PHILSTAR: The race for next world champ

SPORTING CHANCE
By Joaquin Henson │The Philippine Star

Newly crowned IBF lightflyweight champion Johnriel Casimero of Ormoc City is the latest Filipino fighter to join Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire, Brian Viloria, Donnie Nietes and Ana Julaton as world titlists. There are at least 13 Filipino contenders in line for cracks at the throne this year and it’s a mad race to the top. First in the queue is Sonny Boy Jaro who takes on WBC flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand in Chaburi on March 2. Jaro, 29, is up against an experienced veteran with a record of 83-3-2, including 44 KOs. Pongsaklek, 34, is on his second reign as WBC titleholder. Jaro was previously thwarted in two attempts to win a world title by Edgar Sosa and Giovani Segura so a third strike may mean it’s over and out. Like the Thai, Jaro is an “oldtimer” with a record of 33-10-5, with 23 KOs, but it’s his first try to capture a flyweight crown. A few weeks ago, Jaro looked scary in mowing down Samuel Apuya in a single round in Caloocan. He’s ready for the biggest challenge of his career. If Pongsaklek isn’t careful, he might be steamrolled by the rugged Jaro.

Next is former WBC lightflyweight champion Rodel Mayol who’s gunning for his second title in as many divisions. Mayol, 30, battles WBA flyweight king Hernan (Tyson) Marquez whose only career loses were to Filipinos Nonito Donaire (KO8) and Richie Mepranum (W10), both inflicted in 2010. Mayol takes on Marquez in Mexico on March 24. Mayol is unbeaten in his last four outings since losing the WBC 108-pound title to Omar Niño Romero on a unanimous decision two years ago. Mayol was deducted two points in the loss to Romero but even without the twin penalties, he would’ve lost the decision anyway as the judges showed margins of three, four and eight points. Marquez, 23, has a 32-2 record, with 25 KOs, compared to Mayol’s 30-5-2, with 22 KOs. Marquez has won his last five bouts, all inside the distance, with Filipino Edrin Dapudong one of the victims.

WBC No. 1 superflyweight Silvester Lopez has an appointment with Japanese Yuki Fujimoto in Laoag on Feb. 25 and is expected to dispose of the visitor easily. Lopez, 24, has been cleared by WBC president Jose Sulaiman as the mandatory challenger of the winner of the title fight between defending champion Suriyan Sor Rungvisai of Thailand and Yota Sato of Japan in Toko on March 27. If Lopez takes care of Fujimoto, it will be his fifth win in a row looking ahead to his title shot.

WBC No. 2 minimumweight Denver Cuello, 25, is nearing a title shot, too. He faces Indonesia’s Kid Suryana in Iloilo on March 10 in a tune-up for his title eliminator against Mexico’s Ganigan Lopez here in late April or early May. Cuello’s manager Aljoe Jaro won the purse bid to stage the eliminator here. Jaro said the eliminator may be a fight for the vacant title as WBC champion Kazuto Ioka of Japan has indicated he will relinquish the throne and move up to superflyweight rather than risk his unblemished record against Cuello.

Others in the list are flyweight Milan Melindo, superflyweight Drian Francisco, bantamweight A. J. Banal, bantamweight Malcolm Tunacao, bantamweight Rolly Lunas, flyweight Rocky Fuentes, flyweight Froilan Saludar, featherweight Lorenzo Villanueva and lightweight Mercito Gesta.

Melindo, 23, has a 26-0 record, with 10 KOs, and is fresh from a seventh round demolition of Mexico’s Juan Esquer. Melindo is ranked No. 1 by the WBO whose champion is Viloria. In fact, Saludar is No. 2 and Fuentes No. 3. Melindo would rather challenge a titlist who isn’t a Filipino so he could try the WBC’s Pongsaklek, the WBAs Marquez or the IBF’s Moruti Mthalane. Pongsaklek and Marquez are tied up with defenses against Filipinos, leaving Donaire victim Mthalane who’ll probably insist on fighting in South Africa where the chances of an invader winning are slim or none.

Francisco, 29, was once the interim WBA superflyweight titleholder. He lost the crown to Thailand’s Tepparith Singwancha who’s now the regular champion. The loss to Tepparith remains the only stain in Francisco’s record. Tepparith is due to stake the title against Tomonobu Shimizu in Yokohama on April 4. If the Thai retains, he might be persuaded to face Francisco in a rematch. Since losing to Tepparith, Francisco has beaten highly regarded Michael Domingo on points. Francisco’s record is 21-1-1, with 16 KOs.

Banal, 23, has rebounded from his shock loss to Rafael Concepcion four years ago to win nine in a row, the latest a decision over Mario Briones. Banal’s record is 26-1-1, with 19 KOs. He’s rated No. 1 by the WBO and if bantamweight champion Jorge Arce abdicates to challenge Donaire, the way is clear for a shot at the vacant throne. The No. 2 contender is Pungluang Sor Singyu of Thailand. Banal is also rated No. 3 by the IBF, No. 5 by the WBC and No. 5 by the WBA. More on future Filipino world champions in Sunday’s column.

Import turns zero to hero, lifts TnT

SQUEEZE PLAY: Meralco’s Gabby Espinas tries to

 squeeze himself out TnT’s double-teaming defense

 by Larry Fonacier and import Omar Hassan Samhan

 during their PBA Commissioner’s Cup game at

 the Astrodome. JOEY MENDOZA

-By Nelson Beltran (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Talk n Text import Omar Hassan Samhan started with a 0-of-9 shooting before getting his game going and leading the Tropang Texters to a 102-96 overtime win over the Meralco Bolts in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome last night.

Samhan shook off his sluggish start and came through with 24 points, 20 rebounds, four blocks and one assist as the Texters opened their campaign for a second title-retention bid in the season on a winning note.

The 6-11 TnT reinforcement stepped up in the crunch, putting in eight points in the fourth quarter and six in overtime as the Texters kept their clean slate (5-0) in their head-to-head battles with the Bolts.

Meralco slid to 1-2 in the mid-season tourney.

“What he (Samhan) showed was not pleasing in the eyes. But he ended up with 24 points and 20 rebounds, and that’s not a bad production,” said Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes.

“He’s not athletic, he’s not flashy, but he’s effective and he has a high basketball IQ that’s why his teammates like playing with him. But the jury is still out on him,” Reyes also said.

The Texters struggled to get the win, but Reyes said he really didn’t expect much, considering their short preparation coming from their Philippine Cup title conquest.

Jimmy Alapag, Jayson Castro, Kelly Williams, Jarred Dillinger and Larry Fonacier delivered double-digit outputs as they cancelled out the huge numbers put up by Jarrid Famous, Mark Cardona and Chris Ross for Meralco.

Famous led all scorers with 28 points, Cardona added 25 points while Ross had another solid all-around game with 19 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and five steals.

Ross furiously attacked Castro’s defense and scored on a turnaround shot to force the extension play at 92-all.

The Texters still had a chance to win the game in regulation but Ranidel de Ocampo failed to convert a running shot at the buzzer.

Castro later got back at Ross, draining a three-pointer that pushed the Texters ahead to stay at 99-96.

Meralco had its last taste of the lead at 96-94 on a perimeter jumper by Ross with 2:15 left to play. The Bolts never scored again the rest of the way.

Missing all his first nine attempts, Samhan finally nailed a basket on a jumper with already over 20 minutes into the game. He buried two more baskets before the half ended at 45-42 in favor of the Texters.

The Texters banked on their deep lineup to keep up with the Bolts even with Samhan groping for form early on.

Philippine Cup losing finalist Powerade likewise got off to a triumphant start, fighting back from a 17-point deficit and nipping Rain or Shine, 122-120, in the nightcap.

