Eagles chasing UAAP history versus Tigers

Source: Jasmine W Payo; Philippine Daily Inquirer
When Ateneo battles University of Santo Tomas for the UAAP championship, the Blue Eagles will be chasing history that comes with a fifth straight crown.

Ever since University of the East strung up seven straight titles from 1965 to 1971, no team has come close to threatening the record in men’s basketball. 

So with another title conquest, the Blue Eagles will not only move within two wins of matching the feat but also earn the distinction of having the second longest championship reign in the league.

San Sebastian thwarts Perpetual Help, secures playoff for 2nd place

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—Calvin Abueva fouled out early but it didn’t keep San Sebastian from weathering a late-game push by Perpetual Help.

With Ian Sangalang and Ronald Pascual in tow, the Stags restored order en route to an 80-62 win over the Altas Thursday night in the NCAA Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at the FilOil flying V Arena in San Juan city.

“We were lucky we had a lead,” said SSC head coach Allan Trinidad on Abueva fouling out. 

EAC puts JRU on brink of elimination

Source: Mark Giongco; Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines – Emilio Aguinaldo College put Jose Rizal University on the verge of missing the Final Four after a 71-65 win Thursday night in the NCAA Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Generals, already out of semifinals contention, finished this season with an 8-10 record, their best mark since joining the league in 2009. 

Happi Noube struggled on his shot but still came away with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Rain or Shine routs new-look Petron

Image Source: Wikipedia
Source: Mark Giongco; Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—Rain or Shine beat Petron Blaze as if the Boosters weren’t preseason favorites to win the title.

Riding high on their recent championship, the Elasto Painters pummeled the Boosters, 102-86, Wednesday night in the 38th PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

“As I said before the game, this is the best time to play Petron, they’re still in transition, they have a new coach,” said ROS head coach Yeng Guiao. “They’re going to be a lot more dangerous in the next two to three games and they won’t be the same when we play them the second time around.”

PBA Philippine Cup: Barako Bull edges Air21 behind ‘main man’

Image Source: Wikipedia
Source: Mark Giongco; Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—Barako Bull lost Willie Miller in the offseason and for head coach Junel Baculi, Ronald Tubid will have to fill the void.

Tubid responded with a game-high 19 points to lead the Energy Cola to a 90-87 squeaker over the Air21 Express Wednesday in the 38th PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

“Sean (Anthony) had his moments but the main man right now is Ronald Tubid,” said Baculi.

Fajardo, Tiu make PBA debuts today

Image Source: Wikipedia
Article Source: Musong R Castillo; Philippine Daily Inquirer
The top overall pick in the last Draft seen by many as a game-changer in the PBA gets his first taste of pro action today when rock-solid Petron Blaze battles Rain or Shine in the Philippine Cup eliminations at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

June Mar Fajardo, an agile, 6-foot-10 center with a feathery touch, and the rest of the Boosters take the Big Dome floor in the 7:30 p.m. contest against the Elasto Painters. 

Fajardo adds ceiling and muscle to an already formidable Petron roster, which has been prepared hard in the off-season by former national team coach Rajko Toroman.

Dream shelved, Aguilar now eyeing NBA D-League stint with Bakersfield

Source: June Navarro; Philippine Daily Inquirer
With his NBA dream shelved, Japeth Aguilar could find solace in the NBA D-League.

The 6-foot-9 Filipino could earn a spot in the Bakersfield Jam roster after an impressive workout with Jam assistant general manager Brian Levy in Los Angeles last week. 

According to Hoopshype.com, Aguilar earned positive reviews from Levy, who was fascinated with the former Western Kentucky Hilltopper’s jumping ability and explosiveness around the rim.

“He’s an explosive leaper that runs the floor well and has good instincts when crashing the offensive glass. He can shoot just well enough from the three and that must be respected,” said Levy, who also functions as the team’s director of player personnel. “He has the tools to contribute to a team this year if he finds the right situation.” 

Altas need win vs Stags to enhance semis bid

Source: Joey Villar; Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Perpetual Help faces an uphill battle as it seeks to remain in the Final Four race against San Sebastian in a make-or-break bid on Thursday at The Arena in San Juan.

Tied with Jose Rizal U at fourth spot with 10-7 slates, the Altas battle the San Sebastian Stags (11-5) at the close of their double-round robin elims campaign, needing no less than a victory for at least a playoff for the fourth and last semis berth.

The Bombers are also in a must-win situation but unlike the Altas, the Mandaluyong-based squad will have a rather lighter assignment in the ousted Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals (7-10), also on Thursday.

UST's Abdul spared suspension

Source:  Olmin Leyba; Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - The University of the Santo Tomas Tigers will field a full roster when they start their showdown with five-peat-seeking Ateneo Blue Eagles for the UAAP Season 75 men’s basketball crown on Saturday as star center Karim Abdul escaped suspension despite incurring a second unsportsmanlike foul in the previous game.

“Hindi suspended si Abdul (Abdul is not suspended),” commissioner Ato Badolato told The STAR yesterday.

