NUNS with a strong finish in JHS basketball

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Boys’ Basketball Standings

UE 7-0

FEU-D 6-1

DLSZ 4-3

UST 4-3

NUNS 4-4

Ateneo 4-4

AdU 1-7

UPIS 0-8

Games Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena

10 a.m. – FEU-D vs UST (JHS)

12 p.m.  – UE vs DLSZ (JHS)

4 p.m. – NU vs FEU (Men)

6 p.m. – DLSU vs UST (Men)

NATIONAL University Nazareth School took control in the payoff period to stave off the tough stand of a gritty Adamson University side with a 76-64 victory in the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

The win propelled the Bullpups to their second straight win, opening the second round on a high note, tying Ateneo for fifth with 4-4 slates.

The Blue Eagles defeated the UPIS Fighting Maroons yesterday, 78-60, to open the round.

“Sinasabi ko lang sa kanila na keep your composure. Talagang basketball is a game of runs. Dito lalabas yung character natin, na hindi tayo papadala doon sa run na ginagawa ng kalaban namin. At least kahit papaano, nakuha yung mga bata yung composure na hinahanap namin,” said Bullpups head coach Kevin de Castro. 

The Bullpups did not capitalize on their comfortable 12-point halftime cushion, 44-32, after faltering to the Baby Falcons’ strong 21-11 third quarter performance that saw their lead trimmed to two, 55-53, heading into the payoff period. 

However, the Bullpups waxed hot at the right time, leaning on the heroics of Zui Urea, Nick Pena, and Chester Tulabut for a 9-2 run that sent the Baby Falcons down a nine-point hole, 64-55, with less than six minutes left. 

NUNS countered the late baskets of Khyian Jordan and Vlex Azurias with three straight layups by Tulabut, a reverse layup by Nick Pena, and an inside hit from David Sabareza to regain a 14-point cushion, 74-60, and seal its fourth win with 1:33 left on the clock.

“First back-to-back wins namin this season, ang next game namin ay UE. Gagamitin namin ito as springboard papunta doon sa UE sa next game namin. Actually undefeated, mahirap, pero titignan namin,” De Castro added. 

Nick Pena led NUNS’ well-distributed scoring load with 21 points on 5-of-10 from beyond the arc to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, and one block, while Tulabut chipped in 14 points, five assists, four rebounds, two steals, and a block. 

Urea steered the Bullpups’ offense with 12 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and two steals, while Big Mac Tadeo contributed 12 points and seven rebounds. 

NUNS’ bid for its third straight win faces a daunting task in the form of an undefeated University of the East side next Sunday, Oct. 20, 8 a.m., at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. 

Jordan paced Adamson in the losing effort with 21 points, seven rebounds, five steals, four assists, and a block, while Chrys Gomez struggled from the field with 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting but still contributed four assists and three rebounds. 

Fongtong nearly tallied a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds, while Kiefe Iledan chipped in 10 points, seven assists, and two assists.

Adamson suffered its second straight loss to remain in seventh place in the standings with a 1-7 card.

The Baby Falcons will have a 14-day break before it returns to action against the Blue Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 27, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

The Scores:

NUNS (76) - N. Pena 21, Tulabut 14, Urea 12, Tadeo 12, Y. Pena 8, Sabareza 5, Vitug 4, Khobuntin 0, Toring 0, Maranan 0, Gutierrez 0, Quinto 0.

ADU (64) - Jordan 21, Gomez 13, Fongtong 11, Iledan 10, Azurias 5, Fransman 3, Banate 1, Ondevilla 0, Alcantara 0.

Quarterscores: 18-18, 44-32, 55-53, 76-64

La Salle avenges first round defeat

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Standings

DLSU 7-1

UP 6-1

UE 5-3

UST 4-3

AdU 3-5

NU 2-5

FEU 2-6

Ateneo 1-6

Games Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum

8 a.m. – AdU vs NUNS (JHS)

10 a.m. – NU vs Ateneo (Women)

12 noon – UST vs UP (Women)

4 p.m. – NU vs Ateneo (Men)

6 p.m. – UST vs UP (Men)

De La Salle University accomplished two significant feats with their victory over University of the East, avenging their only first-round loss while also ending the Red Warriors’ five-game winning streak.