Dwayne Jones poured in 32 points, Gary David drained 32, including the game-winning triple, while Jvee Casio added 14 points and 13 assists, leading the Tigers to the stirring win.

“He’s like that even in practice. The important thing is his defensive presence. He clogged the middle for us,” said Reyes.

Talk n Text also hardly missed the absence of Ryan Reyes who’s nursing a torn muscle on his left leg.

Chris Tiu recalls encounter with Jeremy Lin

Chris Tiu was a former team captain
 of the Ateneo Blue Eagles UAAP
 (University Athletic Association of
 the Philippines) men’s basketball team

-By Julien Merced C. Matabuena (Manila Bulletin)

MANILA, Philippines – About two or three years ago, athlete-TV host Chris Tiu had the opportunity to play in a pick-up game against Jeremy Lin, the NBA’s latest breakout star.

“We were in Las Vegas with Smart-Gilas [the Philippines’ national men’s basketball team]. We were training in a camp there and at the same time, at the same venue, nandu’n din sila nagpa-practice...

“I think at the time, they were about to join the NBA draft. So they were preparing for the NBA draft, ‘yung mga prospective rookies nagte-training din do’n,” Tiu related in a taped interview aired on “24 Oras” on Feb. 15.

He admitted that he wasn’t able to see “anything super spectacular” from Lin then, but added that his injury may have had affected his performance.

Lin is the first American of Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA. Previously “overlooked” and "undervalued," he had been making waves in the professional US basketball league scene over the last few weeks for guiding the New York Knicks to their now seven-game winning streak. Lin joined the team on December last year and made his winning first game only on Feb. 4 against the New Jersey Nets.

Tiu expresses his admiration for the Harvard-educated player.

“Jeremy, of course he can score. But ‘yung talagang kakaiba sa kanya is his ability to create [opportunities] for his team mates. Ang galing niya pumasa, fast break, or ‘pag dum-rive siya.

“Oo magaling siya mag-assist, and para sa ‘kin ‘yun talaga ‘yung hinahanap ko sa mga players,” Tiu shared.

He added, “’Yung kanyang faith in God, I think it’s something that… I mean, that was one of the main reasons why he was able to succeed despite everything he went through.”

M&M means business

SPORTING CHANCE 
By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star)

They’re the Johnnys-come-lately in the business of managing athletes but Matthew Manotoc and Marvin Espiritu believe they’ve got what it takes to make a dent in the competitive field of sports agency.

For M&M, it’s all about being professional in their work and sincerely caring about the athletes they represent. Not that other sports agents aren’t professional or indifferent. Espiritu’s father Danny is considered the pioneer in the industry with a slew of marquee players under his wing, like Arwind Santos, Gary David, Jayson Castro, Mark Caguioa, Mac-Mac Cardona, Alex Cabagnot and Cyrus Baguio. Charlie Dy takes care of Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams and Ranidel de Ocampo, among others. Loy Allado, Ed Ponceja, Sheryl Reyes, Chris Tan, Lawrence Chongson and Mark Chan are also agents with big-name clients. What M&M tries to provide is a comprehensive approach leading to a secure future. “How to convince a player to join us is the first step,” said Manotoc, a 23-year-old former golf prodigy whose father Tommy was once a PBA deputy commissioner and mother Imee Marcos is Ilocos Norte governor. “We’re a full-service basketball agency where each of our athletes receives special attention in endorsements, financial planning, sports psychology, PR and marketing plans and off-season training. We want to set a standard of excellence and professionalism to become the country’s premier sports agency. The key is to build trust between athlete and agent. Because of my Western orientation, I feel I have a distinct advantage in dealing with Fil-Ams. On the other hand, Marvin has a distinct advantage with the locals because of his father’s extensive network and his familiarity with Philippine conditions. It’s the best of both worlds. We want our athletes to be our close friends. We play pick-up games with them and just like them, we live and breathe sports.”

In return, M&M is paid five percent of the value of a contract it negotiates for an athlete. For endorsements, the fee is between 20 to 30 percent. Is the five percent commission paid up front regardless of the term of the contract? Espiritu said the timing of the payment of fees is negotiable and depends on many factors, including preserving the viability of the sports agency.

“We approach every athlete professionally but with a personal touch,” said Manotoc. “We want to maximize an athlete’s earning potential in his sports career. Our dream is to bring back the glory days of PBA players as mainstream celebrities like when Sen. (Robert) Jaworski, Jerry Codiñera and Alvin Patrimonio were household names, even getting offers for movies and TV shows.” Manotoc blamed the Fil-Shams for diminishing the PBA’s popularity. “The fans turned to other sports leagues like the UAAP,” he said. “Ad agencies seemed to prefer putting spots in the UAAP than the PBA. We hope to change that attitude. The PBA is clearly back on track and fans are filling up the stadium again. We’re talking to ad agencies and explaining what players like Arwind and Alex can do as endorsers. We don’t want to transform athletes into artistas but we feel they’ve got earning potential as celebrities in their own right.”

M&M recently signed a contract with Viva Entertainment to enhance the image of athletes in the media landscape. “We want our clients to be seen as celebrities similar to Kobe Bryant and LeBron James with the ability to endorse mainstream product,” said Espiritu who linked his father’s client The Spiderman to Viva. “My father has given us a free hand to look for commercial opportunities for his athletes. We can package athletes together and use different marketing angles to guarantee maximum positive mileage.”

For starters, M&M picked Cabagnot, Santos, Japeth Aguilar, Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter, Caguioa, Castro, David, Cardona, Baguio, Julius Pasculado, Bobby Ray Parks, Yousef Taha and Jason Deutchman as the iconic candidates for commercial opportunities.

“The advantages of a celebrity athlete endorser are many,” noted Manotoc. “He can enhance brand equity, contribute, freshen and add a new dimension to a brand, build brand credibility, enhance message recall, influence the consumer’s purchase intention, increase media coverage, breathe new life into a brand, build consumer trust, target the health-conscious and active lifestyle consumers and deliver mass appeal.”

Both Manotoc and Espiritu are well-schooled for the job. Manotoc finished at Clarement McKenna College, an exclusive liberal arts private institution in Los Angeles and has been involved in investments for years. Espiritu attended the College of St. Benilde and is a successful entrepreneur with business interests in ice, wines and liquor. They’re engaged in sports agency on a full-time basis because it’s a commitment to their clients.

Postscript. Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau has edged out Miami’s Erik Spoelstra for the job to call the shots for the East in the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 26 in Orlando. The Bulls are 24-7 and Miami, 23-7 at the cut-off to determine the conference leader. Despite playing without reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose, the Bulls beat Sacramento, 121-115, yesterday to clinch it for Thibodeau even as the Heat downed Indiana, 105-90, on the road. If Chicago lost to the Kings, Spoelstra would be going to Orlando instead. Chicago displayed depth as six players scored in twin digits, including Kyle Korver who drained 4-of-5 treys … Barangay Ginebra consultant Alfrancis Chua’s father David Sr. passed away in San Francisco recently. Condolences to the Chua family … Harvard economics graduate Jeremy Lin sizzled with 27 points and 11 assists to lead New York over Toronto, 90-87, yesterday for the Knicks’ sixth win in a row. New York came back from 17 down and Lin shot the Knicks’ last six points, including the clinching triple with 0.5 of a second left. Amare Stoudemire was back from a week’s leave to mourn his brother’s death and hit 21 points in 33:36 minutes. Lin played 43:10 minutes and buried 2-of-2 triples. A sore point was his eight turnovers but who cares? The Dragon is breathing fire and the Knicks are suddenly the toast of the league.

