Thursday, March 31, 2022
Sniper Sherwin Concepcion leads UST rally for breakthrough win over UE - Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – UST key holdover Sherwin Concepcion found the sniper’s touch at the most opportune time as the Growling Tigers blasted the UE Red Warriors, 74-62, in the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday, March 31.
One of three remaining players from the infamous UST mass exodus of 2020, the third-year forward dropped a career-high 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 6-of-9 from three, while key transferee Joshua Fontanilla added 8 markers, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds.
With both teams searching for their first win of the season, UE got the first offensive spark going in the fourth quarter, and led, 60-55, with 6:48 left after five quick points from Harvey Pagsanjan.
Little did the Red Warriors know that their rally would stop dead in its tracks right there as Concepcion spearheaded an insurmountable 19-2 fightback, highlighted by back-to-back dagger threes at the 2:04 mark for the 70-62 lead.
Bryan Santos and Nico Cabanero then put the finishing touches as UST left a shell-shocked UE side in the dust as the final buzzer sounded. Santos had himself a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double, while Cabanero scored 12 plus 7 boards in 22 minutes.
“I give credit to my players. They never gave up. It was a difficult fight down the stretch, but we realized our strengths, and that’s why we got the win,” said head coach Jinino Manansala after his first UAAP career win that lifted UST to a 1-2 record.
Aurin Catacutan paced the Red Warriors in their third straight loss with 17 points, while Pagsanjan added 10 on a frigid 3-of-14 clip.
The Tigers will next test their mettle against a fellow rebuilding squad in the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Saturday, April 2, 4 pm, while UE shoots for an upset over the UP Fighting Maroons earlier that day at 2 pm.
The Scores
UST 74 – Concepcion 25, Cabanero 12, Manaytay 12, Santos 10, Fontanilla 8, Yongco 3, Ando 2, M. Pangilinan 2, Manalang 0, Garing 0, Mantua 0, Samudio 0, Gomez de Liano 0, Canoy 0.
UE 62 – Catacutan 17, Pagsanjan 10, Escamis 9, Antiporda 7, Lorenzana 5, N. Paranada 4, Beltran 4, Guevarra 4, Sawat 2, K. Paranada 0, Tulabut 0, Je. Cruz 0, Villanueva 0.
Quarters: 25-24, 36-39, 50-53, 74-62.
– Rappler.com
Sniper Sherwin Concepcion leads UST rally for breakthrough win over UE - Rappler
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Magnolia forces do-or-die game 5 vs. Meralco - CNN Philippines
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- Magnolia forces do-or-die game 5 vs. Meralco CNN Philippines
- Meralco, Magnolia clash for last ticket to finals ABS-CBN News
- PBA News: How Magnolia can win Game 5 vs Meralco, says Mike Harris Sports Interactive Network Philippines
- Coaches set priorities Philstar.com
- LIVE UPDATES: Magnolia vs Meralco – PBA Governors' Cup semifinals 2022 Rappler
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Magnolia forces do-or-die game 5 vs. Meralco - CNN Philippines
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PBA: For Cone, no shock to see LA Tenorio bounce back - ABS-CBN News
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- PBA: For Cone, no shock to see LA Tenorio bounce back ABS-CBN News
- PBA: A must-see, Cone says of Brownlee, who is close to passing legendary import INQUIRER.net
- PBA News: Yeng Guiao frustrated with Game 4 officiating Sports Interactive Network Philippines
- Brownlee now behind Bates in all-time import scoring ABS-CBN News
- ‘Phenomenal’ performance by Brownlee puts Ginebra in PBA finals INQUIRER.net
- View Full Coverage on Google News
PBA: For Cone, no shock to see LA Tenorio bounce back - ABS-CBN News
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UAAP: Ricci Rivero shines in fourth quarter as UP downs NU - INQUIRER.net
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- UAAP: Ricci Rivero shines in fourth quarter as UP downs NU INQUIRER.net
- UAAP: Concepcion scores 25 in UST's first win ABS-CBN News
- Ricci Rivero lights up UP late, downs NU for back-to-back wins Sports Interactive Network Philippines
- UAAP: Sherwin Concepcion’s hot hand carries UST past UE INQUIRER.net
- Ricci Rivero sparks late UP rally over NU as Maroons start win streak Rappler
- View Full Coverage on Google News
UAAP: Ricci Rivero shines in fourth quarter as UP downs NU - INQUIRER.net
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NBA Playoff Picture 2022: Updated Standings as Mavericks, Heat Clinch Berths - Bleacher Report
0 of 3
Wednesday was a big night for clinching around the NBA. And as the regular season winds down, the playoff field is starting to come more into focus.
The Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks both clinched postseason berths with victories. The Heat notched a 106-98 win over the Boston Celtics to also clinch the Southeast Division. The Mavs won 120-112 over against the Cleveland Cavaliers to secure their spot in the playoffs.
Dallas became the third Western Conference team to clinch a postseason berth, joining the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies, who secured the Southwest Division title for the first time in franchise history with a 112-111 win over the San Antonio Spurs. The Suns and Grizzlies are already locked into the top two seeds in the West.
Miami is the only Eastern Conference team to have clinched a playoff berth, but it shouldn't be long before more do so.
Here's everything else you need to know about the NBA playoff picture.
