and drops his second-straight outing inside the Octagon. 

On the preliminary card, Filipino fighter Mark Eddiva lost his third consecutive fight as he yielded to New Zealander Daniel Hooker via first-round submission. – Rappler.com


UP Lady Maroons take down UE Lady Warriors in straight sets

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BAM. UP bounces back against UE. File photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The UP Lady Maroons bounced back from their defeat to the DLSU Lady Spikers with a 3-set sweep of the hapless UE Lady Warriors, 25-23, 25-22, 25-14, on Sunday, March 20, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

After grinding through their wins in the first two sets, UP easily took care of UE in the third set to seal the win and improve to 7-4 in the UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament. 

The slumping Lady Warriors dropped to 0-11.

Isa Molde and Marian Buitre each scored 12 points in the win, while Justine Dorog and Diana Carlos pitched in 6 points each.

Shaya Adorador led UE with 13 points while Mary Mendrez had 8.

UP had more spikes than UE, 37-25, and more excellent sets, 44-21. – Rappler.com

La Salle Lady Spikers destroy hapless Adamson Lady Falcons in 3 sets

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 ON THE WINNING TRACK. The Lady Spikers get the better of the struggling Lady Falcons. File photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines - The De La Salle University Lady Spikers demolished the struggling Adamson University Lady Falcons in a straight set victory, 25-13, 25-11, 25-18, Sunday, March 20, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.  

The Taft-based squad pulled an easy win over Adamson, registering 13 attacks compared to the Lady Falcons' 6 in the first set alone, and 13-4 kills in the second.  

DLSU solidified their standing in the win column with a 9-2 record, while Adamson slid to 3-8. 

More details to follow. – Rappler.com

Depleted Azkals face tough qualifier versus Uzbekistan

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FIRST 11. The Philippine Azkals' starting 11 versus Yemen. Photo by Bob Guerrero/Rappler

UZBEKISTAN vs PHILIPPINES
FIFA World Cup 2018 / AFC Asian Cup 2019 Joint Qualifier
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Bunyodkor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
9:00 pm kickoff Philippine time
LIVE coverage on ABS-CBN Sports+Action

“Everyone was at practice,” said Azkals coach Thomas Dooley over the phone. “Everyone who could walk.”

The beleaguered German-American coach has faced his share of tough assignments as a player and a coach. But this Thursday'smatch up with Uzbekistan is different. We haven't seen this many injured Filipinos since the battle scenes in Heneral Luna. 

Where do we begin? Let's start with the big guns. Neither Phil Younghusband and Stephan Schrock are making the trip to Uzbekistan. Younghusband has had a nagging injury that has kept off most of the UFL Cup for Loyola. Schrock has a thigh issue and did not start in Ceres' 1-1 draw at Tampines Rovers last week in Singapore. He only came on with about 7 minutes to play. Fortunately both may be ready for the final Group H qualifier in Rizal Memorial on March 29. Accent on “may.” 

According to Dooley, when he spoke to Fil-Austrian wide player Stephan Palla over the phone, Palla was bedridden with a back problem. Palla will miss both of these last two qualifying matches. 

Kevin Ingreso got hurt playing for Ceres in the AFC Cup, so he is also a no-go.

Other players who are nursing ailments of varying degrees of severity are Amani Aguinaldo, (groin), Daisuke Sato, (foot), and Patrick Reichelt (knee). But those 3 are likely to play on Thursday barring any other problems. 

Misagh Bahadoran and Manny Ott have the Holy Week off. The two midfielders are suspended for the Uzbekistan game on accumulated yellow cards. Dooley asserts that they will be ready for the game on March 29

What about veterans Paul Mulders, Jerry Lucena, and Rob Gier? All have called time on their international football careers within the last few weeks. Lucena, who turns 36 in August, has done his shoulder and it appears he could be stepping away from all kinds of football, not just the international version. Dooley says Lucena will coach a youth team next season.

The decision of Gier, 35, after months of injury-induced inactivity, was not completely unexpected. The retirement of Mulders, also 35, is a bit of a shock, especially since he started for Ceres against Rovers last week after his own recent fitness struggles. Had Mulders chosen to be in this roster he could have very well started. But having said that, Dooley says he has another knock he is dealing with now. 

I've seen a few comments on Facebook from Pinoy fans who struggle to comprehend why these players could walk away from representing the country. But in reality, international football can be a tough grind. 