Azkals: Challenge Cup semis may surpass Suzuki Cup feat

-By Roy Moore (AMD, GMA News)

The 2012 Challenge Cup is possibly the hardest test for the Azkals since their upset of Vietnam in the Suzuki Cup last December 2010.

The Philippines are grouped with the three past winners of the competition: India, Tajikistan and North Korea. They are regarded as the three best teams in the entire competition, including the qualification stages. Here we take a look at how realistic expectations should be ahead of next month’s competition.

North Korea (107) and Tajikistan (140) are ranked above the Philippines (157) in FIFA rankings, while India (158) has comfortably won their last four games and may well challenge for second in the group based on form.

ELO ratings are often more realistic and given that North Korea, Tajikistan and India are ranked at 87, 142 and 146 respectively, the Philippines’ ranking at 178 in the world shows the gulf in development in the regions.

The ELO standings also offer an interesting comparison of the Philippines’ future opponents in the Challenge Cup and their past opponents in the Suzuki Cup: North Korea are 51 places above Vietnam, Singapore are one notch above Tajikistan while India are 37 places above Myanmar.

Similar circumstances

To qualify from the group stage would be a huge achievement. The Philippines are once again clear underdogs, and reaching the semifinals would equal, maybe even surpass, reaching the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup, especially as qualification was much harder.

While North Korea are clear favorites, Tajikistan also beat Myanmar in their last encounter and India is developing quickly and are coming into the tournament on the backend of a run of good form.

The Philippines are facing a big challenge and the rest of the world expects the country to finish bottom of the group. None of the teams are expecting to pick up anything against North Korea and so who qualifies for second will likely be determined by the games between Tajikistan, India and the Philippines.

Asian football landscape

The Asian Football Confederation divides nations in Asia into three classes: developed, developing and emerging. Developed nations are the best football countries in Asia. Developing nations are close behind, and then emerging nations are more like the minnows of Asian football.

It is no surprise that the top teams in Asia dominate the Asian Cup, the premier tournament in Asian football. The Philippines, for example, classified as an emerging nation, were drawn in a group Tuesday with South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Taiwan for the Under-22 version of the Asian Cup.

The Challenge Cup was therefore created to give more experience to the emerging sides, with the Philippines, Palestine and Nepal as the emerging nations that managed to qualify for the final stage of eight teams.

But qualifying alone for the Challenge Cup is already a very successful achievement for the Philippines, who are also the only team in Asia to have gone through the first and second round of qualification to reach the finals. Five non-emerging nations currently compete in the tournament and the only one not to qualify for the final stage was Myanmar, who the Philippines drew 1-1 with in their group and have recently replaced as the sixth seed in South East Asia for Suzuki Cup tournaments.

Targets

With captain Aly Borromeo missing the competition due to a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in his knee, Chieffy Caligdong unsure of fully recovering in time from what is suspected to be a strained lateral ligament and many Filipinos in foreign leagues unavailable due to club commitments, the Azkals squad is slightly depleted.

Manager Dan Palami and Coach Weiss have also noted the lack of preparation time but are still optimistic about the tournament.

Palami has said “Our target is the semifinals and our dream is to become champions.” He added, however, “realistically, in the position that we are right now, we can’t dream too much.”

While reaching the semifinals may be the target, not reaching the semis wouldn’t necessarily be a failure. A failure would be losing heavily in all three matches and to be clearly outclassed. Realistically, the best the Azkals can do now then is to head on to their training camp, prepare as best as possible and fight tooth and nail in Nepal. With a bit of luck, they may be able to cause an upset in Asia.

The Azkals lost their first game of the tour in the Middle East 3-0 against the Uzbekistan Under-23s in Dubai but bounced back in Qatar Monday night, beating club team Al Ahli 3-1.

The Philippines will fly back to Dubai to face the Australia Under-23s on February 16 in preparation for the Challenge Cup starting March 8th.

PHILSTAR: 13 Filipino boxers vie for Olympic berth

-By The Philippine Star
MANILA (Xinhua) – Thirteen Filipino boxers are eyeing for Olympic slots and will be joining Asian men's and women's qualifiers roll off that will start in April, local media reported.

The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) expects at least two more Filipinos to advance from the men's qualifier from April 4 to 13 in Astana, Kazahkstan, and the women' s qualifier from May 9 to 20 in Quinhuangdao, China.

"If more of our boxers will qualify, we will give them the best training," ABAP Executive Director Ed Picson said.

Rey Saludar (flyweight) leads the men's campaign along with Charly Suarez (lightweight), Joejin Ladon and Junel Cantancio ( bantamweight), Orlando Tacu-yan and Dennis Galvan (light welterweight), and Nathaniel Montealto and Wilfredo Lopez ( welterweight).

Kate Aparri, Josie Gabuco and Nesthy Petecio (light flyweight) lead the women's side together with Janice Banares and Rica Aquino (light weight).

So far, only light flyweight Mark Anthony Barriga, who competed in the men's boxing championships in Azerbaijan, has qualified for the 2012 London Games.

PHILSTAR: Toroman faces new challenge

-By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Toroman, 57, returned to Manila from Belgrade last Saturday.  He has agreed on a two-year contract to work as a consultant with Petron, Barangay Ginebra and B-Meg in the PBA and San Miguel Beer in the ABL.

“My priority is the three PBA teams,” said Toroman. “It’s a lot of work.  I will be attending the practice of all the teams and watching all the games in the PBA.  I will serve as an adviser.  I will not sit on the bench during games.  Before, my responsibility was for one team – Smart Gilas.  Now, I will be working with several teams.”

Toroman said he is excited to work closely with Petron coach Ato Agustin, Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen and B-Meg coach Tim Cone.  “Of course, I know all of them but I know Tim more closely than Ato or Siot,” he said.  “I’m excited to work with them.  I’ve spoken with Tim before.  I respect his work and I think he respects mine.”  Toroman will also be a consultant for San Miguel’s ABL squad coached by Bobby Parks.

Toroman said when his Smart Gilas contract expired, his priority was to find a job in the country.  “I love the Philippines,” he said.  “My wife (Tanya) loves the Philippines, too.  Right now, she is attending to obligations in Belgrade and will join me in Manila after a month.  I had an offer in Serbia to coach a club but I wanted to wait for an option in the Philippines.  I spent three wonderful years in the Philippines.  I’m very proud of what we accomplished with Smart Gilas.  I’m very grateful to the Filipino fans who came out to ask me to stay in internet forums, twitter and other message platforms. I think they showed their appreciation for what we achieved.  I don’t even know them but they messaged very nice things about me.”

Toroman said it is gratifying that several of his former Smart Gilas players are major contributors in the PBA today.  “I’m happy that they’re doing well, that they’re improving,” he said.  “Jvee (Casio), Marcio (Lassiter), Chris (Lutz), Dylan (Ababou), Mark (Barroca), Mac (Baracael) and Japeth (Aguilar) are some of our players now in the PBA.  I’m excited to be able to see them play closely again even if my work will be with coaches.”

Toroman said he won’t find it difficult adjusting to PBA rules despite his FIBA background.  “With Smart Gilas, we played in the PBA before so I’m familiar with the rules,” he said.  “There won’t be a problem in understanding the PBA game.  I don’t know if my opinion will be asked on possible player trades. As a consultant, my role is to advise, to share insights and suggest inputs.  Then the coaches will decide what to do when the game begins.”

Toroman said he will do his best in facing up to the new challenge.  “I’m a professional,” he said.  “I received an offer from the San Miguel group.  It was an exciting offer to be involved with the San Miguel teams.  When my Smart Gilas contract expired, I went back to Serbia and waited for 3 1/2 months.  Then, I returned to Manila to gather my belongings.  I’m happy that I can continue to be involved with basketball in the Philippines.  I’ve worked in several countries all over the world and I don’t think there’s any other country where people have a greater love and passion for the game.”