1 of 3
Eastern Conference
1. y-Miami Heat: 49-28
2. Milwaukee Bucks: 47-28
3. Philadelphia 76ers: 46-29
4. Boston Celtics: 47-30
5. Chicago Bulls: 44-32
6. Toronto Raptors: 44-32
7. Cleveland Cavaliers: 42-34
8. Brooklyn Nets: 40-36
9. Charlotte Hornets: 40-37
10. Atlanta Hawks: 39-37
11. New York Knicks: 34-43
12. Washington Wizards: 33-43
13. e-Indiana Pacers: 25-52
14. e-Detroit Pistons: 20-56
15. e-Orlando Magic: 20-57
Western Conference
1. b-Phoenix Suns: 62-14
2. y-Memphis Grizzlies: 54-23
3. x-Dallas Mavericks: 48-29
4. Golden State Warriors: 48-29
5. Denver Nuggets: 46-31
6. Utah Jazz: 45-31
7. Minnesota Timberwolves: 43-34
8. Los Angeles Clippers: 37-39
9. New Orleans Pelicans: 33-43
10. Los Angeles Lakers: 31-44
11. San Antonio Spurs: 31-45
12. Sacramento Kings: 28-49
13. Portland Trail Blazers: 27-49
14. e-Oklahoma City Thunder: 22-54
15. e-Houston Rockets: 20-57
b-clinched best league record
y-clinched division
x-clinched playoff berth
e-eliminated from playoff contention
2 of 3
Current Playoff Bracket
No. 1 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 Seed
No. 2 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 7 Seed
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Toronto Raptors
No. 4 Boston Celtics vs. No. 5 Chicago Bulls
Play-In Matchups
No. 7 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 8 Brooklyn Nets
No. 9 Charlotte Hornets vs. No. 10 Atlanta Hawks
Things remain tight at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, as the Heat, Bucks, 76ers and Celtics are all separated by only two games. Miami may be the only team to have clinched a playoff berth, but any one of those four could end up as the No. 1 seed.
The Celtics had an opportunity to clinch a postseason berth Wednesday night. They needed to beat the Heat and have the Cavaliers lose to the Mavericks. Cleveland lost, but Boston could take care of its own business at home against Miami.
It won't be long before the Celtics clinch, though, as they need only one win or one Cavaliers loss for that to happen.
There's a decent chance that the current top six teams in the East will be heading to the playoffs and the teams currently in the Nos. 7-10 spots will be going to the play-in tournament. The Raptors have a two-game advantage over the Cavs for the No. 6 seed, while the Hawks have a 5.5-game lead over the New York Knicks for the No. 10 spot.
The Washington Wizards are still mathematically alive even though they are six games behind the Hawks. But Washington will be eliminated from contention with its next loss or Atlanta's next win, so it's highly unlikely the Wizards will be playing beyond the end of the regular season.
Even though the Eastern Conference is unlikely to have a major shakeup down the stretch, there are some important seeding battles taking place. The Nets, Hornets and Hawks are all separated by only a game, and there's a benefit to being the No. 8 seed, as that team can lose its first play-in tournament contest and still reach the playoffs, a luxury the Nos. 9 and 10 seeds don't get.
3 of 3
Current Playoff Bracket
No. 1 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 8 Seed
No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Seed
No. 3 Dallas Mavericks vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz
No. 4 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 5 Denver Nuggets
Play-In Matchups
No. 7 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 8 Los Angeles Clippers
No. 9 New Orleans Pelicans vs. No. 10 Los Angeles Lakers
The Suns have already secured the best record in the NBA, while the Grizzlies are locked in as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference behind them. So they both have to wait for the play-in tournament to unfold before knowing their first-round opponents.
But it's not even clear which teams will be participating in the play-in tourney. The Lakers hold the No. 10 spot, but they are only a half-game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs. The Sacramento Kings (four games back of the Lakers) and Portland Trail Blazers (five back) are also still alive in the race.
Los Angeles fell out of the play-in tournament Tuesday, when it lost 128-110 to Dallas. But the Lakers moved back into the No. 10 spot when the Spurs lost 112-111 to the Grizzlies on Wednesday. Los Angeles hasn't won consecutive games since a four-game winning streak from Dec. 31-Jan. 7 and has gone 10-25 since.
The Jazz have lost five games in a row, so their lead over the Timberwolves for the No. 6 seed is down to 2.5 games. So it's not a sure thing that Utah will avoid having to compete in the play-in tournament, although it controls its own destiny down the stretch.
On Wednesday, the Warriors had an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth, as they needed a win or a Timberwolves loss. Although Minnesota lost to Toronto, Golden State fell to Phoenix. But the Warriors will secure a spot in the postseason with their next victory or the Timberwolves' next loss.
Even if Golden State clinches a playoff berth, though, it doesn't have much momentum. The Warriors have lost four straight games and seven of their past eight, so they need to get back on track before the postseason arrives.
NBA Playoff Picture 2022: Updated Standings as Mavericks, Heat Clinch Berths - Bleacher Report
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Ateneo cruises past Adamson for 3-0 romp - Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Ateneo Blue Eagles kept their unbeaten run in UAAP Season 84 going with a 78-47 beatdown of the Adamson Soaring Falcons at the Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday, March 31.
It was a total team effort for the Blue Eagles as all 14 players who checked in the game scored a basket, but it was Ange Kouame who led the way with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds.
“We don’t think of our team as starters and bench. We just think everybody has a job to do,” said Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin.
