12th NBTC National Finals set this March

Last year's NBTC participants at the Mall of Asia Arena court

The closest thing to determining the best secondary school unit in the country is once again set to take place.

Now on its twelfth edition, the Chooks-to-Go NBTC National Finals presented by SM will take place this coming March 18-24 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

To determine the field of participants in the National Finals, mini-tournaments have been conducted in 105 cities nationwide, an increase from last year's 80. To whittle the field further, regional tournaments are also taking place, with sixteen champions set to join ten NCR teams, including defending champion and freshly-minted UAAP Season 81 winners Nazareth School of National University.

As has been the norm for the past few years, overseas-based Filipinos have been invited to participate, with the notable case being top US NCAA Div I HS prospect Jalen Green making his way here last year. This year's edition sees squads from the United States, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and two from Canada (Toronto and Vancouver) complete the National Finals field.

The NBTC will also be holding other events to supplement the National Finals, including the Coaches Convention and the All-Star Game.

Also supporting the National Finals are Darlington Exped Socks, Purefoods, Freego Jeans, Huawei, Gatorade, Go for Gold, and Epson.

Philam Life 7s Football League Match Day 4 recap

Stallions against Delimondo in MatchDay 4 action at the Philam Life 7s Football League

Football fans in the Metro during the holiday weekend got the chance to check out quality 7-a-side action at the McKinley Hill Football Stadium, whether for the Megaworld 7s Youth League or for the Philam Life 7s Football League, both of which held their MatchDay 4 matches on Sunday.

In the Philam Life 7s Football League, Super Eagles continue to impress, delivering an 8-0 shellacking of H&J All-Stars. Ebi Cleopas and Stanley Eden each nicked a brace, with Uzo Okoli, Charles Ujam, Olisa Anene, and Tony Okoh also netting goals.

Eden shared after the match, "Actually, it’s all about teamwork – one person cannot take all the glory. What was going through my mind was we needed this win, and we needed to go. That was what motivated me during the game."

Super Eagles head coach Danny Kross adds, "The strategy is just the same thing – we take every team seriously. We stick to our gameplan and we have a brand of football that we like to play where we move the ball and we wanted to win convincingly."

Bohemian SC picked up their third win of the season with a 4-2 victory over Tondo FC, with a brace from Kenneth Obananaya complemented by goals from Ismael Qodourra and Farbod Mahmudi.

Tondo got on the scoresheet first, as they tried to impose their physical play against the historic Filipino club side. However, Bohemian SC head coach Mikee Carrion made the necessary adjustments in getting his squad refocused and reoriented back to their gameplan.

Carrion shared post-match, "Tondo FC really gave us a hard time today. They came out really aggressive against us. I had to maintain the focus on the sidelines. It got into a pretty physical game. We’ve got to play a bit smarter, not fall into the provocations, some referees’ mistakes, some of our players complaining too much. You just got to continue playing and just focus on the game. Little by little, I think the team is picking up their game and I think we’re getting better."

Stallion Laguna finally entered the win column with a 4-2 win over Delimondo Laro, with a brace from Reynald Villareal as well as goals from Andoni Reyes and Ruben Doctora.

According to team skipper Doctora, "For us, this is a good start because of how many games we lost three times already. We needed to win this game. In the first half, we weren’t able to warm up because some of the players just arrived. Coming in the second half, we got our second wind already and we played well as a team."

Real Amigos rode on their crisp passing and movement to move back to .500 with a 3-0 victory over Ceres in a matchup that was closer than what the scoreline would indicate.

Standout Lerche Njang explained after the win, "We knew that this was going to be a tough game. We knew that if we put the ball on the ground and start passing from the back, then we can capitalize on it. We have players who can shoot from distance, and we started from the back and take it to the wing, get the ball inside and shoot – that was the strategy. We always mentioned to pass the ball and there’s no need to rush – that was what we did, and we controlled it."

In a matchup of undefeated teams, Ghana FC took advantage of an undermanned Deportivo Matu with a 5-1 win. Goals from Emmanuel Mbata, Sam Bonney, Sam Junior, Solomon Tetteh, and Henoc Dabo helped extend their winning run to four matches.