Toroman previously coached in Iran, China, Hungary, Bosnia-Herzogovina, Cyprus, Holland, Belgium, Poland, Greece and Yugoslavia.  He piloted Iran to the FIBA-Asia title in 2007, earning a slot in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the process.  Last year, Toroman took the Philippines to fourth place in the FIBA-Asia Championships, the country’s best finish in 27 years resulting in an eight-rung upgrade in the FIBA rankings to No. 45.  The Philippines’ rise was the third highest behind No. 33 Macedonia with +14 and No. 43 England with +13.  The Olympic host country is ranked only two above the Philippines despite the presence of naturalized player Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls.

Toroman isn’t the only Serbian coach in the country. Zoran Djordjevic, 60, was recently named head coach of the Philippine under-21 and under-23 football teams. Djordjevic previously coached in Sudan, Yemen, Bangladesh and India.

MB: Azkals Win

-By JONAS TERRADO (Manila Bulletin)

Match Thursday (Dubai, UAE )

11:30 p.m. — Philippines vs Australia U-23

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Azkals drew two goals from Phil Younghusband for a 3-1 victory over Qatar first division club Al Ahli in a friendly match held Tuesday at the Al Ahli Stadium in Doha.

Younghusband scored the ninth and 53rd minutes even as Denis Wolf registered his first goal since joining the team last month to bounce back from a 3-0 loss against the Uzbekistan U-23 team in Dubai.

Unlike in their match with the Uzbeks, the Azkals played much organized this time even as the defense held on despite yielding an Ali Solaiman Abshiri goal in the 57th minute.

The first goal of Younghusband came after receiving the ball from teammate and brother James before booting it to the back of the net to the delight of a huge Filipino crowd.

Wolf, a Fil-German who debuted last month in a friendly match with Korean club Icheon Citizens FC, made it 2-0 in the 45th minute when he scored inside the box off a deflection by the Al Ahli defense.

In the second half, Younghusband stretched the Azkals' lead to 3-0 after a goal kick by Roland Muller enabled him to get an easy advantage in the midfield. He then rolled the ball off keeper Hussein Al Hamdi outside of the box.

Will coach Spo make it?

-SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star)-

Who will coach the East in the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 26 in Orlando? Oklahoma City’s Scott Brooks will call the shots for the West as the Thunder is clearly on top of the conference with a 21-6 record but the race in the East is a dogfight.

At the moment, Chicago is slightly ahead of Miami with a 23-7 record in the East. The Heat is 22-7. Both teams play separate opponents this morning (Manila time). The Bulls host the Sacramento Kings while the Heat is on the road against Indiana. If Chicago and Miami win, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau gets the All-Star job only because of a quirk in the shortened season schedule – the Heat plays one game less before the Feb. 15 cut-off to determine conference leaders. Twin wins would improve the Bulls’ record to 24-7 and the Heat’s mark to 23-7. If the teams were tied, Miami would prevail in a tiebreak for beating Chicago, 97-93, last Jan. 29.

If the Bulls lose to the Kings and Miami beats the Pacers, then Heat coach Erik Spoelstra goes to Orlando. That would mean the Bulls falling to 23-8 and Miami improving to 23-7. A Miami loss to Indiana will send Thibodeau instead even if the Bulls bow to Sacramento.

For the record, Chicago is 9-1 at home so far this season and Miami is 10-5 on the road. The Heat kept Spoelstra’s All-Star hopes alive with a 114-96 road victory over Milwaukee yesterday. That was Miami’s third win in a row.

Thibodeau, 54, was with the coaching staff of Boston, Minnesota, San Antonio, Philadelphia, New York, Houston and Seattle before moving to Chicago last season. He was named Coach of the Year for steering the Bulls to a 62-20 record but Chicago lost to Miami, 4-1, in the Eastern Conference playoff finals. Spoelstra was on the opposite bench when the Bulls made their exit.

It’s not certain if reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose will play for Chicago against Sacramento as he is day-to-day with a back muscle ailment. The Kings, however, shouldn’t be much of a problem. They’re 10-17 and in last place in the Pacific Division.

Spoelstra, 41, is on his fourth year with the Heat. Unlike Thibodeau, he has not worked with any other NBA team and started his career at Miami as a video coordinator in 1995. The Heat has progressed with Spoelstra every year under his watch. He took over a 15-67 squad from Pat Riley and turned it into a 43-39 contender as a rookie head coach in 2008-09. Then, Spoelstra improved the slate to 47-35 to 58-24. Last season Spoelstra brought Miami to the NBA finals but the Heat lost to Dallas in six games. The only Heat coach to call the shots in an NBA All-Star Game was Stan Van Gundy in 2005.

Under NBA rules governing the All-Star Game, a player replacement due to injury will be made by Commissioner David Stern but a starter replacement, also due to injury, is up to the coach.

In the fans poll, voted to make up the East first five were LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Rose, Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony. Coaches in the East voted for the reserves – they were not allowed to vote for their own players. The limitation was to vote for two guards, two forwards, a center and two players of any position. Chosen as the East reserves were Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Andre Iguodala, Deron Williams, Roy Hibbert, Chris Bosh and Luol Deng. The All-Star Game first-timers are Deng, Iguodala and Hibbert.

Rose may or may not play, the same with Anthony who has a right groin injury. If both are replaced or even if one of them is, Stern will name the replacement. Waiting in the wings are Brandon Jennings, Amare Stoudemire, Rajan Rondo, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Garnett and Josh Smith. If a starter is replaced, the coach can choose from anyone in the roster to open the game. That means if Spoelstra makes it, he could start with the Heat’s Big Three of James, Wade and Bosh – assuming Rose or Anthony or both won’t play.

In the West, the fans voted Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant and Andrew Bynum to start. Coaches picked Russell Westbrook, Steve Nash, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love, Marc Gasol, Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitzki as reserves. Missing in the cast are Tim Duncan, Monta Ellis, Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap. The All-Star Game first-timers are Bynum, Aldridge and Gasol.

For Filpino fans, the sentimental choice to coach the East is Spoelstra who has been a consistent Manila visitor the last three summers.  Spoelstra, a Fil-Am whose mother Elisa Celino is from San Pablo, is the NBA’s ambassador for its Fit Program. But for Spoelstra to become the first-ever All-Star Game coach with Filipino roots, Chicago must lose to Sacramento and Miami must win its fourth in a row over Indiana on the road today – the odds are against it but nothing is impossible.

PHILSTAR: Enter the Dragon

SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star)

The Year of the Dragon has unveiled a player of Chinese descent to breathe fire into the NBA this season. Jeremy Lin, 23, was born in Los Angeles to Chinese parents with roots to Taipei and now plays for the New York Knicks. Last campaign, Lin averaged 2.6 points in 26 games for the Golden State Warriors and was more of a promotional attraction for the Bay Area’s large Asian community than a serious contributor on the hardcourt. In fact, he was cut by the Warriors and the Houston Rockets before the Knicks gave him a chance. Displaying fiery form, Lin shot 28 against Utah, 23 against Washington and 38 against the Los Angeles Lakers to score the most points by an NBA cager in his first three career starts since 1976-77. His eruption in the Lakers game overshadowed Kobe Bryant’s 34-point explosion.

At the moment, Lin is averaging 11.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 14 outings. He’s shooting .496 from the field, .770 from the line and a dismal .167 from three-point distance. Slowly, the opposition is starting to take notice and clamping down defensively on Lin. What makes Lin special is his ability to create. He makes no-look blind passes to wide open teammates for easy baskets, penetrates with an eye to dish and doesn’t hesitate to take tough shots on strong moves to the hole. His basketball IQ is exemplary. He’s got a point guard mentality with a wing’s shooting ability.