“Today, we were able to get everybody on the court, which we need to do. I think the energy was really good out there,” he added.
With the win, Ateneo improved its record to 3-0, while Adamson dropped to 1-2.
Coming off a dominant win against the FEU Tamaraws just two days ago, the Blue Eagles rode on their hot momentum and quickly raced to a 23-point lead, 36-13, midway through the second quarter.
A 15-0 blast by the Soaring Falcons late in the second period and early in the third frame pulled them back to within just 8, 36-28, before the Blue Eagles unleashed their own 16-0 run to push their lead to 24, 52-28.
It was all Ateneo from there on as Adamson failed to mount another rally and recover from the huge hole that the Blue Eagles built in the second half.
Tyler Tio and Chris Koon added 9 points apiece for the Blue Eagles, while Forthsky Padrigao, Raffy Verano, and Gab Gomez contributed 8 markers each.
On the other side, Keith Zaldivar and Lenda Douanga paced the Soaring Falcons with 6 points apiece as no player from their squad finished in double figures.
Ateneo shoots for its fourth straight win of the season when it collides with its rival La Salle Green Archers on Saturday, April 2, at 7 pm, while Adamson aims to get back on the win column when it faces the UST Growling Tigers on the same day at 4 pm.
The Scores
Ateneo 78 – Kouame 13, Tio 9, Koon 9, Padrigao 8, Verano 8, Gomez 8, Ildefonso 6, Chiu 3, Mendoza 3, Mamuyac 3, Belangel 2, Lazaro 2, Andrade 2, Berjay 2.
Adamson 47 – Zaldovar 6, Douanga 6, Manzano 5, Yerro 5, Jaymalin 5, Hanapi 5, Lastimosa 4, Magbuhos 3, Peromingan 2, Sabandal 2, Erolon 2, Colonia 1, Calisay 1, Barasi 0, Fuentebella 0, Maata 0.
Quarters: 17-8, 36-24, 54-34, 78-47.
– Rappler.com
Ateneo cruises past Adamson for 3-0 romp - Rappler
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Wednesday, March 30, 2022
'Forgotten man' Jeff Chan steps up for undermanned Ginebra in NLEX semis ouster - Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Justin Brownlee show was in full swing at the Araneta Coliseum as Barangay Ginebra punched a return ticket to the PBA Governors’ Cup finals off a semifinals Game 4 elimination of the NLEX Road Warriors on Wednesday, March 30.
As the superstar import was rightfully thrust under the post-game spotlight after a playoff career-high 47-point explosion, Ginebra head coach Tim Cone still made it a point to praise the man who came in second on the scoreboard, veteran Jeff Chan.
“Jeff was the forgotten man, you know? It’s funny. He was like the forgotten man, kind of holding on, just looking to play a little bit here and there, and then he just steps up,” he said. “When we most needed him, he stepped up and just played huge.”
While Brownlee was going crazy on both sides of the ball, it was the “Negros Sniper” who backstopped his efforts with timely triples as he ended with 12 of his 20 points in the first half alone.
This eruption made it difficult for Cone to stagger Chan’s minutes, as the 39-year-old was already coming off multiple injuries before his recent healthy stretch for Ginebra.
“I didn’t want to extend him, because you know, it’s tough for him to play at a real physical level for 10, 12 minutes at a time,” he said.
“But I thought his couple of threes in the beginning of the game, when NLEX came out with so much fire, kept us in the game, and settled the whole team down.”
In the end, Chan finished with a 30-minute workload, and made the most of it with a 5-of-8 clip from downtown.
Cone’s apprehension regarding his minutes was clearly understandable, as Ginebra was already missing key cogs Japeth Aguilar and Stanley Pringle, but he was nonetheless pleased with how things turned out for his veteran ward.
“I thought [Chan’s threes] might have been the key to the whole game,” he said. “Otherwise, I think NLEX would have blown us out without those clutch shots by Jeff.”
The Gin Kings, after limping to the playoffs as a sixth seed, can now sit back and relax a little bit as they await their finals foe, and as Cone pointed out, they wouldn’t have been in this position without Chan. – Rappler.com
'Forgotten man' Jeff Chan steps up for undermanned Ginebra in NLEX semis ouster - Rappler
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Harris, Hotshots rout Bolts, force deciding Game 5 - News - PBA.ph
Refusing to be the Bolts' jumping board to a fourth title showdown with Ginebra, the Hotshots shut down Norman Black's troops, 94-73, to force a deciding Game 5 in their semis duel Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Mike Harris was a pillar of strength for the Hotshots, as did top locals Paul Lee and Calvin Abueva, who stepped up to the plate in the win-or-go home Game 4.
Harris punched in 34 points and 18 rebounds, doing the most damage in the middle quarters where Magnolia laid the foundation for the series-leveling 21-point triumph.
Lee, playing through ankle injury, fired 17 as he made up for his five-point output in their 95-101 loss in Game 3 as Abueva turned in 11-8-3, in addition to his trademark hustle plays in the highly-physical contest.
Defending champion Ginebra was first to enter the best-of-seven finale after beating NLEX, 3-1, on a 112-93 closeout Wednesday afternoon.
"We just try to live one game at a time, pinag-usapan we need to grind possession by possession on both ends of the floor. Siguro medyo nawawala sa amin in the last two (losing) games is how we enjoy the game. So yun lang ginawa namin tonight - grind and enjoy the game," said Victolero.
"It's all about effort, staying together for 48 minutes," he added.