James Ankrah admitted they changed things up for this matchup, knowing their opposition is missing key guys. "We changed our style of play – we played three back just to hold on first and see what we can do. We tried to rotate the ball around for them to get tired and then we started pushing forward. We always listen to our coach. We stick to our gameplan and it perfectly went well for us. We wanted to win this game at all cost."

Completing the set of matches was a 6-1 win by Futbol Funatics over Superbad FC. It was a fitting birthday present for Abel Gboko, as the FF right winger turned 22 that day.

Bohemian and Kaya FC continue to make strong impressions in the Megaworld 7s Youth League, as they put out quality performances in their respective age groups.

Bohemians SC beat Loyola (9-0) and Futbol Funatics (5-1) in the Under-9 division, while Kaya tallied clean sheet victories with their teams in the Under-11 and Under-15 divisions.

Here are the complete results for Match Day 4:

Megaworld 7s Youth League

U9:

Ceres 2, G8 0
Futbol Funatics (B) 1, Loyola 0
Kaya 3, G8 1
Bohemian 9, Loyola 0
Kaya 2, Sugod Malaya 0
Bohemian 5, Futbol Funatics 1
Sugod Malaya 1, Ceres 0
Futbol Funatics 2, Futbol Funatics (B) 0

U11:

Sugod Malaya 3, G8 0
Loyola 0, Kaya 0
Kaya 2, G8 0
Bohemian 2, Loyola 0
Kaya 2, Socceroo 0
Bohemian 1, Futbol Funatics 0
Sugod Malaya 4, Socceroo 0
Kaya (B) 2, Futbol Funatics 0

U13:

G8 0, Ceres 0
Loyola 3, Futbol Funatics (B) 0
Kaya 4, G8 2
Loyola 0, Bohemian 0
Kaya 7, Socceroo 1
Bohemian 1, Futbol Funatics 0
Socceroo 2, Ceres 1
Futbol Fanatics 0, Futbol Funatics (B) 0

U15:

Sugod Malaya 5, Ceres 0
Kaya (B) 4, Loyola 0
Kaya 2, Sugod Malaya 0
Bohemian 3, Loyola 0
Kaya 4, Bohemian (B) 0
Bohemian 3, Futbol Funatics 1
Ceres 1, Bohemian (B) 1
Kaya (B) 1, Futbol Funatics 0

Philam Life 7s Football League Men

Bohemian SC 4, Tondo FC 2
Stallions Laguna 4, Delimondo Laro 2
Real Amigos 3, Ceres FC 0
Ghana FC 5, Matu Deportivo 1
Super Eagles 8, H&J All-Stars 0
Futbol Funatics 6, Superbad FC 1

Ceres-Negros FC kicks off AFC Cup campaign tonight

Busmen preparing for their first AFC Cup Group Stage match.

Ceres-Negros FC kicks off their AFC Cup campaign tonight against Burmese side Shan United at the Pana-ad Park and Stadium in Bacolod, with kickoff pegged at 730pm.

The game will be shown LIVE on both 5Plus and Fox Sports 2, with streaming access via Fox+ and through ESPN5's online accounts.

The Busmen are very much familiar with Shan United, having beaten them twice almost a year ago in the Group Stage, a 2-0 win at home in Bacolod then followed by a 1-0 win at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon.

Fresh from a 2-1 loss at home to Yangon United in the AFC Champions League playoffs earlier this month, the Negrense side and Philippines Football League champions hope that their camp in Singapore would be able to address some of the issues that sprung up in the loss.

Ceres-Negros FC and Shan United are in Group G alongside Vietnamese Cup champions Becamex Binh Duong and Indonesian Liga 1 powerhouse Persija Jakarta.

Ritu Phogat joins ONE Championship

Ritu Phogat

ONE Championship continues to make aggressive moves in identifying and acquiring the best talent and placing them under their auspices.

The mixed martial arts outfit announced today that it has signed Indian wrestler Ritu Phogat to a multiple-fight deal, as she makes the move from wrestling to MMA.