Obviously, Lin is smart. He earned an economics degree at Harvard University which as is the rule among Ivy League schools, doesn’t award athletic scholarships. Lin finished with a grade point average of 3.1. Aside from excelling in the classroom, Lin was outstanding on the court, ending his four-year varsity career as the first Ivy Leaguer to compile at least 1,450 points, 450 rebounds, 400 assists and 200 steals.

In his last three years at Harvard, Lin’s coach was former Duke guard Tommy Amaker who previously called the shots at Seton Hall and Michigan. Amaker is known to Filipino fans as a member of coach Gene Keady’s US collegiate all-star squad that lost to Ron Jacobs’ Philippine team in overtime in the 1985 Jones Cup finals. As a Harvard rookie, Lin averaged 4.8 points and 2.5 rebounds as coach Frank Sullivan took the varsity to a 12-16 record in his 16th year at the helm. Amaker took over the next year and piloted the varsity to an 8-22 mark to 14-14 and finally, to 21-8 in Lin’s senior season. Lin averaged 12.6 points as a sophomore, 17.8 points as a junior and 16.4 points as a senior.

“Jeremy’s a throwback, a complete player with a great deal of energy and competitiveness,” said Amaker quoted by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. “It’s no longer good enough to drive himself. Now, it’s time to bring others along with him.” And that’s his situation in New York. With his numbers, Lin is in a position to make better players out of his teammates. Surely, the Knicks – now on a five-game winning streak but only in third place in the Atlantic Division with a 13-15 record – can only get better when Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire rejoin the club.

Lin won’t ever become a Michael Jordan or even a Kobe. It’s not his style to shine individually. He’ll thrive in pick-and-rolls, dribble-drives and kick-outs. Coach Mike D’Antoni must realize Lin can’t be thrust into a situation where he puts the Knicks on his shoulders. He’s far from being a LeBron James or a Dwyane Wade. But it’s clear that the Warriors and Rockets made a big mistake in letting him go. Lin has a role to play with the Knicks and in the NBA. He brings hope to Asians who dream of someday breaking into the majors. Before Lin, there were only five players of Asian descent to make it to the NBA. Wat Misaka, born in Utah to Japanese parents, played three games for the Knicks in 1947-48. Raymond Townsend of UCLA saw action for the Warriors and Indiana Pacers in 1978-82. His mother Virginia Marella is from Balayan, Batangas. Rex Walters, Corey Gaines and Robert Swift had Japanese lineage.

Among the Ivy Leaguers who saw action in the NBA were Dartmouth’s George Munroe (later chairman of Phelps-Dodge) and Rudy LaRusso, Columbia’s Jim McMillian (with the Los Angeles Lakers) and Jack Molinas and Princeton’s Bill Bradley (later a senator), Geoff Petrie, Brian Taylor and Bud Palmer. An Ivy Leaguer who played in the PBA as an import was Cornell’s Philippine-born Alex Compton, now assistant coach with Powerade.

Who will coach the East in the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 26 in Orlando? The West coach has been determined to be Oklahoma City’s Scott Brooks with the Thunder showing the way in the conference. But in the East, it’s a dogfight between Chicago’s Tom Thibodeau and Miami’s Fil-Am coach Erik Spoelstra. Cut-off date is Feb. 15 so the team that is on top of the East by then will anoint the All-Star coach.

Right now, Chicago is 23-7 with a game against lowly Sacramento left before the cut-off. Miami is 21-7 with games against Milwaukee and Indiana to go. The East squad is made up of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony as starters with Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Andre Igoudala, Deron Williams, Roy Hibbert, Chris Bosh and Luol Deng as reserves. The West is composed of Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant and Andrew Bynum as starters with Russell Westrbook, Steve Nash, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love, Marc Gasol, Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitzki as reserves.

Fans voted the starters. Coaches voted for the reserves in their conference. They weren’t allowed to vote for their own players. The limitation for the reserves was to fill in two guards, two forwards, a center and two others of any position for each team. In the East, Rajan Rondo should’ve been named, maybe instead of Williams. In the West, Monta Ellis deserved a spot.

PHILSTAR: Experts on Pacman-M'weather: Great but too late

THE GAME OF MY LIFE By Bill Velasco (The Philippine Star)
Miguel Cotto is no Manny Pacquiao, and Timothy Bradley is not Floyd Mayweather. Once again, boxing fans are disappointed that the only megabuck fight they’re anticipating isn’t taking place. Now the question is, will it ever happen at all?

The Star contacted various boxing experts in the Philippines and in the US for their opinions on whether or not a Pacquiao-Mayweather match-up would stll happen, and if fans would still appreciate it.

“There is just too much money to be made for this fight not to happen,” declares Atty. Ed Tolentino, ABS-CBN Sports commentator for “Top Rank Boxing”. “We are talking here of enough dollars that would make Bill Gates wet his pants in envy. Both fighters are nearing the end of their careers and for sure both of them are looking for a hell of a retirement gratuity. Long after their careers have ended, people will not be talking about the eight world titles Pacquiao won or how Mayweather won titles from light welterweight to super welterweight, but how they dodged each other.”

Meanwhile, others feel the matter has been talked out too much to make the same impact it would have previously.

“The truth is, a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight isn’t as big as it would have been two years ago because the fight has been overcooked in the eyes of many,” believes Ryan Songalia, a Filipino-American writer for RingTV. “Pacquiao’s stock has dipped since the close Marquez fight and Mayweather himself hasn’t been breaking new ground. The momentum of both men has really been stagnated. Both men have engaged in other bouts that people weren’t exactly clamoring to see them in, and the reason why is because they can still make money without taking the ultimate risk, which is fighting each other.”

Others believe it may be time to move past this blockbuster and look at new talent on the horizon. The shadows that Pacman and Pretty Boy Floyd cast are so large and, as the saying goes, nothing grows in the shade.

“Pacquiao and Mayweather may currently be the top dogs in the game, but it would be unfair for the sport to cast a shadow on the potential great match-ups that can be made,” adds “fight doctor” JV Tuazon, a Filipino-American boxer, boxing writer and physical therapist based in New Jersey. “How can a sport grow if we don’t cultivate new talent and bring them into the public’s eye? If we let this continue, we will need Pacquiao-Mayweather even more because the unrecognizable names will remain in obscurity.”

“I believe it has to happen! Manny and Mayweather will never be able to call themselves the best of their time if they don’t,” affirms Talk N Text center Ali Peek, a devout boxing fan for decades. “There has to be a fight to determine the best! It will haunt them the rest of their careers and even after. When the critics, you and me, the people worldwide that are diehard boxing fans, people in barber shops, particularly in the inner cities of the United States will have continuous arguments and debates. We will all wonder what could have been.”

There are so many side issues and distractions keeping both fighters from signing on the dotted line. There’s the animosity between Mayweather and Arum, his former promoter who is now Pacquiao’s. There’s the greed that causes each camp to ask for the bigger share of the purse. And of course, there’s the fear that each may actually lose the fight.

“Regarding the negotiations, it’s not as clear as black and white as to who is at fault for the fight not happening,” Songalia continues. “I feel that Pacquiao has always wanted the fight, and Mayweather as well. But both men want it on their own terms and neither is willing to back down on principle. The only losers there are the fans.”

Tolentino adds a humorous analogy to how crazy things have gotten.

“Imagine collapsing from hunger amid the abundance of food on the table. The food is on the table but nobody wants to touch it because Pacquiao, Mayweather and Arum all want the biggest slice of the pie!” Tolentino exclaims. “On the other hand, Mayweather’s paranoia – the thought of placing his unbeaten mark at serious risk – will also keep the fight from happening. Mayweather’s demands have ranged from strange to downright ridiculous. Next thing you know, he’ll demand that Pacquiao shave his moustache for the fight to happen – in the belief that it is the source of Pacman’s power.”