It wasn't actually the best of starts for Magnolia in Game 4 as Meralco jumped to an 11-0 upperhand.
The Hotshots did not relinquish control and countered every uprising that the Bolts attempted to mount in a bid to salvage the series clincher.
After giving up 81 and 101 points in their Game 2 and 3 losses, Victolero's troops choked Magnolia to their lowest output of the conference at 73. The Bolts' previous low was 80 in Magnolia's 14-point win in Game 1.
Tony Bishop paced Meralco with 22 but could only score two in the payoff period, where the Hotshots widened the gap to a high of 90-68. (OL)
The scores:
Magnolia 94 - Harris 34, Lee 17, Abueva 11, Jalalon 10, Corpuz 9, Barroca 5, Sangalang 4, Reavis 2, Brill 2, Wong 0, Dela Rosa 0.
Meralco 73 - Bishop 22, Newsome 11, Almazan 8, Maliksi 7, Banchero 7, Quinto 6, Caram 4, Hodge 3, Black 3, Baclao 2, Canete 0, Belo 0, Pasaol 0.
Quarters: 20-19, 42-30, 62-52, 94-73.
Harris, Hotshots rout Bolts, force deciding Game 5 - News - PBA.ph
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Giannis scores 40 points in Bucks' 118-116 win over 76ers - pna.gov.ph
ANKARA – Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 40 points to help the Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 118-116 late Tuesday.
Antetokounmpo, who had the game-winning block on Joel Embiid with 1.6 seconds left, added 14 rebounds, six assists, and three blocks for the winning side.
In a game between two of the Eastern Conference's top teams, Khris Middleton played with 22 points and Jrue Holiday added 18 for the Bucks.
For the losing side, James Harden finished with 32 points and nine rebounds, and Embiid recorded a double-double with 29 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
The Bucks rank second with 47 wins and 28 losses while the 76ers are fourth with a 46-29 win-loss record in the Eastern Conference standings.
Considering their regular season performances, Antetokounmpo and Embiid are among the candidates for the 2021-2022 MVP award and both players record similar statistics as the regular season will end on April 10.
A two-time regular season MVP, Antetokounmpo averaged 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists so far, while Embiid averaged 29.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists.
Other results: Washington Wizards - Chicago Bulls: 94-107; Brooklyn Nets - Detroit Pistons: 130-123; Dallas Mavericks - Los Angeles Lakers: 128-110; and Los Angeles Clippers - Utah Jazz: 121-115. (Anadolu)
Giannis scores 40 points in Bucks' 118-116 win over 76ers - pna.gov.ph
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Donovan Mitchell Voices Frustration With Jazz's Loss to Clippers - Sports Illustrated
The Utah Jazz did it again. Blowing a 25-point lead to the LA Clippers in Paul George's return from injury, shades of Game 6 were everywhere in this one. After the game, Donovan Mitchell voiced his frustrations, saying "I don’t know. It’s the same [thing]. I don’t know, it feels the same way. It’s the same thing, it’s literally the same thing. I had six turnovers, turned the ball over too much, we didn’t get back on defense, we didn’t rebound. I don’t know, I don’t have anything for you right now.”
The Utah Jazz are still right in the middle of the Western Conference playoff picture, but it is hard to imagine too many people taking them seriously as contenders. Year after year, the team collects wins in the regular season, just to flame out in an early postseason exit. Habits such as blown leads are part of this problem, and the Clippers were able to exploit that once again in this one.
This game was eerily similar to Game 6 in last year's Western Conference Semi Finals matchup, as the court was the same, the two teams were the same, and the 25-point lead was the same. The Jazz went cold down the stretch, the Clippers heated up offensively, and Paul George was the clear best player on either side.
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The Jazz are now just two games above the Minnesota Timberwolves, who currently hold the 7th-seed. Now in a tie with the Denver Nuggets for 6th, the Jazz are in real danger of slipping to that first play-in sport, where they would likely meet the same LA Clippers that beat them Tuesday, and the same LA Clippers that sent them home last season. The storylines would be great; however, for Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz, the frustration is mounting.
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Donovan Mitchell Voices Frustration With Jazz's Loss to Clippers - Sports Illustrated
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Tuesday, March 29, 2022
Round Report: Wesley So and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov are in the semifinal! - World Chess
Wesley So defeated Sam Shankland in the rapid tie-break games with 1.5-0.5 score to reach the semifinal of the third stage of the FIDE Grand Prix Series organised by World Chess in Berlin. The tiebreak games were played with the quicker time control of 15 minutes per game with an increment of 10 seconds per move starting on the first move.
Pierre Adenis / World Chess
In the second tie-break match, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov won the first game against Vincent Keymer but the 16-years-old local hero managed to win on demand and equalized the score in rapid chess. The tiebreak continued with a shorter time-control of 3 minutes per game with an increment of 2 seconds per move. Shakhriyar was dominating in blitz and outplayed his less experienced opponent in both games, finishing the match with 3:1 score.
Thus, Welsey So will be playing a two-game match against Amin Tabatabaei while Shakhriyar Mamedyarov will face Hikaru Nakamura on the 30 and 31st of March. Both American players Nakamura and So will play with white pieces in the first game.