How would you like it if, on the days off from your real job, you had to do sideline instead of spending time with your family? And that sideline paid a fraction of what your real job paid? And the sideline entailed lots of long, tedious travel all over the world? And if you made mistakes in that sideline hundreds of people flame you on social media? And there is a big risk of getting hurt in that sideline and not being able to do your real work?

International football is an honor and a privilege, but it also takes its toll. By the time a player's body is in its 30s, the drudgery of international play can get old. These 3 men have given their all and deserve our respect and gratitude. 

Another player who could get a taste of international play is is Global's new signing Omid Nazari, a Swedish-born son of an Iranian father and a Filipino mother. Nazari has been shining in the UFL Cup as Global topped its group, and the striker has acquired a Filipino passport.

Nazari has 5 caps for Iran already, but none were in official competitions. That allows him to still switch allegiance to the Philippines. But alas, Dooley says FIFA has yet to give Nazari the green light to play for us, so he can't play for us yet. It's a shame because Nazari is a goal poacher of some ability. 

There is some good news: Juani Guirado, another Ceres starter against Tampines, is back from sick bay, and although Simone Rota was left off the initial list the PFF posted on its website, he is very much on the team. These two veterans will need to do their best to corral an Uzbekistan team that rocked the Philippines 5-1 in Bulacan last June. 

Many of the other players called up to the 34-man training pool are youngsters, including some very fresh faces who are only known to the cognoscenti. UP star Daniel Gadia is one of those who caught Thomas Dooley's eye. 

“I was really impressed with him in training. He looks more ready now. He was aggressive, organized well and talks more. I like him a lot,” said the coach. 

Gadia, who played in the SEA Games last year, sparkled for UP in their 2-0 win over DLSU in the UAAP last Saturday, assisting Kintaro Miyagi's goal. The midfielder, who also plays for Loyola, is not going to Uzbekistan, though.

But Jim Ashley Flores, formerly from San Beda, is on his way to Tashkent. Flores, from Laguna, was unable to make it to the SEA Games roster because of paperwork difficulties. The pacey midfielder was superb in the U23 team's Australia camp, where he found the net several times in friendlies. 

Another promising player is Jorrel Aristorenas, who Dooley said was excellent in training. Sadly he is also nursing an injury and it's not clear if he is going to be at the game. 

Ohjay Clarino of Global is definitely suiting up. The striker brings a physical presence whenever he steps out into the field. He played in the 2011 SEA Games. Global's Filipino-Italian Dennis Villanueva is also in the mix. There are two other precocious Global players on the list of call-ups for training, centerback Marco Casambre and Mark Winhoffer. Neither are going to Tashkent but both are with the U22 NT in a training camp in Singapore.

Another tantalizing prospect is Kouchi Belgira, a dazzling 19-year-old Filipino-Japanese midfielder from Loyola. It's not known, however, if he is going to Uzbekistan. 

But the young players likely to make the starting 11 are Luke Woodland, OJ Porteria, and Sato. 

The call up squad has raised eyebrows with the prevalence of unknown kids. This is especially notable when you consider players who did not make the cut. James Younghusband is absent, as are Balot Doctora, Miguel Tanton, and Antonio Ugarte. But that's international selection for you. There will always be an endless debate over who should, and should not make the team. 

“These players have a chance to show that they deserve to be on the team,” says the coach, who cites speed as one of his most important virtues he looks for in selecting a team. 

Dooley has one ace up his sleeve: perhaps the most overqualified international assistant coach in the world in Aris Caslib. The PFF technical director has two stints under his belt as Azkals coach, and it was under his mentorship that the team won its first ever ASEAN championship game in 2004, against Timor Leste. Coach Aris also runs the successful San Beda program that until this year lorded it over the NCAA. Caslib is highly-respected in local circles, and will give plenty of valuable input in the game plan. 

“Four eyes can see more than two. It's good to have another opinion,” says Dooley of his new wingman. 

Pascal Zuberbuhler, the Swiss goalkeeping coach, is back in the staff for these games, although Dooley says that his club commitments will prevent him from staying with the team permanently. That job will could go to Jon Pascua, a Spanish goalkeeping coach who is already here training Global's netminders. 

The Philippines are in third in Group H, one ahead of Bahrain, who play Yemen and Uzbekistan next. Bahrain will be favored to get to 9 points against Yemen, so the Philippines needs points in these last two games to grab the third place spot that automatically gets them in to the next round-robin of AFC Asian Cup qualifiers next year. If they finish fourth in the group they will have to see what happens in the other 7 groups. Only the best 4 fourth-placers make it to the next round. The next 4 fourth-placers and all 8 fifth placers must go through a playoff stage. (Yemen can no longer catch us so thankfully we are not finishing fifth.) 