In making the deal, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong shares, "At ONE Championship, we are constantly on the lookout for the world’s greatest martial arts talents, especially in Asia. Women’s wrestling sensation Ritu Phogat embodies the true values of martial arts and is a great fit for our organization. I would like to personally welcome Ritu to the ONE Championship family. I’m excited to share Ritu’s story with the world and to showcase Indian martial arts at the highest level, on the biggest global stage of martial arts competition in ONE Championship."

Phogat says, "It is both an honor and a privilege to join ONE Championship, the best and biggest martial arts organization in the world. Wrestling will always be my first love, but I feel that it is time to expand my horizons. I am excited to compete against the best mixed martial artists in the world and to bring glory and pride to my home country. I also look to prove that Indian martial arts is truly world-class. Thank you, ONE Championship, for the opportunity to share my talent on the global stage."

The 24-year-old Haryana native is a multiple-time Indian National Wrestling Champion, securing medals in the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championships (Gold), 2017 World Under-23 Wrestling World Championships (Silver), and Asian Wrestling Championships (Bronze). She also finished fifth in the Wrestling World Championships last year.

Wrestling is in her bloodline, with her sisters Geeta, Babita Kumari, and Sangeeta, and her cousin Vinesh. She has been training for over a decade and a half in the sport, under the guidance of her father, Mahavir Singh Phogat.

No details yet as to when she will make her ONE Championship debut.

ONE Championship fighters among PSA honorees

Team Lakay brandishing four ONE Championship titleholders

The Philippine Sportswriters Association is set to fete the best of Philippines sports in the past year at their Annual Awards Night tonight, and among those being celebrated are the recent feats of Filipino fighters in the mixed martial arts realm.

Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, Geje Eustaquio, Joshua Pacio, and Brandon Vera will be receiving citations from the PSA after securing titles in ONE Championship in 2018, winning all twelve matches they participated in.

Folayang shares, "It's an honor, definitely. It's always a blessing to be in this position and be recognized for what we do. We hope that through this, we will continue to inspire others."

The man called "Landslide" reclaimed his ONE Lightweight World Title with a unanimous decision victory over Amir Khan at ONE: Conquest of Champions this past November. It is that same event where Vera successfully defended his ONE Heavyweight World Title in, defeating Mauro Cerilli.

The Silencer became the ONE Bantamweight World Champion after a split decision victory over Bibiano Fernandes last November in a much-anticipated rematch.

Eustaquio kickstarted a strong 2018 for Filipino MMA with a unanimous decision win over Kairat Akhmetov back in January to claim the ONE Flyweight title in ONE: Global Superheroes. He would then face off against rival Adriano Moraes in two title defenses, first defeating the Brazilian via split decision in ONE: Pinnacle of Power back in June before dropping the title last month with a unanimous decision loss at ONE: Hero's Ascent, to complete the first trilogy in ONE Championship's history.

Pacio claimed the ONE Strawweight World Title by defeating Yoshitaka Naito in ONE: Conquest of Heroes back in September, but would then drop the belt in a controversial split decision loss against Yosuke Saruta in ONE: Eternal Glory last month.

Other notable awardees set to be feted at the SMC-PSA Annual Awards Night include current WBO mini-flyweight champion Vic Saludar and trainer Buboy Fernandez.

2018 Asian Games gold medalists Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting), Margielyn Didal (skateboarding), Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan, and Lois Kaye Go (golf) are set to be named as the Athletes of the Year.

Kat Tolentino picked as Player of the Week

Kat Tolentino anchored Ateneo to back-to-back wins this week.

Smarting from an opening weekend loss to defending champions La Salle, Ateneo rode on the powerful shoulders of Kat Tolentino to secure much-needed wins this past week at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

She collected 41 points in wins over the University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University, doing so in such an impressive fashion that the Collegiate Press Corps feted her with the Player of the Week nod, beating out Michelle Cobb, Milena Alessandrini, and Ivy Lacsina for the nod.

Against the Golden Tigresses, Tolentino unloaded for 22 points, including four blocks, to lead the Lady Eagles to a 25-21 25-18 16-25 25-22 victory on Wednesday.

She then contributed 17 spikes and 2 blocks in Ateneo's come-from-behind five-set victory over Far Eastern University, 14-25 19-25 25-21 25-18 15-12, last Sunday. All but two of 19 points came in the final three sets, as the Lady Eagles tried to dig themselves out of the hole they put themselves into.

