28 Azkals called up for friendlies vs Malaysia & Azerbaijan

The Philippines has called up the following players for the upcoming friendlies against Malaysia on March 1 and Azerbaijan on March 5:

Marwin Angeles (Global FC)
Amani Aguinaldo (Global FC)
Misagh Bahadoran (Global FC)
Nate Burkey (Pachanga Diliman)
Jeff Christiaens (Global FC)
Kenshiro Daniels (Kaya FC)
Jason De Jong (Global FC)
Anton Del Rosario (Kaya FC)
Ruben Doctora (Stallion FC)
Neil Etheridge (Fulham FC)
Rob Gier (Ascot United FC)
Chris Greatwich (Kaya FC)
Simon Greatwich (Loyola Meralco Sparks)
Juani Guirado (CD Burgos)
Mark Hartmann (Global FC)
Andrew Liauw (Kaya FC)
Jerry Lucena (Esbjerg FC)
Paul Mulders (SC Cambuur)
Roland Muller (Servette FC)
Nick O’Donnell (Kaya FC)
Javier Patino (Buriram United)
OJ Porteria (Kaya FC)
Patrick Reichelt (Ceres-La Salle FC)
Ed Sacapano (Army GTI FC)
Stephan Schrock (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Martin Steuble (FC Wil)
James Younghusband (Loyola Meralco Sparks)
Phil Younghusband (Loyola Meralco Sparks)

Sixteen players will be on the rosters for both friendlies. Angeles, Burkey, Simon Greatwich, Liauw, O'Donnell and Sacapano are listed for the Malaysia friendly only, while Etheridge, Lucena, Mulders, Muller, Patino and Schrock are listed for the Azerbaijan friendly only.

UPDATE:

There were some last-minute changes in the call-ups late yesterday:

OUT: Neil Etheridge, Paul Mulders, Ed Sacapano
IN: Patrick Deyto, Simone Rota (both players available for both friendlies)

Paul Lee celebrates his birthday with the game-winner

Tied game. 1.6 seconds. In the era of the 0.4, that is an eternity of basketball remaining. All you need is to find the right play. And Yeng Guiao found that play, with an assist to Paul Lee.



Rain or Shine escape with the win, thanks to the birthday boy. Game 2 is on Sunday afternoon.

Dooley calls up 34 for Azkals Training Camp

Philippine Azkals head coach Thomas Dooley invited 34 players to the training camp that kicked off on Friday afternoon.

The 34 players included familiar names and new faces, which you can check below.

Amani Aguinaldo - Global FC
Ronnie Aguisanda - Green Archers United FC
Marvin Angeles - Global FC
Marwin Angeles - Global FC
Milan Justin Arends - Stallion FC
Misagh Bahadoran - Global FCJerry Barbaso - Global FC
Rudolf Bebanco - Philippine Air Force FC
Nathaniel George Burkey - Pachanga Diliman FC
Emelio Caligdong - Green Archers United FC
Jeffrey Christiaens - Global FC
Kenshiro Daniels - Kaya FC
Jason De Jong - Global FC

Carlos De Murga - Global FC
Anton Del Rosario - Kaya FC
Patrick Deyto - Green Archers United FC
Curt Dizon - Union Internacional Manila

Reymark Fernandez - Green Archers United FC
Chad Gould - Unattached
Christopher Greatwich - Kaya FC
Mark Hartmann - Global FC
Jake Hugo - Philippine Air Force FCRyan Lirio - Philippine Air Force FC
Nick O'Donnell - Kaya FC
Nathan Octavio - Pachanga Diliman FC

Paolo Pascual - Global FC

Charles Pettys - Global FC
Jose Elmer Porteria - Kaya FC
Patrick Reichelt - Unattached
Simone Rota - Stallion FC
Eduard Sacapano - Philippine Army FC

Deo Segunial - Pachanga Diliman FC
James Younghusband - Loyola Meralco Sparks FC
Phillip Younghusband - Loyola Meralco Sparks FC

The first game of the Philippines will be against Malaysia on March 1.

Pistons fire Maurice Cheeks

c/o Associated Press

The Detroit Pistons announced earlier this morning that they are officially relieving their head coach Maurice Cheeks of his duties with the team after 50 games. This news had been broken first by Y!'s Adrian Wojnarowski.

As per the Pistons' press release:

GM and President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars: “This was a difficult decision for the organization to make but we needed to make a change. We have great respect for Maurice and appreciate his hard work.”

Team Owner Tom Gores: “Our record does not reflect our talent and we simply need a change. We have not made the kind of progress that we should have over the first half of the season. This is a young team and we knew there would be growing pains, but we can be patient only as long as there is progress. The responsibility does not fall squarely on any one individual, but right now this change is a necessary step toward turning this thing around. I still have a lot of hope for this season and I expect our players to step up. I respect and appreciate Maurice Cheeks and thank him for his efforts; we just require a different approach.”

Detroit is currently 9th in the Eastern Conference at 21-29 a half-game behind Charlotte for the final spot in the postseason.

James Yap saves the day for the SanMig Coffee Super Mixers

c/o PBA Images via Interaksyon

Ginebra was leading by 2. Shotclock off. Then James Yap does James Yap things.



Game 6 is on Monday.

Cleveland Cavaliers fire GM Chris Grant

A day after the Cleveland Cavaliers lost in embarrassing fashion to an undermanned Los Angeles Lakers, 119-108, the organization has decided to part ways with their current GM, Chris Grant.

In a statement, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert thanked Grant for his service with the organization, as well as for the class, integrity and motivation towards what he sees is good for Cleveland.