To complicate matters further, one group, Group F, has 4 teams instead of 5, because of Indonesia's suspension meant they couldn't join. That might mean that all points taken from fifth-place teams will be deleted from the accounting. We have 3 points against Yemen from that road win last June.

When I spoke to Dan Palami months ago he was confident that we had stockpiled enough points to avoid the playoff round. Dooley was not so optimistic. 

“No, I don't think we have enough. We have to do something,” he added with some concern.

“The playoff stage would be a good test, but it's better if we can avoid it.”

What the Azkals cannot avoid is the hostile crowd, chilly temperatures, (15 degrees celsius), and the might of a home team looking for a repeat of the 5-1 thrashing from last June. Dooley will need a perfect game plan and superb execution to get a result. 

POSSIBLE STARTING XI
 
Reichelt
Ramsay Porteria Steuble
Villanueva Woodland
Sato Guirado Aguinaldo Rota
Etheridge

– Rappler.com

Follow Bob on Twitter @PassionateFanPH

NU, La Salle win UAAP chess titles

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CHAMP. Paulo Bersamina's aunt, Aimee, holds his rookie of the year trophy and his brother, Joseph, holds his MVP trophy. Paulo holds his Board 1 gold medal. Photo from Paulo Bersamina's Facebook

MANILA, Philippines - National University, beefed up by the country’s top junior player, captured the men’s chess crown at the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) late Saturday. 

Paulo Bersamina, 18, went through the 14-round, double-round event unbeaten, giving up two draws as he led the Bulldogs to 42.5 points - 6.5 points ahead of University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University’s 29 points.

NU also played a big part in De La Salle’s conquest of the UAAP women’s championship. The country’s no.1 lady woodpusher, Janelle Mae Frayna of FEU, stumbled in the penultimate round to NU’s Janena Regencia, and this gave the players of coach Randy Segarra the cushion needed to clinch down the women’s title. 

De La Salle, led by Bernadette Galas, Rowelyn Acedo, Cherry Ann Mejia and top rookie Antoinette San Diego, won the title with 42.5 points followed by FEU’s 39.5 points. UP, led by Board Two gold medalist Cristy Bernales, had 34 points. 

FEU, bannered by board 1 gold medalist John Meril Jacutina, took the juniors title with 37.5 points followed by UST which prevailed over NU by tiebreak for second.

Despite nailing down the board one gold medal and the rookie MVP honors, Bersamina missed the steadying presence of his father, Norlito, who died last October 2015.

“This is my first time without my father at my side,” he said in a phone interview with Rappler.com. The chubby Bersamina, an untitled player who competed in the old Far East Bank-RP Open events, was the only trainer Paulo had known until last year.

His father steered him to victory at the age of 12 in the 2010 national juniors and a shot at the 2014 Battle of the Grandmasters title where Paulo lost to Eugene Torre in the final round. Paulo still qualified for the 2014 Olympiad team, which had lost Wesley So and Oliver Barbosa. 

“Making the Olympiad team will be my goal,” said Bersamina. In the UAAP, Bersamina began taking a little risk instead of wearing down his opponents, while two attacking wins were made the expense of Mac Labasano of UP, said NU coach Jojo Aquino. 

But for the 20-year-old Regencia, who is a senior in digital forensics as part of her computer science degree, her triumph over Frayna was the game of her life. It was virtual trench warfare. Regencia pounced on Frayna’s error removing her Queen from defending her king by occupying the c-file with her rook, attacking the e-pawn. Frayna gave up her queen to avoid immediate mate and Regencia nailed down victory.

“When the game ended, I had 13 minutes and she had 26 minutes,” said Regencia of her first encounter with Frayna, who needs only a women’s grandmaster norm to be the country’s first player to hold that title. – Rappler.com

Pinoy boxer Joebert Alvarez scores upset KO over Jonathan Gonzalez

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UPSET WIN. Joebert Alvarez poses with trainer Nonito Donaire Sr after stopping Jonathan Gonzalez in Puerto Rico. Photo from Donaire's Facebook

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino boxer Joebert Alvarez scored the biggest win over his career, stopping Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez in 6 rounds at the Coliseo Mario 'Quijote' Morales in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico on Sunday, March 20.