The back-to-back title-seeking Green Archers are now the hottest team in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament with their fourth straight win after dismantling the Red Warriors, 77-68, in front of 8,890 fans inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum Saturday night. 

With this win, De La Salle improved to a league-leading 7-1 record, half a game ahead of the idle University of the Philippines.

“The players really fought well. They know the experience of losing to UE. We just rekindled that and reminded them that it will take a lot of effort to really beat this well-coached team. Credit to coach Jack. The guys just didn’t give up and kept on fighting,” said La Salle head coach Topex Robinson. 

With the game tight the entire first half, the Green Archers put some separation with a 12-2 blast to close the third with Kevin Quiambao, JC Macalalag, and Vhoris Marasigan all contributing to enter the payoff period ahead 63-54. 

Courtesy of John Abate, the Red Warriors closed the gap within five with 3:02 left in the game, 65-70, but the reigning MVP took over, scoring or assisting on six of the next seven La Salle points to make it a double-digit advantage again with just 1:21 to go, 77-67. 

“Ang naalala ko po sa last game even before ‘yung UP game, I just remember nasa dugout po kaming lahat and I could hear the roar of the UE crowd going ang ingay talaga sobrang supportive… Mahirap talaga ‘yun kalaban we knew we knew we really need to come out strong,” said Mike Phillips, who came through with a monster double-double of 27 points and 17 rebounds to go with five assists and two blocks. 

Quiambao, despite being under the weather, still delivered with 10 points and six rebounds, while Macalalag also had 10 points. 

Marasigan also flourished with nine points and five rebounds in the triumph while Joshua David was steady with eight points, seven rebounds, and six assists. 

La Salle seeks for five in a row on Wednesday, 6 p.m. against University of Santo Tomas at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

Precious Momowei made 21 points and nine rebounds as UE saw its five-game winning streak come to a screeching halt, falling to 5-3, still at solo third. 

Abate had 11 points and four assists, while Rainer Maga and Gjerard Wilson added nine and eight points, respectively, for the Red Warriors. 

Wello Lingolingo was put in clamps, missing all of his six attempts from the field, finishing with just two points on a pair of free throws. 

UE looks to return to its winning ways on Sunday against Far Eastern University at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. 

The Scores:

DLSU 77 - Phillips 27, Quiambao 10, Macalalag 10, Marasigan 9, David 8, Abadam 6, Ramiro 3, Gollena 2, Gonzales 2, Austria 0, Agunanne 0, Dungo 0. 

UE 68 - Momowei 21, Abate 11, Maga 9, Wilson 8, J. Cruz-Dumont 7, Galang 6, Lingolingo 2, Malaga 2, Fikes 2, Mulingtapang 0, H. Cruz-Dumont 0. 

Quarterscores: 14-14, 36-37, 63-54, 77-68.

Jorick Bautista bails out FEU in OT

c/o UAAP

JORICK Bautista and overtime periods seem to be a perfect match, as Far Eastern University edged out Adamson University, 76-72, in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Bautista, who had 14 points in the fourth frame and extra period in their win against Ateneo de Manila University, sent the game to OT with a top of the key triple before making nine points in the extra five minutes to lead FEU to the victory. 

“What I thought about this morning is we’re really like four and a half months i this journey with me as a head coach and we’re starting to see the light of our offense and some of our schemes. I just feel like they’re getting there and it would just take the older kuyas to hit the big shot for us to get over the hill for the young guys,” said FEU head coach Sean Chambers. 

The Tamaraws, however, needed to survive the late explosion of Mathew Montebon, who nailed three attempts from beyond the arc in the last one minute and 20 seconds of the match. 

With Mo Konateh’s putback off a Rojan Montemayor miss with 30.5 seconds left putting FEU up 72-66, Montebon did not give up, draining a three that made it a one-possession deficit with 22.3 ticks remaining, 69-72. 

Veejay Pre calmly converted his free throws in the ensuing play but Montebon came up with another huge trey, cutting the deficit to 72-74 with 4.5 seconds to go. 

Bautista, though, put the final nail in the coffin with two free throws for the Tamaraws’ 2-6 record, with both wins coming in OT.