Even with their defensive shortcomings, the Fil-Canadian spiker shares that it will not stop her from attempting to overcome them with her lethal attacks. She says, "For me I realized that I can't just stand there and tip the ball or hit it light. I have to go all out. I have to spike with power and how I normally do it."

Ateneo can extend their winning run to three matches with a win over the University of the East this Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Bacolod to host Kaya FC in AFC Cup

Kaya FC-Iloilo earlier this month announced that Pana-ad Park and Stadium in the City of Bacolod will be hosting their home matches in the 2019 AFC Cup.

The full statement is as follows:

Kaya FC–Iloilo would like to announce that the venue for our upcoming home games in the 2019 AFC Cup will be held in Panaad Stadium in Bacolod.

The club wanted nothing more than to bring AFC Cup football to the Iloilo Sports Complex (ISC), but despite exhausting all efforts to prepare the venue, ISC remains short of the stadium standards required to host an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) contest. Currently, the only available AFC-approved stadium in the Philippines is Panaad Stadium, and the Negros Occidental government, along with Ceres Negros, have been gracious in welcoming us.

Kaya FC–Iloilo would like to express our gratitude to the Provincial Government of Iloilo for their unwavering support over the first year of our flourishing partnership, and for all the efforts in upgrading the Iloilo Sports Complex. We remain committed to developing football in the region, and we are hopeful that soon we will be able to give Iloilo a firsthand experience of the excitement of hosting AFC matches.

The team still intends to train in Iloilo in the lead up to our AFC Cup games, and the club would like to invite all our supporters to make the short trip with us from Iloilo to Bacolod. Your voice and encouragement would be a massive help in our return to the Asian stage.

Kaya FC's Group Stage matches for the AFC Cup are as follows on the tweet below:

To bring Iloilo to the Asian stage is what we worked so hard for all last season! In two weeks, that dream will become reality 💛🖤#KayaIloilo pic.twitter.com/AtQgtgPNBr

— Kaya Futbol Club (@KayaFC) February 12, 2019

Stay tuned with regards to the televised schedule for these matches.

Isa Molde named as first Player of the Week for UAAP Season 81 volleyball

Your first UAAP Season 81 Player of the Week

Isa Molde was selected by the Collegiate Press Corps as its first Chooks-to-Go Player of the Week for her sterling performance this past weekend.

The fourth-year open hitter contributed 23 points to help the University of the Philippines fend off the University of the East, needing every single one of those to secure the five-set victory over the Lady Warriors. The Season 78 Rookie of the Year also added ten excellent receptions out of 22 attempts.

The Lady Maroons were the darlings of the preseason after securing titles in the PVL Collegiate Conference and the PSL Collegiate Grand Slam. Such a performance will merit additional pressure to UP heading into this season, but Molde insists that such pressure helps her and the team focus on their goals.

Isa shares, "Siyempre, may pressure talaga. Pero, nandoon naman 'yung pressure kasi nakita ng mga tao, ng UP community na kaya namin. Nakakatulong din siya para sa confidence mo."

UP head coach Godfrey Okumu recognizes the need for the Lady Maroons to have balanced production, but acknowledges having someone like Isa during clutch situations is an enjoyable luxury to have. He says, "We have a lot of great players, but someone like Isa helps us get out of tough spots. When we have to go out-of-system, Isa can be relied on to get us points. We'll definitely need more of that type of play to get good results moving forward."

On tap for UP next is a Far Eastern University side that is fresh from dispatching National University that same day as their win. The Lady Tamaraws seek some sort of revenge against the Lady Maroons after their loss in the PVL Collegiate Conference Finals that set the stage for UP this past offseason.

Isa shares about their upcoming matchup against FEU on Wednesday: "Mahirap talaga kalaban 'yung FEU kasi marami din sa kanilang veterans and ready mag-contribute sa team. Kailangan namin talaga maging composed against them and bawasan 'yung mga errors namin."

Philippines reveals squad for AFF U-22

Team Photo alongside PFF executives Marlon Maro and Atty. Ed Gastanes

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) called up 23 players to comprise the squad that will participate in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U-22 Championships, which will take place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia starting this weekend.