Alvarez (15-1-1, 7 knockouts) of General Santos City, Philippines knocked Gonzalez (18-2-1, 12 KOs) down in round two before a combination put him down for the last time 4 rounds later, Alvarez’s trainer Nonito Donaire Sr tells Rappler. 

The win earned Alvarez the vacant WBO NABO and WBC FECARBOX flyweight titles, regional belts which could position Alvarez for a world ranking with those organizations. 

Gonzalez, a former amateur star in Puerto Rico, had been unbeaten in his last 6 fights following his lone career defeat, a fourth round knockout loss to former champion Giovani Segura in 2013.

Alvarez, 26, had shown hints of his potential in his previous fight in December of 2014, when he went the distance with WBO/WBA flyweight titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada in a non-title fight.

Donaire Sr says Alvarez’s promoter All Star Boxing has plans of putting Alvarez on a fight card on July 9 against an opponent to be determined. – Rappler.com

McLaren looks to exemplify Filipino warrior’s heart in next ONE FC bout

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FILIPINO WARRIOR'S HEART. Reece McLaren (left), seen here in his upset win over Fil-Am Mark Striegl, looks to showcase the Filipino warrior's heart when he engages in battle again on Philippine soil. File Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines -  “Who is Reece McLaren?” That was the question of the night during ONE Championship’s “Spirit of Champions” fight week when he surfaced as Jordan Lucas’ late replacement to face Filipino-American sensation Mark Striegl. 

Striegl was supposed to have an easy night against a relatively-unknown Australian fighter entering a high-profile bout on 8 days notice, but McLaren begged to disagree and educated everyone about who he is and what he is capable of. 

McLaren pulled off a major upset in his ONE Championship debut by submitting Striegl with a rear-naked choke in the aforementioned event’s co-headliner this past December.

Showcasing his never-say-die attitude, McLaren overcame a series of takedowns and a second-round knockdown against the highly-favored Striegl, but he methodically chipped away with stinging leg kicks. 

As his counterpart appeared to lose steam in the final frame, McLaren countered a weary takedown attempt with solid elbows before he advanced to Striegl's back to latch on the fight-ending choke at the 3:33 mark of the third round.

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After his impressive conquest of Striegl, the thousands inside the SM Mall of Asia Arena were instantly introduced to the name of Reece McLaren. 

However, what actually shocked an additional number of Pinoy fight fans was the fact that he also had Filipino heritage like Striegl. 

The 24-year-old native of Gold Coast, Queensland revealed that his father, whom he never met while growing up, was Filipino. 

Even without the formal orientation to the culture of his father’s country, McLaren admitted that he always feels the sense of pride about his Filipino lineage.

“My father is actually Filipino. However, I have never met him and never grew up with any Filipino culture. But I have always told people I am half-Filipino. You can say that I’m Pinoy proud,” he told Rappler. 

Although ONE Championship gave him minimal time to prepare for Striegl, McLaren accepted the challenge because this was his chance to set foot on Philippine soil.

“I had always wanted to come to the Philippines and Manila being the capital city. It was a chance I had to take,” he recalled. 

McLaren described his grueling encounter with Striegl as hitting two birds with one stone as it likewise raised his stock as a prizefighter. 

“I felt like this was my opportunity to get myself on the world stage. I also knew it would be my chance to get noticed. Mark is a very followed fighter with a massive fan-base,” he said. 

Being made public that he is half-Filipino, McLaren considers it as an achievement on his part as he has been the Pinoy youngster on his locale’s block.

“I think it’s great. Growing up, I've been called it all the time. I was pushed down in the dirt many times, so getting recognition for being who I am was nice. I'm a proud Filipino kid,” he stated. 

Once again the fighting underdog

McLaren is booked to make another trip to his father’s motherland, but ONE Championship is putting him inside the boiler room once more as he locks horns with highly-touted prospect Muin "Tajik" Gafurov on the promotion’s "Global Rivals" undercard on April 15.

Gafurov is undefeated in 10 professional bouts since he started his prizefighting run in November 2013. 

The 19-year-old combatant from Dushanbe, Tajikistan has never gone the distance in his young career, hauling 6 submission triumphs and 4 knockout wins. 

In his first ONE Championship outing in September 2015, “Tajik” knocked out Casey Suire in just 55 seconds with a spinning back kick to the midsection. 

Gafurov followed it up by attaining a statement-making victory over one-time bantamweight title challenger Toni Tauru last January by disposing the Finnish stalwart in the third round. 