“Sa akin masarap sa feeling syempre dati napagdaanan na namin ito which means alam na namin ‘yung gagawin namin. Nag-stick lang kami, naglaro kami para sa isa’t isa,” said the third-year shotmaker out of the FEU-Diliman program who finished with 21 points and six rebounds. 

With Adamson ahead 58-55 after Montebon’s two made free throws with 28.6 seconds left in the fourth period, Alforque was fouled in the next play but missed both of his attempts from the line. Fortunately, Konateh was there to tap it back to Bautista chilling at the top of the key for the shot that tied it at 58 with 14.8 seconds to go. 

Cedrick Manzano missed his chance to win it for the Soaring Falcons in regulation. 

Gambian center Konateh hauled down 26 rebounds, half of the entire output of the Tamaraws, while also scoring 13 points and swatting away four shots. He flirted Ivorian Ange Kouame's 27 rebounds, a league record set while playing for Ateneo on Oct. 20, 2018.

Pre also had 10 points and seven rebounds, while Royce Alforque got nine points, five assists, and three rebounds.

FEU will look to make it back-to-back victories on Oct. 20 when it faces University of the East at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena. 

The Soaring Falcons absorbed their third straight loss to slide down to 3-5, still at solo fifth. 

Leading the way for the losing side was Montebon, who missed his first seven shots, with 16 points, six assists, and four rebounds. 

AJ Fransman contributed 11 points,  Manzano produced 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Jhon Calisay made 10 points as well. Manzano, however, fouled out with 3:50 left in extra period. 

Adamson will look to end its skid next Saturday when it meets De La Salle University also at the UST gym. 

The Scores:

FEU 76 – Bautista 21, Konateh 13, Pre 10, Alforque 9, Pasaol 8, Montemayor 8, Añonuevo 3, Daa 3, Ona 1, Nakai 0, Jones 0.

AdU 72 – Montebon 16, Fransman 11, Manzano 10, Calisay 10, Ojarikre 9, Yerro 4, Erolon 3, Mantua 3, Anabo 3, Alexander 3, Ramos 0, Barasi 0.

Quarterscores: 6-14, 29-25, 44-40, 58-58, 76-72

Lopez delivers triumph for FEU

c/o UAAP

Games today at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum

8 a.m. – AdU vs NUNS (JHS)

10 a.m. – NU vs Ateneo (Women)

12 noon – UST vs UP (Women)

4 p.m. – NU vs Ateneo (Men)

6 p.m. – UST vs UP (Men)

EJ Lopez took matters into her own hands in the fourth period, leading Far Eastern University to a 67-64 stunner over Adamson University in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Saturday. 

Lopez delivered four three-pointers in the payoff period including the go-ahead shot from the top of the key with 1:02 left for a 65-64 Lady Tamaraws lead. 

“Grabe lang po ‘yung kumpyansa na binibigay sa amin ni coach Raiza na kapag open, itira mo nang buong puso, nang walang duda,” said third-year guard Lopez on her outburst of 17 points, including 12 in the fourth frame on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting from deep. 

Victoria Adeshina had a golden chance for the Lady Falcons on a fastbreak with 16 seconds left but she flunked her wide-open layup. 

Shane Salvani added much-needed insurance points for FEU with two made free throws with 11.5 seconds to go while Kim Mazo failed to handle the pass of Elaine Etang in the next possession for Adamson. 

Joann Nagma had a chance to ice the game from the line with 4.1 seconds left but she missed both. She quickly atoned for it though with a steal that gave the Lady Tamaraws a 2-6 record, ending a four-game losing skid. 

“I’m not surprised na ganito ang nilaro namin. I’ve seen them play every day, six times a week, and naniniwala ako na kaya nila. Like I’ve mentioned in the first round, kailangan lang namin mag sabay sabay na merong magandang nilalaro,” said FEU's first-year head coach Raiza Palmera-Dy. 

Yvette Villanueva also shone brightly for the Lady Tamaraws with 13 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks, while Salvani, MJ Manguiat, and Rea Ong all chipped in eight points apiece. 

Adamson dropped to 5-3, still at third but just half a game above fourth-running Ateneo de Manila University at 4-3. 

Elaine Etang paced the Lady Falcons with 16 points, six rebounds, and three steals, while Cheska Apag added 14 points, seven rebounds, and four steals. 