The Philippines is scheduled to face Vietnam (February 17 430pm), Thailand (February 19 430pm), and Timor Leste (February 21 730pm) in a span of five days. All matches will take place at the National Stadium in the Khmer capital.

The core of the team comes loaded with collegiate football stints in the UAAP and NCAA, with a few having professional club experience in the Philippines Football League. That extends to their coaching staff, which is headed by Salvador Salvacion and assisted by champion tacticians Anto Gonzales, Popoy Clarino, Niboy Pedimonte, and Ralph Datoy.

To prepare, the squad faced off against local clubs conducting their own preparations for the start of the Philippines Premier League next month.

The AFF U-22 is among the tournaments the PFF is preparing for, in the run-up for potential inclusion onto the upcoming 30th SEA Games, which the Philippines will host this coming November. The squad is part of the pool of candidates for selection and participation in the AFC U23 Qualifiers scheduled next month in Malaysia.

PFF General Secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes sends his best wishes to the team, "We wish the Philippines Men’s Under-22 team the best of luck as they compete in the AFF U22 Championship 2019 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We hope that the players can maximize their full potential during the competition. Joining the tournament is part of the players’ preparations for the upcoming Southeast Asian Games later this year."

The 23-man squad is as follows

Rico Andes (FW, National University)
Alexandre Arcilla (GK, Ateneo de Manila)
Michael Asong (GK, San Beda)
Lawrence Baguio (DF, College of Saint Benilde)
Winces Balbino (DF, Lyceum)
Kenry Balobo (GK, San Beda)
Jeremiah Borlongan (MF, University of the Philippines)
Jose Miguel Clarino (DF, University of the Philippines)
Dylan de Bruycker (MF, Ceres-Negros FC)
Major Dean Ebarle (DF, Kaya FC-Iloilo)
William Jay Grierson (DF, Ateneo de Manila)Jumbel Guinabang (MF, Arellano)
Jordan Jarvis (DF, Eastern Sports Club (Hong Kong)
Earl Laguerta (MF, College of Saint Benilde)
Christian Lapas (MF, University of the Philippines)
Troy Limbo (FW, Sunderland RCA FC)
Vincent Lovitos (MF, College of Saint Benilde)
Kyle Magdato (MF, University of the Philippines)
Banjo Mahinay (DF, Lyceum)
James Mansueto (DF, Lyceum)
Daniel Saavedra (MF, University of the Philippines)
Ray Sanciangco (DF, University of the Philippines)

Mark Winhoffer (MF, Yale)

DELTA turns 40 tomorrow

The De La Salle Tae Kwon Do Association (DELTA) turns 40 tomorrow, and to commemorate the occassion, they will have a reunion at the Henry Sy Hall inside the Taft campus.

Details on the DELTA reunion

The sport of taekwondo was introduced to La Salle students by Grandmaster Hong Sun Chon, and the school has produced some of the best jins to represent the country, including Monsour del Rosario and Stephen Fernandez, who are now La Salle Sports Hall of Famers and successful in their current fields in the House of Representatives and College of Saint Benilde, respectively.

The reunion also acts as a fundraiser for DELTA to help procure Precision Scoring Systems, something they have done for La Salle and CSB and intend to do for La Salle-Greenhills and La Salle-Zobel. The PSS helps the jins improve in their participation in various leagues, from the UAAP/NCAA to the Philippine Taekwondo League.

International Referee Yul Benosa named UAAP Commissioner for Season 81 Volleyball

The UAAP did not look far to find its Commissioner for collegiate volleyball this season.

Hosts National University named Yul Benosa for the post on Thursday, with the league kicking off the tourney this weekend.

He has been the league's chief referee since 2008, and has had managerial experience as the Assistant Tournament Manager for the Palarong Pambansa since 2012. Affiliated with the Philippine Volleyball Federation as a coaching clinician and volleyball event organizer, he also serves as a Senior High School teacher at the Pasay City North High School-Tramo Campus, putting his degree in Education Major in Physical Education, Health, and Music to use.