McLaren sees it as one big hurdle to overcome, but he believes that his experience will play a pivotal role in the marquee match-up. 

“Muin is a very good young fighter. He hasn't been into the later rounds,” McLaren said of his opponent. 

Aside from ONE Championship, McLaren has made sporadic appearances in several mixed martial arts (MMA) organizations, including Eternal MMA, Nitro MMA and Xtreme Fighting Championship. 

McLaren was welcomed in the Australian MMA scene through a baptism of fire, dancing with tough foes such as Kian Pham, Shantaram Maharaj, Jacob Mahony and current UFC flyweight competitor Ben Nguyen. 

The 5-foot-6 submission specialist stressed that his back has always been against the wall in most of his fights, but he managed to rise to the occasion. 

“I've been the underdog most of my career. When we took the fight with Mark, I was there to win. I didn’t take the fight just to fill in. I'm no pincushion,” McLaren shared. 

McLaren seeks to follow in the path of the tradition of Philippine fighters who exemplified the true spirit of a warrior in either a boxing ring or an MMA cage. 

“I'm so happy to be back fighting on Philippine soil. You've seen me on 8 days notice. This time I've had 6 weeks. Cannot wait,” he ended.– Rappler.com

San Beda-A prevails in all-Lions finals to win inaugural college 3x3 crown

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CHAMPS. Davon Potts (C) and the San Beda-A team catch fire from beyond the arc to win the first-ever Intercollegiate 3x3 Invitationals crown. Photo from press release

MANILA, Philippines – San Beda-A scorched from beyond the arc to sweep San Beda-C and win the first-ever Intercollegiate 3x3 Invitationals championship before a huge crowd Sunday, March 20 at the Mall of Asia Music Hall.

(READ: UE, San Beda dominate 3x3 tourney eliminations)

Banking on the hot shooting of Davon Potts and Robert Bolick, the Red Lions A-squad, which also includes Dan Sara and Donald Tankua, won Game 1, 11-9, and dominated Game 2, 22-8, of the best-of-3 finals series. 

Potts, Bolick, Sara and Tankua took home the P200,000 top prize while the San Beda-C quartet of Arnaud Noah, William Navarro, Joe Presbitero and Jeramer Cabanag bagged the second place trophy and P100,000.

Sobrang saya namin kasi champion kami (We're very happy because we're champions). All our teams have been very competitive,” said Sara. “Malapit na rin NCAA so sobrang okay na experience sa amin ito. Dito start na talaga ng maturity namin (The NCAA is drawing near so this is good experience for us. This where our maturity starts).”

Before setting up an all-Lions finals duel, San Beda-A fended off a tough University of the East-A side while San Beda-C banked on a game-winning layup from Noah to prevail over UAAP champion Far Eastern University-A. (EXPLAINER: A guide to 3x3 basketball)

Potts and Noah were named to the i3i’s inaugural Mythical Team, along with guard Joe Trinidad of the Tamaraws and Red Warrior Arnold Pasaol. 

In the battle for third, UE-A dismantled a weary FEU-A squad, 21-14, behind Pasaol, Clark Derige, Paul Varilla and shifty guard Bonbon Batiller in the event organized by Kiefer Ravena’s Rack Sports Management and endorsed by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. 

(READ: Kiefer Ravena hopeful 3x3 gets added to UAAP calendar)

Also making it to the Elite Eight are UE-B, UE-C, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and National University-B.

A total of 32 teams from UAAP and NCAA schools participated in the tournament.

“This is the first step in our goal of getting more Filipinos involved in 3x3,” said Ravena, who added that Rack Sports is planning to do collegiate 3x3 tournaments in Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo and Laguna in the next few months. – Rappler.com


Djokovic routs hobbled Raonic to capture record 5th Indian Wells title

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CHAMPION AGAIN. Novak Djokovic is once again the last man standing in Indian Wells. Photo by Mike Nelson/EPA

INDIAN WELLS, USA - World No. 1 Novak Djokovic won the Indian Wells title on Sunday with a 6-2, 6-0 rout of a hobbled Milos Raonic, taking the crown for the third straight year and a record fifth time overall.

The defending two-time champ Djokovic, who hasn't lost in Indian Wells since 2013, earned his 62nd career title and extended his match win streak at the joint ATP and WTA hardcourt tournament to 17 straight.

"To win this tournament 5 times is a fantastic achievement," Djokovic said.