Nigerian center Adeshina was held to seven points and eight rebounds against the all-Filipino crew of Lady Tamaraws, who lost Congolese big Josee Kaputu early in the season due to a torn ACL. 

Both teams will be back next weekend at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila. 

Adamson will play on Oct. 19, 6 p.m.,  against De La Salle University while FEU will be back on Oct. 20, 10 a.m., against University of the East. 

The Scores:

FEU 67 – Lopez 17, Villanueva 13, Salvani 8, Manguiat 8, Ong 8, Dela Torre 5, Nagma 4, Paras 2, Pasilang 2.

AdU 64 – Etang 16, Apag 14, Mazo 9, Padilla 7, Adeshina 7, Meniano 5, E. Alaba 2, Ornopia 2, Agojo 2, A. Alaba 0, Bajo 0, Limbago 0.

Quarterscores: 17-16, 36-33, 47-49, 67-64

Ateneo extends UPIS struggles

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Boys’ Basketball Standings

UE 7-0

FEU-D 6-1

DLSZ 4-3

UST 4-3

Ateneo 4-4

NUNS 3-4

AdU 1-6

UPIS 0-8

Games Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum

8 a.m. – AdU vs NUNS (JHS)

10 a.m. – NU vs Ateneo (Women)

12 noon – UST vs UP (Women)

4 p.m. – NU vs Ateneo (Men)

6 p.m. – UST vs UP (Men)

ZANE Kallos once again showed the way, powering Ateneo de Manila University to a commanding 78-60 victory over neighbor University of the Philippines Integrated School as the second round of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament got underway on Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Kallos, the frontrunner for this year’s Most Valuable Player award in the Junior High School division, delivered an all-around performance, tallying 27 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and one block. 

After another impressive showing, the 6-foot guard credited his teammates and coaches for their support, which played a crucial role in him leading the statistical points race.

“Sobrang grateful po ako dahil sa opportunity na binibigay sa akin ng mga coaches ko at mga teammates ko,” said Kallos, son of former San Sebastian head coach John Kallos. “Lagi po yung teammates ko at mga coaches naka-support sa akin. Tinutulungan nila ako. Tinuturuan nila ako. Lagi po sila nandiyan para sa akin."

The game remained tight until Bruce Tubongbanua tied it at 40-all with 4:05 left in the third quarter. 

Ateneo then unleashed a 21-9 run, capped by Andre Pineda’s three-pointer, to take a 61-49 lead with 6:22 remaining in the fourth. 

Yojan Manguerra later sealed the deal, giving Ateneo its largest lead at 78-60 with just seconds left on the clock.

After ending the first round on a three-game losing streak, the Blue Eagles improved to 4-4 and rose to solo fifth place in the standings. 

Ateneo now hold a half-game lead over National University Nazareth School (3-4), who will play Adamson University on Sunday.

For Ateneo head coach Reggie Aromin, snapping the losing streak was a much-needed relief.

“Relieved, siyempre,” said Aromin. “Kanina, we were still struggling kasi pag natalo ka ng tatlong beses, parang ang hirap i-shake off eh. It’s obvious kasi the boys, bata pa sila. 

“They’re young so kailangan din namin matutunan yung mga ganung bagay—to bounce back and be ready kaagad after every game,” he added.

The Blue Eagles had previously defeated the Fighting Maroons 76-42 in the first round on September 8.

Ateneo’s defense was a key factor in the victory, forcing 16 steals and scoring 30 points off UPIS' turnovers. 

The Blue Eagles also dominated the paint, scoring 44 points compared to UPIS' 14.

Ateneo, currently trailing third-place De La Salle Zobel and fourth-place University of Santo Tomas (both with 4-3 records), will have an extended break before returning to action against Far Eastern University-Diliman on October 23 at 10 a.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

For the Junior Fighting Maroons, Jhustin Hallare led the way with 32 points and 11 rebounds, while John Addatu added 10 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. 

Tubongbanua was limited to five points but grabbed an impressive 15 rebounds.

UPIS—still winless this season with an 0-8 record—will face UST this Saturday at 8 a.m. at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

The Scores:

Ateneo 78 - Kallos 27, Jazul 17, Lacsamana 10, Ngo 9, Juangco 5, Pineda 3, Fernandez 3, Ramos 2, Bernarte 2, Molina 0, Ylen 0, Meresen 0, Valte 0, Divinagracia 0, Dela Rosa 0, Hwang 0.