And if the fight never happens, it just may be the death of boxing as we know it. The increasing popularity of other contact sports such as mixed martial arts, the lack of commercially viable champions and confusion over boxing organizations has left fans confused and disillusioned. Boxing is taking too many hits and is barely on its feet.

“Honestly, I was a major fight fan in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, but boxing is dead without these two. There are so many belts and so many champions,” says an exasperated Peek. “It’s gotten to the point that no one knows or cares who holds belts! When I was growing up, Tyson had three belts: IBF, WBC, WBA. Now there’s IBO, WBO, I can’t even follow it anymore!”

Then again, there may be other, more diabolical reasons why the fight isn’t pushing through, and they point to Mayweather taking advantage of the march of time and manipulating public opinion against the naturally smaller Filipino champion.

“The only other negotiation I can think of that was this difficult was the one that preceded the Hagler-Leonard fight in 1987,” recalls Songalia. “That is of note because Leonard eventually faced Hagler after seeing signs of slippage in the highly favored Hagler. I think Pacquiao is entering that territory now.”

“I am worried that Pacquiao, whose native tongue is obviously not English, will be vilified in the eyes of Westerners because Mayweather speaks good, albeit not proper, English,” worries Tuazon, who works in the boxing community in the East Coast. “We all know what happened to the late, great Joe Frazier who, although he was a great man and a phenomenal fighter, was vilified in the eyes of the masses due to the oratory prowess of Ali. With Mayweather taking his comments, tweets, video posts etc., to the public, he is attempting to swing the popular vote towards him. History is not necessarily about the truth but who is believed.”

In the end, the consensus is the fight is already too late, but fans would watch it to settle all the issues between the two giants of the ring.

UAAP Volleyball: Lady Tams trounce Lady Warriors, force playoff for No. 4 spot

-By AMD, GMA News
The three-team dilemma plaguing the last Final Four spot had a chance to be dissolved with an FEU loss. The Lady Tams, however, refused to bow out.

Marie Toni Basas scored 15 points on 11 attacks to lead the resilient Lady Tamaraws over the University of the East Lady Warriors, Saturday at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan, in the 74th UAAP women's volleyball tournament.

UE hit the ground running, playing decently at the 13-6 mark until Coach Boy Dalistan opted to send marquee player Sarina Bulan out of the playing court for her iffy play. FEU then took advantage, coupling UE’s mishaps with unanswered points of their own, with Mary Rose Baniel, Rosemarie Vargas and Samantha Dawson all chipping in for the green and gold.

Although UE would hit the double-digit mark with the score at 20-10, FEU kept piling on the lead, with an attack from Eulalio ending the set at 25-14.

The Lady Warriors still could not strike a healthy balance between avoiding errors and answering the Lady Tams’ offense in the second set, as the FEU lead started early at 4-3, after Lady Warrior Leuseht Dawis committed a spiking error.

Although Vargas had trouble containing the power on her spikes, she and her squad continued to bully the Lady Warriors, leading by as much as ten points at 24-14. FEU went up 2-0 after a Vargas spike, 25-18, allowing UE to come close at 9-7, before blowing them away.

With head coach Dalistan furious, the UE Lady Warriors regained their spirits, playing rejuvenated in the last few possessions of the third set. After FEU held the lead for the whole set, the Lady Warriors eventually cut the deficit and evened the game at 21 after a tip by Dawis. Both teams went tooth-and-nail for every possession until UE team captain Dawn Dizon spiked the ball out of the court to give UE breathing room at two points, 24-22.

Dizon, however, redeemed herself by scoring two consecutive points on a spike and a power tip. Basas would fall short on a spiking error, but made a hit just in time to even the game at 25-25. Lady Warrior Shiesa Nebrida exchanged points with Wenneth Eulalio, until a clutch play by Basas and a service error by Lady Warrior Cristel Rosale closed out the set for FEU and the season for UE, 29-27.

After losing center spiker Mayjorie Roxas to an MCL injury last Sunday in a game against the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Spikers, FEU coach Nes Pamilar replaced her with Dawson to help the frontline’s cause.

The Lady Tams now face a clincher against the Adamson Lady Falcons after the San Marcelino-based squad fell to the UST Tigresses in three sets.

Coke to bare what's up tomorrow

SPORTING CHANCE 
Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star)

PBA commissioner Chito Salud and Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines chairman/CEO William Schultz are meeting 2 p.m. tomorrow at the PBA office in Libis to discuss the status of the Tigers franchise in the pro league. Salud deferred action on the proposed trade of Powerade’s Marcio Lassiter to Petron for Rey Guevarra and Noy Baclao until he finds out what’s up with the Coca-Cola franchise, reacting to still unconfirmed media reports that it’s been sold.

A letter signed by Schultz has surfaced in the internet, indicating Coca-Cola wants out of

 the PBA. The Nov. 11, 2011 letter was highlighted “Strictly Privileged and Confidential.” In the letter, Schultz said Coca-Cola was giving San Miguel Corp. 60 days from receipt to exercise right of first refusal on buying back the PBA franchise for a price of P100 Million. The right of first refusal was negotiated in February 2007 with Coca-Cola’s purchase of the franchise from San Miguel. Schultz said if San Miguel doesn’t exercise the right, Coca-Cola would offer the franchise to other parties at the same price.

There are many issues to be clarified by Salud in his meeting with Schultz. First, is the franchise still for sale or has it been sold? The letter was dated Nov. 11, 2011 – way before Powerade mesmerized PBA fans by surviving two do-or-die games to eliminate No. 1 seed B-Meg and later advancing to the Philippine Cup finals. Surely, the Tigers’ performance had a measurable positive effect on Powerade sales – that kind of marketing mileage is worth much more than what you would pay for a slew of advertisements. Second, was the letter actually sent and subsequently received by San Miguel? And if so, what was the cut-off for the 60-day deadline? Third, has Powerade governor and PBA vice chairman J. B. Baylon been relieved of his duties in the PBA Board? Even assuming the right of first refusal was exercised, surely Coca-Cola would still be represented in the Board during the transition period. Fourth, is Coca-Cola aware that it will require a 2/3 confirmation from the Board or seven votes to welcome the new owner assuming the sale? Fifth, if the franchise has been sold, was the Lassiter deal proposed before or after the sale?

PBA operations and technical director Rickie Santos said yesterday a 3/4 vote is required from the Board for a party to enter the league by buying a new franchise. That means eight of 10 votes. A 2/3 vote is required for a party to buy an existing franchise or seven votes. Santos said he checked with PBA lawyer Melvin Mendoza who confirmed that the Board had amended a provision in the Constitution limiting a common owner to two teams.

“In the past, a common owner could own only up to two teams but the provision was amended to allow more than two teams but without voting rights for a team or teams beyond two,” explained Santos. “Later, that, too, was amended to allow voting rights for a team or teams over the limit of two but not on game-related issues, meaning voting rights for only league or policy issues. In this particular issue of sale, all 10 members will be allowed to vote.”

The Board would’ve been convened in a special meeting last Friday but only five members showed up. The meeting was postponed due to lack of quorum. Powerade had sent word the night before that Coca-Cola group director for commercial operations Manny Dizon would attend. But in the morning of the meeting, Dizon phoned to say he would not come.