"I'm just glad to be able to raise the level of my game as the tournament progresses, and that's something that I have been doing in the last two years particularly on the big events."

The 28-year-old Serb won in Indian Wells in 2008 and 2011 as well as 2014 and 2015.

Djokovic is hoping Sunday's victory will be a stepping stone to his first French Open victory in two months which would complete the career Grand Slam.

"Roland Garros has been and is this year again one of the top priorities of the season," Djokovic said. "I have been - I felt like I have been coming closer and closer to the title in the last couple of years.

"I'm not going to change much in terms of preparation for the event."

Djokovic said he felt like this was one of his best performances and that all the preparation he did beforehand helped him get into what he described as "the zone" when he hits the court.

"I have been managing to win most of the big matches against top 10 players," he said. "I have a certain routine and certain preparation for these big matches that works for me, again.

"I will try to follow that kind of routine and get myself in that state of mind where I'm able to get the best out of myself when it's most needed."

Djokovic broke Raonic 5 times and made just 4 unforced errors compared to 27 by the Canadian, who left the court briefly at the end of the first set to seek medical treatment on his leg.

Djokovic needed just 77 minutes to send Raonic packing in one of the quickest men's finals in the 4 decade history of the California desert tournament. Rafael Nadal defeated Andy Murray 6-1, 6-2 in 2009 and Lleyton Hewitt crushed Gustavo Kuerten 6-1, 6-1 in 2003.

Raonic, who usually dominates his opponents with his booming serve, finished with just 4 aces and two double faults.

He was broken twice early in the opening set and all 3 times in the second, winning just 3 points the entire match on his second serve.

Djokovic improved to 21-1 on the season with his only loss coming in Dubai to Feliciano Lopez, whom he beat in the fourth round in Indian Wells. 

Raonic's loss in the final ended one of the best performances of the 25-year-old Canadian's career. 

Raonic, a winner in Brisbane earlier this year, just returned from a six-week layoff due to a torn thigh muscle that hindered him in a semi-final loss to Murray at the Australian Open.

He said the injury that hobbled him Sunday could be the same one.

"I just hope it has nothing to do with the previous issue I had," said Raonic of his difficulties moving around the court against Djokovic.

"Feels similar, but not as bad. I don't think I let it get as bad."

The injury forced him to miss the Davis Cup earlier this month when Canada was blasted 5-0 by France.

Raonic said he wasn't taking anything away from Djokovic's victory.

"I don't think it affected my effort. I thought he played much better than I did. I struggled again," he said. – Rappler.com

Jason Day wins PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational by one stroke

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BEST AT BAY HILL. Jason Day collected his eighth PGA victory, his first since last September's BMW Championship and his fourth in a row when leading after 54 holes. Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images/AFP

MIAMI, USA - Jason Day sank a 12-foot birdie putt at 17 and rescued par from a bunker at 18 Sunday, March 20 to win the PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational by a single stroke.

The 28-year-old Filipino-Australian became the first wire-to-wire winner at Orlando's famed Bay Hill layout since Fred Couples in 1992, just weeks before Couples went on to win the Masters.

Day, who rises to world number two with the triumph, hopes to fit himself for a green jacket at the year's first major tournament in 3 weeks after collecting the trophy from Palmer, an Augusta National legend.

"It means the world," Day said of the victory. "I just ground it out today. It wasn't the best I had but I got it done when I wasn't quite on."

Day fired a two-under par 70 to finish on 17-under 271, defeating American Kevin Chappell by one with Sweden's Henrik Stenson and American Troy Merritt sharing third on 274 after battling Day throughout the final round.

Day collected his eighth PGA victory, his first since last September's BMW Championship and his fourth in a row when leading after 54 holes. But it was intense.

Stenson, Day and Chappell shared the lead at 16-under with 5 holes remaining, 4 of them playing among the course's five toughest, and Merritt was only a shot adrift after four back-nine birdies in a row following a double bogey at the ninth.

Merritt blasted in a 43-foot shot from a greenside bunker at the par-3 14th for his fifth consecutive birdie to grab a share of the lead with Day and Chappell at 16-under after Stenson stumbled with a bogey at 14 and another at 16 after finding the water.

Chappell missed a 26-yard eagle putt at the par-5 16th but tapped in for birdie to grab the lead at 17-under.

Day and Merritt each parred 16 then shined at the par-3 17th, Merritt holing a 12-foot chip shot for par and Day sinking a 12-foot birdie putt to match Chappell for the lead.