Wesley So – Sam Shankland 1,5:0,5
Sam Shankland got a nice position with white in the Catalan Defense in the first game against Wesley So. With a pair of bishops and perspectives to open the center, he was planning to fight for an advantage but Wesley had a solid position that was not easy to crack. After losing the central pawn, Sam was hoping his a-pawn will play a decisive role in the endgame but Wesley’s pieces surrounded the white’s king creating dangerous threats which were not possible to stop without losing material. After 54 moves Shankland had to resign.
In the second game of the mini-match, Sam got really good chances to equalize the score. He sacrificed an exchange and developed a strong initiative on the king’s side. Wesley So felt he was in trouble and gave the material back, moving the game to the winning ending with an extra pawn for Black. The only problem of Black’s position was a Rook on g5 which suddenly got stuck on the king’s side. Sam didn’t find the precise way to activate his rook and missed all his advantage. The game finished peacefully after 40 moves.
Sam Shankland on his overall FIDE Grand Prix performance: “On paper it was fine. I came in seeded number 3 in a group both times and I finished in second both times and I gained rating. But I am sort of annoyed with myself that I never managed to get through.”
“Sam is a very strong player and also very hardworking. He’s got a strong will to improve,” said Welsey So after the game. In a post-game interview the American player noted, he is looking forward to the match against Iranian Grandmaster Amin Tabatabaei who represents a new generation of Iranian players and showed good play in the tournament.
Mamedyarov -Keymer 3:1
All the games of the tiebreak match between Mamedyarov and Keymer finished decisively. “It was a very fighting match – no draws. I tried to play for a win with both colours and I think we had good tactical games,” commented the winner Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Certainly, all the games were full of fight and Mamedyarov was the first one to open the score. A very sharp position with opposite castling appeared on the board and known for his aggressive style Shakhriyar definitely felt like a fish in water in this position. He managed to open the files on the king’s side, brought his pieces and developed an unstoppable attack on his opponent’s King.
It was a first-ever tie-break match for Vincent and he managed to put his strength together and came back to the match by defeating Mamedyarov in the second game. “I know myself; I cannot play for a draw in such situations when I need to make a draw”, commented Shakhriyar on his opening choice in the second game. Vincent knew the Botvinnik Variation in the Semi-Slave Defense quite well and thought it was a pleasant position to play with White. In an unbalanced position with chances for both sides Vincent played accurately and managed to transfer the game into the ending. It turned out that the pass pawn on h-file, created in the opening, played a significant role in the endgame.
The first blitz game was a crushing win for Mamedyarov! In Anti-Meran variation, both players developed their pieces preparing for the fight in the center. After numerous pawns exchanges, it turned out Black pieces got lots of space and became powerful. Mamedyarov won in style after sacrificing his knight on g2.
After the loss in the first blitz game, Keymer was in a must-win situation to force Armageddon but the second game went also wrong for the German Grandmaster, who found it hard to defend the open king with a few seconds on his clock.
“I think in our pool he showed the best play ... He is fighting, he’s very good and still young. I hope he will be 2800 – I think he can do it. His only problem, I think, is school, university. If he can solve it somehow, he can be the very top player,” said Mamedyarov after the match.
Pairing for the first game of semi-finals:
Hikaru Nakamura – Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Wesley So – Amin Tabatabaei
Leading partners supporting the FIDE Grand Prix Series 2022:
Kaspersky as the Official Cybersecurity Partner;
Algorand as the Official Blockchain Partner;
Prytek as the Technology Transfer Partner;
FIDE Online Arena as the official Partner.
Round Report: Wesley So and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov are in the semifinal! - World Chess
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Lakers Massive Underdogs Against Mavs As Injury Issues Continue - Lakers Nation
Medvedev one win from reclaiming world number one spot at Miami Open - Reuters.com
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Mar 14, 2022; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Daniil Medvedev (RUS) hits a shot in his third round match against Gael Monfils (FRA) during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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March 29 (Reuters) - Daniil Medvedev is one win away from retaking the world number one spot after moving past American Jenson Brooksby 7-5 6-1 and into the Miami Open quarter-finals on Tuesday.
The U.S. Open champion lost his serve in the first game but found momentum after fending off two more break points in the fifth, winning the final four games of the first set in which he fired down six aces.
The Russian ripped through the second set in less than half an hour, dropping one first serve point.
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"A crucial moment was when he didn't convert a double-break point for a double break so I managed to make him serve for the set and it's not always easy," said Medvedev.
"I felt sometimes I'm, let's say, kind of a low intensity guy and try to keep my energy and see what's going on. I felt like today was not enough in the beginning so I tried to pump myself up."
The intensity will surely be high in his Masters 1000 quarter-final. If the Russian can beat his next opponent - either Lloyd Harris or eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz - he will replace Novak Djokovic at the top of the rankings.
KYRGIOS EXITS
Australian wildcard Nick Kyrgios lost to Italian Jannik Sinner 7-6(3) 6-3 after a dispute with the chair umpire.
Kyrgios received a point penalty for bad behavior in the first-set tiebreak and in between sets angrily and repeatedly asked the chair umpire "What is unsportsmanlike?" before walking to his bench and whacking his racket against the court.
The gesture earned him a game penalty, allowing Sinner to open the second set up a break.
Elsewhere in the day's action, fourth-ranked German Alexander Zverev overcame a solid defensive effort from Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis to win 6-4 6-4 and set up a quarter-final clash with eighth-ranked Casper Ruud.
The Norwegian, who lost to Zverev in the Paris Masters quarter-finals in November, had earlier sent top British player Cameron Norrie packing 6-3 6-4 in the Grandstand.