There were concerns that the 6-6 Abdul will have to sit out the finals opener after getting slapped with an unsportsmanlike foul (UF) for nudging an airborne Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. during the Final Four. It was Abdul’s second UF this season after getting one for hitting University of the East’s JR Sumido in an earlier eliminations assignment.

Tigers' stint vs Eagles still hangs in balance

Source: Olmin Leyba; The Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines -  The status of University of Santo Tomas’ Cameroonian center Karim Abdul for Game 1 of the UAAP Season 75 men’s basketball finals against Ateneo is still hanging in the air as the league weighs whether his unsportsmanlike foul in the Tigers’ 63-57 win over the National U Bulldogs, his second for the season, merits sanction.

“No decision yet,” UAAP commissioner Ato Badolato said yesterday afternoon in reply to The STAR’s query on Abdul’s case.

League rules call for a one-game ban if a player accumulates two unsportsmanlike fouls that could be classified as “intended to hurt.”

Jose Rizal, Perpetual brace for crucial matches

Source: The Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines -  Jose Rizal University and Perpetual Help gear up for a pair of crucial matches on Thursday when they close out their respective elims campaigns in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, both needing victories to assure themselves of at least a playoff for the last Final Four berth.

Between the two, however, the Heavy Bombers seem to have the inside track for the last semis seat as they will take on the ousted Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals (7-10). In contrast, the Altas will have a tougher opponent in the San Sebastian College side still in chase for one more win to nail the No. 2 spot and the other twice-to-beat advantage in the next round.

Down-the-wire NCAA Final Four race looms

Source: Cedelf P Tupas; Philippine Daily Inquirer
Four teams brace for a down-the-wire finish in the second round of the 88th NCAA basketball tournament as they contest the three remaining Final Four berths.

With the elimination round down to its final week, the postseason picture remains muddled as only San Beda has gained a spot in the semifinals with San Sebastian, Letran, Perpetual Help and Jose Rizal U all in contention for the three slots. 

The Stags, Knights, Altas and Bombers could end up in a quadruple tie at second, which could mean an extended season for the league.

Gins give Batang Pier rude welcome

Source: Musong Castillo; Philippine Daily Inquier
Frolicking in a free-flowing game in front of the PBA’s biggest season-opening crowd, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel got off to a dream Philippine Cup start last night after posting a thorough 110-90 destruction of Global Port at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Six players scored in twin digits and LA Tenorio showed his true worth in his first game as a Gin King as Ginebra finished off the newcomer Batang Pier with a flurry. 

“We got over opening day jitters, the distractions,” Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen said. “It is good to start this way.”

PBA Opening Day Official Lineups

Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/pba-opening-day-official-lineups
Image Source: http://www.pba.ph

Here's the official list of Team and Players lineups for the opening day of 38th season of PBA on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum

FIBA Asia delay leaves Philippines without a team for Champions’ Cup

Image and Article Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/fiba-asia-delay-leaves-philippines-without-a-team-for-champions-cup

The Philippines won’t be sending a team to the FIBA Asia Champions’ Cup, the governing body’s top club competition slated on October 13 to 21 in Beirut, Lebanon.

But the reason for the lack of participation is not a boycott, but rather, a problem with communication involving FIBA Asia secretary-general Hagop Khajirian.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Sonny Barrios had earlier sought clarification with Khajirian about which team had the right to represent the country in the club competition, but received a reply when it was already too late to form a team.

Forrester leads Arellano past Lyceum

Article and Image from Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/forrester-leads-arellano-past-lyceum

Playing in a game with little at stake as both teams had already been eliminated from the final four race, Arellano University coach Koy Banal took a page out of the playbook of Tim Cone, for whom Banal serves as an assistant coach with the San Miguel Coffee Mixers in the PBA.

“Coach Tim Cone always reminds our team in the PBA that they should always play the same,” said Banal, who is in his first year as coach of the Chiefs. “Regardless of the scenario, whether you’re already out of the running or not, play the same as if you’re playing for the championship.”

Bombers rip Stags, stay in Final 4 race

Source: Joey Villar, Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Jose Rizal fed on an explosive first half offensive and bucked repeated rallies by San Sebastian for an 82-74 victory that kept the Bombers Final Four hopes afloat in the 88th NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City yesterday.

Byron Villarias unleashed a game-high 28 points he spiked with a season-high tying eight triples as the Bombers snared their 10th win against seven losses to move just half-a-game behind joint third running Perpetual Help Altas and Letran Knights (10-6).

Archers oust Tams, book semis ticket

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer

 
La Salle clawed back from 10 points down in the last six minutes then survived Far Eastern University’s last-gasp rally to hack out a 69-66 decision and clinch the last UAAP Final Four berth in the men’s basketball playoffs yesterday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Norbert Torres fueled the Green Archers’ stunning comeback, burying 11 of his 21 points in the final quarter of the knockout game that the Tamaraws controlled virtually most of the way.