Chappell had gone into the right rough at 18 and evaded a water hazard but came up short from 25 feet for par, a bogey ending his day at 16-under, one back of Day as the Aussie came to the last tee.

Chappell 'survived'

Day found the right rough and then a bunker beyond the green while Merritt's hopes ended when his approach splashed down shy of the green. Day blasted 90 feet out of the sand and sank a 4-foot par putt to win, denying Chappell his first PGA victory.

"I survived," Chappell said. "I felt like I handled myself really well. I would like to have that tee shot back again at 18."

Day pitched in from 70 feet for birdie at the par-3 second to seize a 3-shot lead early but followed with back-to-back bogeys while Chappell sank a 16-foot birdie putt at the third to match him for the lead.

Day blasted his tee shot at the fifth just 22 yards off the green and sank a 6-foot birdie putt but Chappell matched him with a birdie at the par-5 sixth to keep them even.

But Day followed with a bogey at the sixth, finding the water with his second shot, and Chappell sank a six-foot birdie putt at the seize to reach 16-under and lead by two.

Chappell closed the front 9 with a bogey while Day put his approach inches from the cup at the ninth and made birdie to reach the turn level for the lead at 15-under.

Within seconds of each other, Day tapped in for birdie at the 12th and Chappell birdied the 13th to stay level and set up the exciting finish. – Rappler.com

Azarenka shocks Williams, wins Indian Wells title

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UPSET. Victoria Azarenka (L) from Belarus greets Serena Williams (R) from the USA after defeating her at the final match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells. Photo by Mike Nelson/EPA

INDIAN WELLS, USA - Victoria Azarenka stunned world number one Serena Williams 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to capture her second Indian Wells crown and a 19th career singles title.

Azarenka blasted 5 aces while Williams was undone by 33 unforced errors and 5 double faults in the 88-minute championship of the joint WTA and ATP Tour hardcourt event.

"Definitely not the game plan," Williams said. "I think I probably was trying to hit through nerves.

"I was talking to Patrick (Mouratoglou, her coach) and he said he's never seen me play that flat."

Azarenka, a former world number one now ranked 15th after battling injuries, has been a thorn in the side of Williams over the years and she became the first player to deny the 34-year-old Williams a trophy on 4 occasions.

Heading into the contest Azarenka and Serena's sister, Venus, were the only players to have beaten Williams three times in finals.

The 13th seeded Azarenka also thwarted Williams' bid to become the first three-time winner of the Indian Wells women's title.

Azarenka got two early breaks at the beginning of both sets against Williams before closing out the match in front of a crowd of about 15,000 on the main stadium court when Williams sailed yet another forehand long.

Azarenka held serve in the first set to take a 2-0 lead that the erratic American couldn't dent.

Williams even got caught standing still and admiring a shot at game point in the eighth game, allowing Azarenka to hit a slow forehand winner into the open court.

Out of sorts

Out of sorts to start the second set, Williams quickly found herself in an 0-3 hole, smashing her racquet on the ground after dropping serve in the third game before tossing it backwards over her shoulder.

She briefly came to life to regain one break, but was unable to mount a charge.

Azarenka duly served out the match, adding a second title to the Indian Wells crown she captured in 2012 and earning $1.02 million for the victory.

"Feels good just to see the work that I have put in and it's paying off," Azarenka said. "Just everything that I have been through in the last years, it makes it more special.

"I was more aggressive. I started to use my serve the way I wanted to use my serve. 

"Having that big goal in mind and going after it, that's something that makes the momentum shift on the big stages."

With the victory Azarenka will also return to the top 10 in the world for the first time since 2014, moving up to number eight.

Runner-up Williams collected $500,000.

But she was unable to close the book on the darkest chapter in her tennis career which took place when she beat Kim Clijsters in the 2001 Indian Wells final.

Last year's semi-final injury withdrawal cut short Williams' first Indian Wells campaign since the Clijsters' match, when spectators booed her during the final and jeered her sister, Venus, and father Richard Williams after the pair arrived to watch the match. Richard Williams said he heard racial comments.

That sparked a lengthy boycott by both Williams sisters with Serena returning in 2015 and Venus making her long-awaited return this year but losing to a qualifier in her opening match.

"Obviously the last time I was there (in the final) was probably the worst moment of my whole career. Not probably. Sure," Williams said.

"To be back out there, which I never thought I would be, you know, was really different and special."