"(Ruud is) somebody that really does not miss much," said Zverev. "He's somebody that tries to play aggressive with his forehand as well. Got to take away his strength in a way and we'll see how it goes tomorrow."
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Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, additional reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; editing by Ken Ferris
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Medvedev one win from reclaiming world number one spot at Miami Open - Reuters.com
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Monday, March 28, 2022
NCAA: JRU, Perpetual make Season 97 debuts – Manila Bulletin - Manila Bulletin
Jose Rizal University and Perpetual make their tournament debuts while opening day losers Lyceum and Benilde aim to bounce back in the National Collegiate Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 97 men’s basketball today at the La Salle Greenhills Gym.
The Heavy Bombers and Altas return to action after a long absence in the curtain raiser at 12 noon while the Pirates go up against the Blazers in the second game at 3 p.m.
Both Lyceum and Benilde search for their first win after suffering narrow defeats in their opening games last Saturday.
The Blazers, after leading for the most part of the game against the Letran Knights, collapsed in the final frame and absorbed a 67-63 decision.
The Charles Tiu-mentored squad led by as many as 12 points but lost steam in the payoff period after being limited to just eight markers.
The Blazers hope to address their fourth quarter struggles as they lean on AJ Benson who had a stellar debut with 16 points and eight rebounds. Will Gozum, Ladis Lepalam and JC Cullar also need to step up if CSB wishes to get the bounce back win.
Standing in their way, however, are the Pirates, who likewise dropped their opening game against the San Beda Red Lions, 84-76. The gritty Lyceum fell short of its comeback bid after cutting the once 19-point lead to just six, midway through the final frame.
Enoch Valdez, who exploded for 22 points vs San Beda, aims to continue his fine play against the Blazers while coach Gilbert Malabanan hopes to see more contributions from the likes of Renzo Navarro, Yancy Remulla and Jerwyn Guinto.
Meanwhile, the Heavy Bombers are parading an intact lineup for Season 97 with holdovers JL delos Santos and Marwin Dionisio ready to take much bigger roles. Also out to make an impact for JRU are transferees EJ Agbong and Marwin Dionisio.
On the other hand, the Altas are looking at Kim Aurin, Jielo Razon and Jeff Egan to spearhead the season for new coach Myk Saguiguit. Eyes are also on 6-foot-5 Marc Omega from Letran High School and the rookies from Perpetual High School program Yuki Kawamura, Edzel Galoy, Jearico Nuñez, Joey Barcuma.
The Altas and the Heavy Bombers finished Season 95 with identical 5-13 win-loss record.
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Victolero: We're down, but not out | Josef Ramos - BusinessMirror
THE Magnolia Hotshots have their backs against the wall in their semifinals series with the Meralco Bolts but Head Coach Chito Victolero remained unfazed.
“We’re down, but we are not out,” said Victolero the morning after the Bolts went 2-1 in the short race-to-three series via a 101-95 Game 3 victory on Sunday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Clinching the series means beating Meralco twice, now a daunting task for a team that topped the eliminations with only one loss in 11 outings, booted out Phoenix in the quarterfinals in one game and won the series opener, 94-80.
“We need to improve our defense because right now, the Bolts are attacking and they are scoring a lot,” Victolero said. “We also need to execute consistently on offense.”
He added: “But we need to be more patient and we just have to grind again the next game. Just try to prepare hard and hopefully execute well.”
The Bolts only need to win Game 4—scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum—to wrap up the series and potentially face the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings who are also 2-1 up on the NLEX Road Warriors who they face at 3 p.m. also on Wednesday.
Magnolia did a good job on limiting Meralco’s prolific import Tony Bishop to a 5-of-19 shooting for 10 points in Game 1.
But Bishop erupted for 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in Game 2 and then had 27 points and 10 rebounds in Game 3 that put the Bolts closer to the Finals.
Victolero said his bench should step up and not rely solely on import Mike Harris, Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Calvin Abueva and Jio Jalalon.
Victolero: We're down, but not out | Josef Ramos - BusinessMirror
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Sunday, March 27, 2022
PH beach volleyball teams cop gold medals in Australia tilt - INQUIRER.net
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- PH beach volleyball teams cop gold medals in Australia tilt INQUIRER.net
- Rondina, Pons finish 2nd in Australia beach volley tilt ABS-CBN News
- PH beach volleyball teams bag 2 golds in Brisbane Rappler
- Pinoy spikers bag two gold medals in Brisbane beach volley Sports Interactive Network Philippines
- Philippine pairs triumph in Aussie beach volley Philstar.com
- View Full Coverage on Google News
PH beach volleyball teams cop gold medals in Australia tilt - INQUIRER.net
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Lakers blow 23-point lead to Pelicans despite 39 points from LeBron James, fall to 10th in Western Conference - CBS Sports
Every time you think that it just can't get any worse for the woebegone Los Angeles Lakers, they manage to hit a new low. They entered Sunday's matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans a half game ahead of their Western Conference rivals for the No. 9 seed in the standings. When LeBron James gave them 25 first-half points to help build a lead that got as high as 23 points, it looked as though they'd be able to create a bit of a cushion in the standings.
Well, you've read the headline. You know that's not what happened. The Pelicans torched the Lakers for 41 points in the third quarter and wound up winning 116-108 behind a stellar all-around offensive effort. Four of their five starters scored between 18 and 26 points, and rookie reserve Trey Murphy added 21 of his own largely in a stellar second half. Meanwhile, no Lakers aside from James, Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk even managed to reach double figures.