The native of Sison, Pangasinan has been an international volleyball referee for the past decade, officiating in tournaments like the 2014 Asian Men's Club Championships and the 2016 ASEAN University Games.

A former student-athlete, Benosa helped the University of Santo Tomas capture the UAAP Men's Volleyball crown from 1989-91. He then went on to represent the country in the RP Youth team from 1987 when he was still a high school junior at Pasay City West High School until when he was its captain in 1992, then as part of the Senior Men's National Team both in indoor and in beach in 1993, before entering the realm of coaching and officiating.

It is that vast knowledge and technical expertise Benosa will be bringing to the league for this season.

Philam Life 7s Football League Matchday 2 recap

Ghana FC at Matchday 2 of the Philam Life 7s Football League

This past Sunday saw the Philam Life 7s Football League commence with Matchday 2 action for both its Youth and Senior Divisions at the McKinley-Hill Stadium

The afternoon saw Kaya FC flex its expertise in the age groups through its Academy teams, with stiff competition from Simon Greatwich's G8 squad and the revitalized Bohemians Sporting Club under the leadership of Jason de Jong.

In the Seniors side, Tondo FC defeated H&J All-Stars, 3-1, an impressive performance that Coach Mark Balbin credits the addition from Marikina City.

Balbin says, "Kasi in Tondo, we play the attacking side so more of us specialize in dribbling which makes the defensive side our loophole. The ones na kinuha namin from Marikina, mga defenders, we know yung caliber nila kaya ni-recruit namin sila as part of the team. Yung squad namin is composed of 14 players and sinabi namin is we know those players [H&J All Stars] who are not young, unlike some of our players na mas bata sa kanila who are more technically and physically good."

He also added, "Sinabi ko na lang sa kanila is to pressure kasi may mga subs naman na pwedeng pumalit so all out kapag nasa field, wag magpipigil sa sarili and pagurin yung sarili nila. Kahit yung mga subs ganun din sinabi ko, all out din kapag nasa field. Yung lang ang ginamit namin na tactic against sa kanila. Tactically speaking, sa loob, wala kaming ginagawa masyado kasi alam naman namin na mabibilis kami so all out lang ng all out."

Bohemians Sporting Club fell behind twice against Real Amigos FC before escaping with the 3-2 victory in extra time.

BSC head coach Mikee Carrion shares, "A come from behind win is always difficult. I think we started out a little bit too relaxed, Real Amigos came out with intensity, came out really with high pressure, I think out players were a bit too relaxed but then we got the first goal - unlucky because it was a rebound, they scored one goal, but you know that’s football, breaks of the game. But like you’ve said, we’ve kept our game, we continued to play our game, eventually, we were able to come back and get to 1-1. Then they were able to get to it again at 2-1 and then at the second half, I think we put on much pressure or intensity. We picked it up and we got to get the equalizer. In the last few seconds, they gave up a 6th foul and that’s a penalty so we got to 2-2, then I didn’t know that there was extra time. Anton was saying that there’s still 5 minutes of extra time and then we were able to get that golden goal and the victory."

Defending champions Super Eagles continued their dominance with an 8-0 win over Superbad. After scoring three in the first half, they did not let up by netting an additional five more in the second. Their head coach credited their hard work and determination for their impressive performance, noting their commitment and desire to retain their title.

Taking place at the other side of the field, Delimondo-Laro FC and Ceres FC battled through a nip-and-tuck matchup, with former trailing twice in the second half before completing the come-from-behind 3-2 victory from the spot.

Former United Football League standout Joaco Canas shared after the match, "We pushed a bit more, then they got the lead then we pushed again to pressure them after they got the lead again, we kept on pushing. I think our game tonight was more entertaining in the second half compared to the first one."

Ghana FC managed to dispatch Stallion FC 3-1 in their matchup, as they continue to live up to their statement to give all teams a run for their money after last season's runner-up finish.

Coach Ayi Bimbo says, "It was a very intense game, Stallions is one of the professional teams in the Philippines and they even started training before the season began, they prepared really well. Playing against them, you know, it’s really going to be tough. Our game plan today was to play 3 defenders, 2 midfielders and one attacker, first half, we scored the only one which we tried to hold down to the 1 up until halftime and then we got another goal at the start of the second half, which is really a good goal. Then when we conceded a goal, we started panicking especially when we conceded a penalty, good thing our goalie saved it, and then less than two minutes later, another penalty which our goalie saved again. We have to give all the glory to our goalkeeper for saving those two penalties."