UPIS 60 - Hallare 32, Addatu 10, Tubongbanua 5, Rosete 5, Cobico 5, Poquiz 3, Gepitan 0, Lugatiman 0, Labao 0, Repane 0, Manguerra 0, Baldovino 0.

Quarterscores: 20-13, 34-30, 53-46, 78-60.

Dortmund marks a decade of Asian presence

c/o Borussia Dortmund

Earlier this month, German club Borussia Dortmund marked the tenth anniversary of its first international office in Singapore, an expansion that has yielded growth with regards to global outreach and engagement that fostered a deeper connection with its partners across the region.

The office has been able to execute a number of projects that not only helped raise their profile in the region but also assisted in spreading the club's values outside of Germany. Most of these projects are often in collaboration with local counterparts, as well as with Bundesliga International, a subsidiary of the German top flight tasked with connecting football fans worldwide.

One of the key moves Dortmund made is to hire a local to lead the office. Under Dr Sureshwaran Letchmanan, the Singapore office has been able to organize a variety of successful campaigns and partnerships, youth development programs, and fan engagement activations, not just in the island-state, but in fifteen countries in the region as well, including places like Cambodia, Laos, and Mongolia. These include first team tours, legend matches, fan club gatherings and viewing parties.

An example of such a successful activation from the club is its "Virtual Asia Tour" from 2020, where Dortmund became the first international club to pull off an event that did not have physical activity and yet was able to reach many people.

Having collaborations with Bundesliga International allowed for an amplified impact in the region for both parties with multiple high-profile events. The Bundesliga Dream made it possible for local Asian players to aspire for an opportunity to train at top Bundesliga academies, while the Bundesliga Experience aims to engage football fans across the region through a plethora of activations. Various first team Asia Tours allowed such fans to witness what top-flight football in Germany is all about, highlighting the league's competitive spirit.

With all of these in the past decade, Borussia Dortmund also has an eye to expand its footprint in the continent through future initiatives, including the Philippines. In particular, the team is set to hold a football camp later this month in the country.

Managing Director Carsten Cramer shares, "Celebrating a decade of excellence, teamwork, and remarkable achievements, our Asia office in Singapore stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment and global vision. With a presence now in more than 15 countries across Asia Pacific, we have not only expanded our horizons but also created countless wonderful memories and stories along the way. Here’s to the incredible journey we’ve shared and the limitless possibilities that lie ahead."

Dr. Letchmanan adds, "Over the past 10 years, we've had the privilege of witnessing the tremendous growth of BVB’s presence in Asia. The journey has been filled with memorable experiences, from building strong partnerships to engaging with passionate fans across diverse cultures. Our success in the region is a testament to the dedication of our local teams and the deep connection we share with our supporters. As we look to the future, we are excited to continue pushing boundaries, fostering new relationships, and bringing the spirit of BVB to even more communities throughout Asia."

91 teams see action in Bacolod beach volley tilt

Gen Eslapor and Sophia Pagara 

The University of St. La Salle Sandbox in Bacolod is set to host a bumper field of teams for the second edition of the Mayor Albee Benitez Beach Volleyball Tournament.

Organized by the Volleyball Association of Negros Island, over ninety squads are set to participate in the competition, which will feature men's and women's divisions in both the under-17 and the open categories. The U-17 will take place this weekend, with the open category to take place during October 18-24.

PNVF director Carmela Arcolas-Gamboa says about the competition, "It will be nine days of exciting beach volleyball action. And we expect this tournament to further propagate volleyball in line with our program and vision in the PNVF."

The inaugural edition last year featured Ran Abdilla and Alexander Cabatuan of Verayo's Grill as its men's open champions, while Gen Eslapor and Sophia Pagara of the University of Santo Tomas claimed the women's open title.

Aside from UST, fellow collegiate teams Ateneo, Far Eastern University, La Salle, National University, and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta are set to participate, while leading the cast of local sides are Colegio de Santa Ana de Victorias, as well as the hosts, USLS.

Winning this competition this year will net PhP 10,000, while PhP 7,000 awaits for the runner-up. Third place nets PhP 4,000 and PhP 2,000 for the other semifinalist.