A governor who couldn’t attend said he had previously asked for a postponement. “We requested for a postponement until Tuesday (Feb. 14) but the Chairman (Mamerto Mondragon) texted to say he would go on with the meeting because anyway, he was assured of a quorum,” he said. “Now, the meeting has been reset to Feb. 20. We had requested if the meeting could be set Feb. 14. We understand the nature of a special meeting but we should’ve at least been given formal notice, not by text, and an agenda. In the interest of fairness, maybe the Chairman should’ve also refrained from issuing statements to media that he found the developments to be disturbing.”

Salud said to this day, there has been no formal communication from Coca-Cola to the PBA regarding an intention to sell its franchise.

“Any kind of transfer of ownership particularly of an existing franchise has to have the approval of 2/3 of our Board before it becomes effective,” said Salud. “No formal communication has been sent by Coca-Cola to my office regarding any intention on their part to sell. It just so happens that in the last two weeks, to the detriment of the league, media reports have been persistently coming out saying that Coca-Cola has already sold its franchise, so in the spirit of transparency, in the spirit of full disclosure and in the spirit of serving our fans interest, I am writing Coca-Cola to seek clarification on these media reports. It is hard to comment on what I consider at the moment, at this time to be mere speculations and reports that may not have any basis. Now after getting official clarification or certification from the party involved, then I can make my own comment.”

Salud said the public interest generated by the reported sale is a positive sign. “The special interest that our fans are taking especially in this reported sale of Powerade, a team that has suddenly catapulted itself to the top and has garnered many many fans during one conference alone is a tell-tale sign that the PBA is on the right track,” he went on. “Time and again, there are always entities that send their inquiries as to how to join the PBA but nothing has really fanned out but it will be welcome because it’s a sign that this league is indeed healthy, that this league is on the right track, that this league is in the consciousness of our fans.”

Salud said his role is to get to the bottom of this issue. “To find out what is the truth,” he said. “And in the spirit of full disclosure and transparency, in the higher interest of our fans, we will find out the truth. Because of these reports on print and on TV and in social networks, I can imagine these (Powerade) players are feeling pins and needles so the more urgent this matter is for Coca-Cola to make a clear and an equivocal statement as to their intention with respect to the franchise and their stay in the PBA before Feb. 20.”

Casimero wins world title, gets beaten up in Argentina

-By Philippine Daily Inquirer

Filipino Johnriel Casimero stopped Argentine Luis Alberto Lazarte in the tenth round to win the vacant IBF light flyweight crown Friday (Saturday in Manila) and spark a ring riot in Mar de Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Promoter Sammy Gello-ani told Rene Bonsubre Jr. of Philboxing that friends of Lazarte, who is a member of the truckers union, initiated the attack on Team Casimero, even before the Filipino’s hands could be raised in victory.

Boxingscene.com reported that an angry horde rushed the ring and mugged not only Casimero and his team, but also IBF officials, journalists and those who played the role of pacifiers. Chairs and bottles also went flying.

According to Gello-Ani, Casimero, who improved to 16-2 with 12 KOs, knocked down Lazarte twice in round nine before finishing Lazarte (49-11-2 18 KOs) off in the tenth.

Gello-Ani said he, Casimero and trainer Cristopher Tepora said they sustained bruises, but are safe and being guarded by the local police.

TEMPO: Pacquiao gets guaranteed $25M purse

-By Nick Giongco

Manila, Philippines – World welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has reportedly been guaranteed a career-high $25 million when he meets undefeated American challenger Tim Bradley on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao’s Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum had told the Bulletin a few days ago that the Filipino will receive “his biggest guaranteed purse” against Bradley although the Top Rank chief declined to say exactly how much.

The last time against Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico, Pacquiao was guaranteed $22 million, plus of course, a share in the pay-per-view sales, gate attendance and international broadcast rights.

With Pacquiao, 33, assured of another record-high in earnings, Bradley, 28, also benefited from the cash windfall as the native of Palm Springs, a desert city in Southern California two hours from Los Angeles, will get $5 million for the opportunity to bang with the world’s best fighter.

Bradley has never earned more than $1 million in his seven-and-a-half professional career.
If the pay-per-view and other money-making schemes do well, Pacquiao stands to receive additional money.

The $25 million paycheck is a far cry from the measly $40,000 that Pacquiao took – then a super-bantamweight (122 lbs) – when he made his US debut in June 2001 as a last-minute substitute also at the MGM Grand.

Pacquiao is a heavy favorite to whip Bradley, who has a 28-0-0 win-loss-draw card with 12 knockouts.
But Bradley is unfazed and is looking forward to the challenge.

“I am definitely shooting for the stars,” Bradley told Leighton Ginn of the Desert Sun newspaper that serves his hometown of Palm Springs.

Bradley’s manager Cameron Dunkin is also excited to see the fight happen.
“I believe in Tim Bradley. I absolutely do,” said Dunkin. Meanwhile, Arum said Pacquiao is arriving in the US way ahead of the three-city press tour that will kick off in Las Vegas on Feb. 21.

“Manny will have his deposition (in relation to the defamation suit against Floyd Mayweather) on the 17th in here Las Vegas and will be attending the Muhammad Ali tribute on the 18th,” said Arum.

After the Las Vegas press conference, the tour will have stops in Los Angeles (Feb. 21) and New York (Feb. 23).

Knicks’ Lin scores 38 points against Lakers

New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin reacts after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

-By Agence France-Presse

NEW YORK – Jeremy Lin passed his biggest test since bursting onto the NBA scene last weekend, scoring a career-high 38 points to lead the Knicks to a victory over Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers.

Lin, the first American of Taiwanese and Chinese heritage to play in the NBA, rewarded the faith of his fans, making 13-of-23 shots from the floor and passing out seven assists in the Knicks’ 92-85 victory over the Lakers.

With the sell-out crowd at Madison Square Garden cheering his every move, Lin lifted the Knicks to their fourth straight victory – the fourth straight game in which he has scored 23 points or more.
He has been a revelation for the Knicks, who picked him up after he was cut by first Golden State and then Houston in December.

Since scoring 25 points off the bench to help the Knicks beat New Jersey last Saturday, Lin has gone from strength to strength.

He delivered 28 points in a win over Utah and 23 in a win at Washington in his first two NBA starts.
On Friday, Lin had a hand in New York’s first 16 points, scoring 10 and handing out three assists.

It hardly seemed to matter that Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, nursing a strained groin, wasn’t in uniform and Amare Stoudemire wasn’t even in the building as he spends time with family after the death of his brother.
Rookie Iman Shumpert scored 12 points off the bench for the Knicks. Tyson Chandler scored nine points with 11 rebounds and keyed the Knicks’ solid defensive showing.

Bryant led the Lakers with 34 points and 10 rebounds. Pau Gasol added 16 points and 10 rebounds, but for fans at the Garden it was all about Lin.

He delighted them with a spin around Derek Fisher en route to a first-half lay-up.
In the fourth quarter he drained a long two-point jump shot over Gasol.

A Lin jump-shot gave New York a 10-point lead later in the fourth, and on the next possession he drained a three-pointer that gave the Knicks an 84-71 lead and sent the crowd wild. -Source Inquirer.net

Azkals take on Uzbeks' Olympic crew

-By Olmin Leyba (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - After three training sessions in their Middle East camp, the Philippine Azkals plunge into action against Uzbekistan’s Olympic team tonight at the Al Nasr Sports Club’s Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.

The Azkals, who are cramming to get into top condition and achieve cohesion for next month’s AFC Challenge Cup in Nepal, will have their hands full against the Uzbeks in their 8 p.m. (12 midnight in Manila) friendly.

The Uzbeks just came off a 2-0 win over an Australian side to lead Group B of the AFC Asian Qualifiers for the London Games with 8 points.
This match will kick off the Azkals’ three-game stint in the Gulf. Phl XI is scheduled to travel to Doha for a duel with Qatari first division club Al Ahli on Monday before returning to the Emirates to meet Australia’s Olyroos on Thursday.