Sam Yakubu adds, "It was so hard, really wasn’t easy. 2 players down and our Coach is out. It’s very frustrating but we came together, we played together as a team and focused at the game, played how it is."

Completing the slate of matches in the Senior Division is Deportivo Matu's 5-0 victory over Futbol Fanatics.

Deportivo coach Chris Johnson says after the win, Great feeling, obviously, especially being here, great people, a lot of people supporting us. It started off really rough. First half, I think we manage to have a lot of composure when Nico [Bolzico] starting, obviously and we managed to keep the ball quite well, we managed to keep them out of our 6 meters because it is the most important thing for us – starting off and then we capitalized it on the second half so we’re quite satisfied with that."

Complete Matchday 2 results below:

Youth Division [U9]:

FFast vs. Loyola (0-1)
BSC vs. FFast (2-0)
G8 vs. FFast (1-1)
Kaya vs. FFast (5-0)
Sugod vs. G8 (0-8)
Kaya vs. Ceres (2-0)
Sugod vs. Loyola (0-0)
BSC vs. Socceroo (0-0)

Youth Division [U13]:

Loyola vs. Super Fanatics (0-1)
BSC vs. Futbol Funatics (3-0)
Kaya vs. Fanatics (5-0)
Socceroo vs. G8 (0-1)
Kaya vs. Ceres (2-0)
Socceroo vs. Loyola (0-0)
G8 vs. Fanatics (1-0)
BSC vs. Ceres (2-0)

Youth Division [U11]:

Loyola vs. FFast (0-1)
BSC vs. Kaya (0-0)
G8 vs. FFast (0-0)
Kaya A vs. Kaya B (2-0)
Socceroo vs. G8 (0-0)
Sugod vs. Kaya (0-1)
Loyola vs. Ceres (2-1)
BSC vs. Sugod (0-1)

Youth division [U15]:

Loyola vs. Futbol Funatics (0-0)
Kaya vs. Futbol Funatics (2-2)
Voltes vs. Futbol Funatics (0-1)
Kaya A vs. Kaya B (1-4)
Sugod vs. BSC (3-0)
Kaya vs. G8 (6-1)
BSC vs. Loyola (0-3)
BSC vs. G8 (2-1)

Seniors Division:

BSC vs. Real Amigos (3-2)
Tondo FC vs. H&J All Stars (3-1)
Delimondo-Laro FC vs. Ceres FC (3-2)
Super Eagles vs. Superbad (8-0)
Ghana FC vs Stallions FC (3-1)
Deportivo Matu vs Futbol Funatics (5-0)

MOB Philippines set for 2019 campaign

The 2019 campaign for MOB Philippines

MOB Philippines , after capping off its 20th anniversary celebrations last year with the Conquer All Roads Challenge now unveils its campaign for 2019: “Race Yourself - Hero Unleashed”

The campaign aims to once again inspire and serve as motivation for cyclists, specifically by telling us to stop comparing ourselves to others, as "the hero we look for is within us all."

According to MOB Philippines Marketing Head Mark Gan, "This campaign will inspire people. We hope that cyclists learn to be confident in themselves more and stop comparing their talents to other people's. The biggest competitor in your life is yourself. 2019 will bring more surprises, more trustworthy products, and bigger and better events for cyclists to enjoy."

Avid fans can also support MOB Philippines' campaign by using its official hashtags on social media: #RaceYourself and #HeroUnleashed.

Aside from the campaign, they also have different activities to commemorate its second decade in the Filipino cycling community, with new product releases and exciting new races for enthusiasts to check out.

One can check out https://www.facebook.com/MOBPhilippines/ for all of these goings on.

UFC finds new hub in FOX+:

UFC 234, folks

For those looking for UFC action in the Philippines, there is a new place to catch such action.

Fox+ is now the new home of the UFC, and the month of February is already set for some fireworks inside the Octagon.