The loss struck a devastating blow to the Lakers' dwindling hopes of reaching the playoffs. The Pelicans now lead the Lakers by half of a game for the No. 9 seed, but by beating them head-to-head, they have no secured the season-series tiebreaker. The two sides have played twice this season, both Pelicans wins, and only have one head-to-head matchup left on the slate. The 31-43 Lakers are now just a single game up on the 30-44 Spurs, and while the two of them split their season series 2-2, the Spurs have all but clinched the conference record tiebreaker with four extra wins over western foes.
The cherry on top for New Orleans? They have a chance to own the Lakers' 2022 first-round pick, provided it falls in the top 10. If the Lakers were to fall behind San Antonio in the standings, the Pelicans would have a far greater chance of keeping that pick. They'll have another chance to help their cause when these teams meet again on April 2.
James tweaked his ankle in the loss, but remained on the floor. With games in Dallas and Utah coming up this week, the Lakers will need him healthy Even if he's good to go, coach Frank Vogel said it best after the game. "Time's running out on us," Vogel said. With his job on the line, most of the roster set for free agency and both James and Russell Westbrook fighting against Father Time, Vogel has no idea just how right he is. At this rate, it will only be a matter of weeks before this era of Lakers history comes to an end.
Lakers blow 23-point lead to Pelicans despite 39 points from LeBron James, fall to 10th in Western Conference - CBS Sports
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PHL beach volley teams bag 2 golds, 1 silver, 2 bronze medals in Brisbane - BusinessMirror
THE Philippine beach volleyball teams’ road to Hanoi began with a flourish following a two-gold, one-silver and one-bronze medal haul at the 2022 Australia Beach Volleyball Tour Championships that wrapped up Sunday at the Coolangatta Beach in Brisbane, Australia.
Sand court ace Jovelyn Gonzaga’s first partnership with Dij Rodriguez proved to be a fruitful one after their 18-21, 21-19, 15-13 conquest of local bets Alice Zeimann and Anna Donlan in the Women’s Challenger Division I final.
Gonzaga and Rodriguez went undefeated in five matches in the three-day tournament which is the top-tier domestic beach volleyball event on the Australian volleyball calendar.
Ranran Abdilla and Jaron Requinton also won the gold medal via a 22-20, 21-17 decision over Issa Batrane and Frederick Bialokoz in the Men’s Challenger Division I.
Abdilla and Requinton also posted a perfect 5-0 record in the tournament that’s part of the beach volleyball teams’ preparation for this May’s Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games undertaken by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Rebisco, PLDT, Taguig City and the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons bagged the silver after pulling of a gallant stand against Nikki Laird and Phoebe Bell, 18-21, 12-21, in the final of the Women’s Elite group.
Nene Bautista and Gen Eslapor, who liked Gonzaga and Rodriguez are paired for the first time, scored a 21-13, 21-19 victory over Saskia De Haan and Lisa-marie Moegle to clinch bronze in Women’s Challenger Division I.
Pemie Bagalay and James Buytrago also took a bronze in the Men’s Challenger Division I with a 21-17, 21-12 win over Thomas Heptinstall and Jed Walker.
The sixth Philippine pair, Jude Garcia and Krung Arbasto, reached the Men’s Challenger Division I quarterfinals.
The beach volleyball squads are undergoing a one-month training program in Brisbane for their campaign in the May 12 to 23 Vietnam SEA Games. The Philippines clinched two bronze medals in beach volleyball in the 2019 Philippine SEA Games.
PHL beach volley teams bag 2 golds, 1 silver, 2 bronze medals in Brisbane - BusinessMirror
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Disoriented Tenorio takes responsibility as endgame blunders cost Ginebra win - Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra counts on LA Tenorio to deliver down the stretch during close games.
But the usually calm and collected Tenorio was nowhere to be found in the endgame as Ginebra fell short of a sweep of NLEX in their PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals after a heartbreaking 85-86 loss on Sunday, March 27.
It was a rough ending for the veteran guard after he saw his pass intended for Justin Brownlee stolen by Road Warriors import Cameron Clark, who broke an 83-83 deadlock with a three-point play with seven ticks left.
With no timeouts remaining, Tenorio then went coast-to-coast for an easy layup only to realize that he needed a triple to force overtime, allowing NLEX to cut its series deficit in the best-of-five affair to 1-2.
“I was not aware,” Tenorio said in a mix of Filipino and English. “I got disoriented by my turnover before that play, so I was not able to look at the scoreboard.”
“That was very unusual for me to do that, especially in those kinds of situations.”
Hard to forget
Tenorio has been one of the Gin Kings’ best players in the semifinals, averaging 14.7 points, 7.3 assists, and 3.7 rebounds.
Even in Game 3, the 37-year-old star still put up a near double-double of 10 points and 9 assists on top of 4 rebounds and 2 steals.
His string of impressive games, though, are not enough consolation as Tenorio confessed it will be difficult for him to forget his costly blunders.
“I’m going to admit that it is not going to be easy for me to let this incident go. But as one of the vets in the team, I cannot deal with this. I have to battle,” Tenorio said.
To be fair to Tenorio, his late-game mistakes were not the only reason Ginebra failed to close out the series.