“We are preparing for the AFC Challenge Cup, and are hoping to reach the final and even win the Cup. It is our goal. We are facing strong opponents and I want to take the opportunity to test the team,” said Azkals coach Michael Weiss as quoted by sport360.com.

“We have a month before the Challenge Cup and we need to use the time wisely,” he added.

Expected to lead the Azkals are Phil and James Younghusband, Rob Gier, Ian Araneta, Angel Guirado, Roel Gener, and Misagh Bahadoran, Jason Sabio, and Lexton Moy. Also to be unleashed are new recruits Luis Guirado, Denis Wolf, and Ruben Doctora with youngsters Joshua Beloya, Carli de Murga, Paolo Pascual, and Marwin Angeles.

Co-skipper Chieffy Caligdong, who’s nursing a knee injury, will only be joining light practices and won’t see action in the tuneups.

“It’s sad. It’s my first time to go abroad and not be playing with the Azkals,” Caligdong said in a report on gulfnews.com.

Pangasinan's golf course controversy

The Game Of My Life │ By Bill Velasco (The Philippine Star)

There is an ongoing political controversy regarding an eco-tourism development in Pangasinan. It centers around a golf course and resort area being developed in barangays Sabangan, Estanza, Malimpuec and Capandanan, just a few kilometers outside the provincial capitol of Lingayen. The 300-hectare beachfront property was idle land sitting along Lingayen Gulf across the breadth of the four barangays.
In 1998, Pres. Fidel Ramos issued Presidential Proclamation 1258, ordering the development of the property into an eco-tourism zone. The plan included resorts, an amusement park, an aqua sports center, hotels, bars and restaurants, high-end residences and an 18-hole golf course. After Ramos stepped down, from 1998 to 2007 the project did not progress, and the land sat idle once again. The development was revived when former congressman and police general Amado Espino Jr. was elected governor of Pangasinan. A ground-breaking ceremony was held, with Ramos teeing off at the site where the golf course would start. It would be the first and only first-class facility of its kind in the history of the province, and would hopefully attract first-time foreign investors and tourists.

It is only natural for golf course designers to move hundreds of tons of earth to optimize existing conditions and make them more appealing to golfers. In this case, it was made even more necessary to discover why plants and trees were hardly growing on the large tract of land. Only very small isolated patches of coconut trees and crabgrass dotted the property. It was curious, since the surrounding areas were rich in trees, grasses and plants.

The answer came upon digging for the bunkers and six lagoons which will serve not just as hazards for the golf course, but as catchbasins for the water used on the greens fairways. It was black sand.

“It turned out that the unwanted material found – aside from lahar, which was also found in this area – are deposits of magnetite sand,” Alvin Bigay, one of Pangasinan’s provincial engineers, told The STAR at the site.

Magnetite is a form of magnetized iron oxide, and is the most magnetic naturally occurring mineral on the planet. It is usually found in beach sand, carried there by erosion. Large deposits are common in California and New Zealand, as well as Chile, Uruguay and Australia. It is also called iron sand. Magnetite also has commercial value, selling anywhere from $50 to $170 or higher per metric ton, depending on the composition of the sand. The magnetite found in Pangasinan had to be removed and replaced with varieties of soil to make a suitable environment for grass, plants and trees to grow.

“Since we have no technical expertise in removing that magnetite sand, the recommendation was for us to get the services of a mining firm,” Engr. Bigay explains. “So what happened was, a mining firm volunteered, small-scale mining was effected, then we found out that there was a moratorium on the issuance of environmental clearance certificates.”

This is where the controversy started. The political opposition accused Espino of illegal mining. But the provincial government did stop digging after the moratorium was discovered, and procured the necessary clearances from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to conform with government regulations and proceed with the preliminary development of the property. According to Bigay, the sand removal was classified as ordinary quarrying, and the Pangasinan Provincial Mining and Regulatory Board not only approved the sand removal, but endorsed the project, as well. In the meantime, several local and foreign developers had already been bidding for the project.

Now, the accusation is that the provincial government will make money off the black sand. But there are government regulations on these types of situations, and a portion of whatever revenues may be generated by the sale of the magnetite will go back to the communities it came from. So the issues are not so controversial, after all.

To begin with, the project was a vision of former Pres. Ramos, not initiated by the current provincial administration. Secondly, even now the surrounding properties are already being benefited, since a road network has been added and will be improved upon. Third, property values in the area are sure to go up, as they usually do when golf courses, resorts and other sports facilities are built. For certain, resorts will sprout up around the eco-tourism zone, for those who cannot be accommodated or cannot afford it. Fourth, the project will spur development throughout the province, turning unused land into a destination for foreign and local tourists and businessmen. Considering Pangasinan’s history and its massive size, it is ironic that there are no five-star hotels and upscale resorts in the entire province.

Also, it takes a sportsman to see the value of a catalyst centerpiece sports facility. In the capitol Lingayen, Espino has refurbished resorts, put up a driving range, renovated the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (which he built in 1995) and acquired the rights to host the Palarong Pambansa, for which he is also building a new swimming pool. The governor is also rebuilding the airport in Lingayen to facilitate tourist arrivals. He is using sports to take the province to the next level of development by creating a place to go and an easy way to get there. In the past, people would just cross Pangasinan on their way to Baguio or Ilocos as they would a busy intersection. The difference will be apparent when the eco-tourism development is finished. The golf course is just a part of it, and is being misinterpreted and used as petty political ammunition against him.

Confident Bradley sees holes in Pacquiao’s game

-By ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Undefeated American Timothy Bradley claimed he will be the first boxer to beat 8-division champion Manny Pacquiao in 7 years.

Bradley believes he knows Pacquiao’s weaknesses, especially after seeing the Filipino champion struggle against Juan Manuel Marquez last November.

“I know his weaknesses, his favorite combinations. In my mind, I'm definitely going to win. I'll take it to this guy," Bradley, the reigning WBO junior welterweight champion, said in LA Times.

Bradley has formally agreed to take on Pacquiao on June 9 by signing the contract on Saturday.

The American boxer claimed he has the speed and conditioning to pull off an upset against the fighting congressman from Sarangani province.

"It's harder for Pacquiao to land his shots now, and you even saw that in the Shane Mosley fight. Look, Marquez had Pacquiao's number, and Marquez is 38 and past his prime,” said Bradley.

"I'm younger, stronger and faster than Marquez."

Pacquiao hasn't been defeated since 2005, when he lost by unanimous decision to Erik Morales.

Bradley emerged as one of the possible opponents of Pacquiao after it became clear that the much anticipated fight between the Filipino superstar and Floyd Mayweather Jr. would no longer materialize.

The fight is set to take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight belt at stake.

Bradley, who remains undefeated in 29 fights, is reportedly going to make around US$5 million for the bout.

Adamson to go for UAAP softball championship

-By ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Adamson University Lady Falcons are expected to go for a sweep and the outright championship when it takes on University of the Philippines (UP) in UAAP Season 74 softball on Saturday.

The Lady Falcons, unbeaten in 9 matches, will take on the UP Lady Maroons, who are eager to play the spoiler’s role in the 11:30 a.m. match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The Lady Maroons are running second with a 7-2 record and have the potential to foil the Lady Falcons’ bid.

A title victory by Adamson would underscore its billing as the most dominant UAAP softball team in more than a decade.

Adamson has won 10 titles since the 1997-98 season, with UP bagging 2.

Far Eastern University (FEU) used to lord it over in UAAP softball with 21 titles to its credit.

The other softball matches pit University of the East (UE) against Ateneo at 7:30 a.m. and De La Salle University (DLSU) against University of Santo Tomas (UST) at 9:30 a.m.