Williams also had to deal with sexist comments made to reporters before the final from the chief executive of the tournament, Raymond Moore, who said female players ride on the coattails of men, and commented on the physical attractiveness of a couple of the tour's best young athletes.

"You know, it was just - I was overwhelmed with, I think, emotions and nerves. Obviously I think everything kind of played a part," Williams said. – Rappler.com

Dirk Nowitzki drops 40 as Mavs beat Blazers

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STILL GOT IT. Dirk Nowitzki may be nearing 40, but he can still shoot for 40 on the court. File photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES, USA - Dirk Nowitzki joined an elite group as he poured in 40 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 132-120 overtime triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, March 21 Manila time.

The Mavs snapped a 5-game home losing streak and clinched the season series against Portland - a fact that could come into play with the teams battling for playoff seeding in the bottom half of the Western Conference standings.

"We're still in the same position where we're fighting for our playoff lives," Nowitzki said after his 20th career 40-point game. "Our goal before the season was to make it into the playoffs. We're still fighting for it."

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Nowitzki reached 40 for the first time since January 11, 2014. He drained a 3-pointer to cap an 11-0 scoring run to open overtime.

At 37 he became only the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 40 at age 37 or older. The others are Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.

"Never underestimate greatness at any age, that's what I always say about guys like him," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.

Raptors close gap on Cavs

The Toronto Raptors moved within one game of the Cleveland Cavaliers for top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 105-100 NBA victory over the Orlando Magic.

DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with a game-high 25 points and 5 assists.

Luis Scola added 20 points and 8 rebounds while Kyle Lowry chipped in with 18 points and 7 assists as the Raptors notched their fourth straight win and improved to 13-4 since the All-Star break.

Scola said the pursuit of first place in the East was important, but not the overriding motivation as the post-season approaches.

"Of course we want to win games, of course we want to finish first, but the most important thing is to be able to build good momentum going into the playoffs," Scola said. "Eventually, when we get to the seventh game of the conference final, if we get there, we'll worry about that then.

"We're fighting for (first), because it's the right thing to do, but we can't lose sleep over it."

Orlando, connecting on 51.6 percent from the field, took an 82-80 lead into the fourth quarter.

But the Raptors used a 10-0 scoring run to take a 4-point lead with 5:22 to play and held on.

Victor Oladipo led Orlando with 21 points and six rebounds. Evan Fournier had 21 points, but the Magic have now lost three in a row and trail the Chicago Bulls by six games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

Depleted Pelicans beat Clippers

The New Orleans Pelicans, hit Sunday with the news that All-Star forward Anthony Davis would have season-ending knee surgery, responded with a 109-105 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Six of the eight players in uniform for the short-handed Pelicans scored in double figures, led by Jrue Holiday with 22.

Holiday drained two free throws with 24.8 seconds remaining to put New Orleans up 106-103. After JJ Redick trimmed the deficit to one point with a reverse layup, Luke Babbitt made two free throws to stretch the Pels' lead back to 108-105 with 14.5 seconds left.

After Austin Rivers missed a 3-pointer for the Clippers, Toney Douglas added one more free throw for the hosts. – Rappler.com

Pelicans shut down Davis for rest of season

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OUT FOR THE SEASON. The New Orleans Pelicans announce shutting down Anthony Davis for the rest of the season due to injuries. He is seen here in a game against the Golden State Warriors on March 14, 2016. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES, USA – New Orleans Pelicans star forward Anthony Davis will miss the rest of the NBA season, and likely the Rio Olympics, with knee and shoulder injuries that need surgery, coach Alvin Gentry said Sunday, March 20 (Monday, March 21 in Manila).

"We're going to shut him down, so he's done for the year," Gentry said before the Pelicans' game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Gentry also said the knee injury would probably force Davis, who won Olympic gold at London in 2012, to miss the Rio Games.

"If I was a betting man, probably so," Gentry said.

The Pelicans did not release specifics on Davis' left knee injury, which he sustained in a loss to Portland on Friday.

Davis' left knee appeared to hyperextend when Jrue Holiday, defended closely by Damian Lillard, collided with Davis at the end of the first half.

"I just know that it's something that's very fixable," Gentry said. "It's just something that needs to be done in time (so that it can) heal and be ready to go. And the same thing with the shoulder."

Davis is the Pelicans' leading scorer with an average of 24.3 points per game, 10.3 rebounds and two blocked shots. He has been playing through a shoulder injury since November. – Rappler.com

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