Having just shown Assuncao-Moraes 2 last week, fight fans now await the much-anticipated middleweight title fight between Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum, which serves as the main event for UFC 234 tomorrow.

Fresh from dispatching Michael Bisping and Jacare Souza, Gastelum earned the opportunity to face Whittaker, who is making his first official title defense. We can expect something special from this main event, as three of current undisputed champion's last four fights were bestown the "Fight of the Night" nod.

As for what lies ahead, UFC fans can check out Francis Ngannou vs Cain Velasquez (a.k.a UFC on ESPN 1) on February 18 and Jan Blachowicz vs Thiago Santos (a.k.a UFC Fight Night 145) on February 24.

And the much-anticipated Octagon debut for Ben Askren will take place during UFC 235 on March 2, with the former ONE Championship titleholder faces former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler.

All of these fights, plus plenty more events, movies, and shows will be available for streaming at the FOX+, which you can access from your mobile device, computer, Apple TV, or select Android TVs via either the App Store or Google Play. For more details, one can check out foxplus.com.

Jr. NBA Philippines turns 12, tweaks program

As the world marks a new month, the National Basketball Association unveiled its upcoming Jr. NBA Philippines program for 2019, its twelfth in the country.

The league held a "train-the-trainers" clinic for teachers and coaches to start off the program, which will branch out to youth clinics, coaching workshops, and training camps nationwide in the next few months. It is considered as the league's foray into the grassroots program by teaching fundamentals skills of the game, as well as inculcating core values. The NBA seeks to reach over 51 million youth across 75 countries for this season, through league play, in-school programming, clinics, skills challenges, and other outreach events.

Already confirmean for upcoming regional selection camps are the city of Lucena on March 9-10 and Baguio on March 23-24, while Metro Manila will host its own camp on April 27-28. There will also be a RSC in the Visayas, as well as in Mindanao, but the date and location for each is yet to be confirmed. Outstanding participants from each of the RSCs will be given the chance to participate in the National Training Camp scheduled to take place in Metro Manila on May 17-19, which will feature a NBA player and a WNBA legend as a guest.

The tweak in the program involves the Philippines' involvement in the Jr. NBA Global Championship, which was launched last year. Outstanding NTC participants will have the chance to compete against their counterparts from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam in the first Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia-Pacific Qualifiers this coming June, with ten outstanding boys and ten outstanding girls representing the region in the Jr. NBA Global Championship, which will take place this coming August 6-11 at the ESPN Wild World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Reflecting on the change, NBA Philippines Managing Director Carlo Singson shares, "As we expand the Jr. NBA Philippines program, we are excited to introduce new opportunities for players and coaches to gain an enriching experience playing with and learning from peers of diverse cultural backgrounds." He adds, "Together with longtime partner Alaska, we are committed to growing the Jr. NBA Philippines into an inclusive program that fosters a safe and fun environment for boys and girls to compete, learn the fundamental skills and values of the game, and positively impact the next generation of Filipino athletes."

Aside from the players, the Jr. NBA Philippines program has a program tailored for the coaches, with its Jr. NBA Coach of the Year program. The NTC will host fourteen Jr. NBA coaches, with the men's and women's Coach of the Year joining the Jr. NBA All-Stars at the Asia-Pacific Qualifiers.

The NBA has tied up once again with Alaska for this partnership for the Jr. NBA Program, which the latter views as an opportunity to uphold its mission to provide proper nutrition and encourage a healthy and active lifestyle. Alaska Basketball Powercamp Director Jeff Cariaso says, "Jr. NBA Philippines presented by Alaska continues to be a great platform to reach kids at a young age and inspire them to learn the fundamentals of the game in a fun and engaging way. We look forward to leveraging the excitement of the NBA to inspire basketball participation and utilizing the Jr. NBA Philippines program to promote the importance of active play and proper nutrition among the Filipino youth."

Aside from Alaska, the league has partnered with AXA, Gatorade, Globe, Panasonic, Rexona, and Vivo as its Official Partners, with ABS-CBN Sports' S+A, Basketball TV, and NBA Premium acting as the Official NBA Broadcasters.

For inquiries, one can check out www.jrnba.asia/philippines.