As a start, the Gin Kings shot below 50% from the free throw line, making only 13 of their 27 foul shots.
But Tenorio acknowledged that the game will be remembered for his untimely errors as he took responsibility for the loss, their first in the playoffs after four straight wins.
“I told the guys, it is really on me. This game is on me,” Tenorio said. “As one of the vets, I really have to admit my mistakes.”
“Although we had a lot of things all throughout the game that should not have happened, at the end of the day, it will come down to the last possession. You’re not going to look at the whole game.”
Fortunately for Tenorio, Ginebra remains ahead in the series and will have a chance to finally dispatch NLEX in Game 4 on Wednesday, March 30.
“We’ll bounce back. We’ll figure it out.” – Rappler.com
Disoriented Tenorio takes responsibility as endgame blunders cost Ginebra win - Rappler
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PH beach volleyball teams bag 2 golds in Brisbane - Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine beach volleyball teams’ Southeast Asian Games buildup began with a flourish following a two-gold, one-silver, and two-bronze medal haul at the 2022 Australia Beach Volleyball Tour Championships that wrapped up Sunday, March 27 at the Coolangatta Beach in Brisbane, Australia.
Sand court ace Jovelyn Gonzaga’s first partnership with Dij Rodriguez proved to be a fruitful one after their 18-21, 21-19, 15-13 conquest of local bets Alice Zeimann and Anna Donlan in the Women’s Challenger Division I final.
Gonzaga and Rodriguez went undefeated in five matches in the three-day tournament which is the top-tier domestic beach volleyball event on the Australian volleyball calendar.
Ranran Abdilla and Jaron Requinton also won the gold medal via a 22-20, 21-17 decision over Issa Batrane and Frederick Bialokoz in the Men’s Challenger Division I.
Abdilla and Requinton also posted a perfect 5-0 record in the tournament that’s part of the beach volleyball teams’ preparation for this May’s Vietnam 31st SEA Games undertaken by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Rebisco, PLDT, Taguig City, and the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons bagged the silver after pulling off a gallant stand against Nikki Laird and Phoebe Bell, 18-21, 12-21, in the final of the Women’s Elite group.
Nene Bautista and Gen Eslapor, who liked Gonzaga and Rodriguez are paired for the first time, scored a 21-13, 21-19 victory over Saskia De Haan and Lisa-marie Moegle to clinch bronze in the Women’s Challenger Division I.
Pemie Bagalay and James Buytrago also took a bronze in the Men’s Challenger Division I with a 21-17, 21-12 win over Thomas Heptinstall and Jed Walker.
The sixth Philippine pair, Jude Garcia and Krung Arbasto, reached the Men’s Challenger Division I quarterfinals.
The beach volleyball squads are undergoing a one-month training program in Brisbane for their campaign in the May 12 to 23 Vietnam SEA Games. The Philippines clinched two bronze medals in beach volleyball in the 2019 Philippines SEA Games. – Rappler.com
PH beach volleyball teams bag 2 golds in Brisbane - Rappler
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Saturday, March 26, 2022
Emma Raducanu criticises 'unfair, misleading' response to growing list of sponsorship deals - Sky Sports
"I think that it is unfair but it's something I have learned to deal with and become a bit more insensitive to the outside noise," Emma Raducanu responds to criticism following her defeat at Miami Open
By PA Media
Last Updated: 26/03/22 4:26pm
Emma Raducanu has said she's had to learn to deal with 'outside noise'
Emma Raducanu has defended her commitment to tennis amid the "unfair" and "misleading" response to her growing list of sponsorship deals.
The US Open champion suffered a frustrating second-round loss to Katerina Sinaiakova at the Miami Open on Thursday night, bringing her hard-court campaign to an end until later this summer.
Following the defeat, some comments on social media again highlighted her growing list of commercial partners.
Porsche announced a deal with the 19-year-old at the start of this week, but the British No 1 insists her main priority is improving results on the court.
"Maybe you just see, on the news or on social media, me signing this or that deal and I feel like it's quite misleading because I'm doing five, six hours a day [of training], I'm at the club for 12 hours a day," Raducanu told various national newspapers.
Serena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou says Raducanu is on the right track to win more Grand Slams but says that patience is needed in her development
"But I throw out one post in the car on the way to practice and all of a sudden it's, 'I don't focus on tennis'. I think that it is unfair but it's something I have learned to deal with and become a bit more insensitive to the outside noise.
"At the end of the day, I feel like my days [with sponsors] are pretty limited. I'm not doing crazy days. I'm doing three, four days every quarter, so it's really not that much."
Since a remarkable victory as a qualifier at Flushing Meadows in September, Raducanu has found life difficult on the WTA tour.
A bout of coronavirus in the winter affected her training programme going into the new campaign and now the world No 13 will take a step into the unknown with the clay-court season - a surface she is most unfamiliar with - on the horizon.
Mouratoglou says Raducanu’s coach Torben Beltz's positive, motivated and non-judgemental characteristics are good for her
New partner Porsche revealed on Monday that Raducanu would be involved in next month's Stuttgart Open, a tournament sponsored by the German manufacturer.
Before that she will represent Great Britain in a Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic in Prague.
Raducanu will make her singles debut in the competition across the weekend of April 15-16 alongside team-mates Harriet Dart, Katie Swan and Sonay Kartal.
Emma Raducanu criticises 'unfair, misleading' response to growing list of sponsorship deals - Sky Sports
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