"I would like to thank Chris Grant for his eight and a half years of service with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the last three and a half as General Manager. Chris always conducted himself with class, integrity and was motivated by what he believed was right for the organization. We wish Chris and his family the best in the years to come,"

Grant thanked the players and coaches, as well as the people who served under him in the front office for their dedication, effort and commitment to provide Cleveland fans the success that they deserve.

“My entire focus the past eight years has been on trying to build a team that can contend and win and provide Cleveland fans the success that they deserve. I have a tremendous appreciation for the players that are here and the coaches that I have worked with, as well as our front office. I thank them for all of their dedication and commitment to the Cavaliers.”

Gilbert also acknowledged the Cavs' disappointing season, calling it "unacceptable to the fanbase, season ticket holders, corporate partners and ownership."  The change of leadership up top, according to Gilbert, "is necessary to establish the best possible culture and environment for the team to flourish." Gilbert also adds that they will continue to explore opportunities that allow the team in the short and long-term to improve and shift the direction of the franchise towards the right path.

Replacing Grant as the interim General Manager is David Griffin, the team's current VP for Basketball Operations.

Cleveland is currently 16-33, which is fourth in the Central Division and fourth-worst in the Eastern Conference.

PBA suspends and fines Yeng Guiao

c/o Sports5

The PBA today has decided to suspend Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao for Game 5 of their best-of-seven series against the Petron Blaze Boosters.

PBA commissioner Chito Salud released a statement on Wednesday afternoon explaining the suspension, which goes as follows:

Following this morning’s meeting with Coach Yeng Guiao regarding his use of a dirty finger pointed toward the commissioner’s and tech committee table, this Office hereby metes out on Coach Guiao the penalty of one (1) game suspension and a fine of one hundred thousand pesos (Php 100,000.00) for persistent conduct unbecoming of a Coach exhibited in a manner positively indicating disrespect, if not disdain or scorn, for the league as an institution and its fans. I would like to state unequivocally that this disciplinary sanction cannot fully convey the sense of regret of this Office for the insulting and unsavory antics Coach Guiao continues to display and foist on the players, the referees, his peers and the entire viewing public of the PBA, especially the youth, despite repeated well-meaning advice and counsel from this Office in the past. I invite him to reflect upon his responsibility to the public, the league and the Rain or Shine organization which he represents, even as I reiterate that the PBA will fulfill its own responsibility to tirelessly uphold the principles of decency and sportsmanship.

Game 5 is to take place this Friday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Seattle Seahawks = Super Bowl XLVIII champions

c/o Doug Baldwin's Twitter account

 It was a team effort that got the Seattle Seahawks to reach the highest plateau of American Football with an empathic 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos.

Russell Wilson threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns, including one to Doug Baldwin, who ended up with five catches for 66 yards to lead the team in receiving.

Marshawn Lynch only got 39 yards rushing on 15 carries, but Percy Harvin needed just two to get 45 yards, and had that 87-yard kick return TD.

Steven Hauschka kicked two field goals.

And then, there's the defense. They forced NFL MVP Peyton Manning to throw two interceptions. They made the Broncos fumble two times, losing both. There could have been a third if not for the review.

Their championship parade is to take place on Wednesday.

The FIBA World Cup Draw results

c/o FIBA

Earlier this morning, 2 AM to be precise, the fate of 24 nations were placed on pots, the results as you can see from the photo above.

Coach Chot Reyes clearly reminded us that playing in this level of competition will not be easy, and with the result of the draw, it won't be.

Senegal finished third in Afrobasket. Croatia was 4th in Eurobasket. Puerto Rico lost to Mexico in the FIBA-Americas title game. Greece and Argentina have their pedigree in basketball lore.

Here is Gilas' schedule in the prelims. No time yet:

August 30 vs CRO
August 31 vs GRE
September 1 vs ARG
September 2 = rest day
September 3 vs PUR
September 4 vs SEN

Listen to what Chot had to say about it:

ABS-CBN launches ABS-CBN Sports+Action

This past month, ABS-CBN officially launched ABS-CBN Sports+Action, tailored to bring action-packed local and international sporting events to free television. It replaced Studio 23, which had been on air since 1996.

However, the legacy of Studio 23 will still continue on in Sports+Action, with Anthony Taberna's "News+" providing the news, and series like CSI, NCIS, Once Upon A Time and the new "Zero Hour," remaining part of the channel's programming, along with local movies.

The crux of the programming on the new channel will be its sports content, which it carries over from Studio 23. Sports+Action will continue with its coverage of the different UAAP events, like the ongoing volleyball and football matches. They will also the past and upcoming matches of the Philippine Azkals, boxing matches from Top Rank, as well as the "Pinoy Pride," as well as some of the biggest international sporting events.

They will also feature a new 15-minute sports news program, called "The Score."

Here are the sports events that we can expect from Sports+Action

Basketball: NBA games, NBA Inside Stuff, NBA Action, UAAP, PCCL, Filoil Flying V Preseason
Boxing: Nonito Donaire's fights, Top Rank Boxing, Pinoy Pride
Football: FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League & UEFA Europa League, AFC Champions League, UAAP, Football Asia, friendlies from UEFA and AFC, Peace Cup
Volleyball: UAAP, FIVB (FIVB Club World, FIVB World Grand Prix, FIVB Swatch Beach Volleyball Tour)
Mixed Martial Arts: UFC (PPVs, UFC Fight Night, UFC Ultimate Insider, Ultimate Fighter)
Tennis: ATP Tour, UAAP, 2014 US Open
Golf: The Masters, Ryder Cup, European Tour


Other UAAP events: Cheerdance, Baseball, Softball, Badminton