Blazers, pasok na sa Finals, handa na sa C'Ship round

ni Gerard Arce @Sports | March 23, 2023

Muling maghihintay ng makakatapat sa championship round ang defending champions De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers matapos muling umabanse sa Finals sa ikalawang sunod na pagkakataon sa pangunguna ni last season Finals MVP Jhasmin Gayle Pascual ng makuha nito isa na namang outright ticket kasunod ng 9-0 pangwawalis sa eliminasyon sa 98th season ng NCAA women’s volleyball tournament.

Nanatiling epektibo ang kumbinasyong inilabas ni coach Jerry Yee kahit na nabawasan ng arsenal ang koponan dulot ng pagkawala ni team captain at last season MVP na si Frances Micha Go, sinasandalan ang atake ni Pascual, gayundin ang ibinibigay na produksyon nina Jade Gentapa, middle blocker Michelle Gamit, Zam Nolasco at ace playmaker Cloanne Mondoñedo na mas pinahaba pa ang winning streak sa 27 sapul pa noong 95th season na naantala dulot ng COVID-19 pandemic.

“For us it's work all over again, it's back to zero. Every game gano'n, same 'yung preparation namin regardless. Kami laro lang. Kung may darating na kalaban, research natin then aralin natin,” saad ni Yee na magbabalik sa ikalawang sunod na pagmamando sa Finals matapos ligwakin sa Finals ang three-time champions na Arellano University Lady Chiefs noong isang taon.

Hindi maipagkakailang may mga panahong hinahanap ng Taft-based lady squad ang dating kapitana kasunod ng season ending knee injury na pansamantala namang tumayo bilang assistant coach at nagpahayag ng kaligayahan sa nakuhang tagumpay ng kanyang mga kakampi at masungkit ang ikatlong kampeonato sa liga. “Masaya kasi siyempre next na trabaho namin iyon eh. Next na goal namin iyon. Siyempre, eliminations muna then Finals. Ayun, nakahinga na rin kami na umabot na rin kami sa Finals. Finals na lang iisipin namin and isang team na lang,” ani Go.

LA Tenorio, na-diagnosed na may Stage 3 Colon Cancer

ni Gerard Arce @Sports | March 22, 2023

Gumulantang ang balita sa bawat sulok ng PBA nang ianunsyo ng “Iron Man” ng pro league na si Lewis Alfred "LA" Tenorio ng Barangay Ginebra Kings ang pagkakaroon ng Stage 3 Colon Cancer.

Inilabas kahapon ng 38-anyos na si Tenorio ang statement tungkol sa karamdaman, at humingi ng paumanhin sa publiko sa paglilihim sa inisyal na pagsusuri makaraan ang tatlong linggo, mga panahong hindi nakapaglaro sa PBA Governors Cup. “I was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. The initial testing three weeks ago led me to instantly miss practices and games. I have completed my surgery last week and will soon undergo treatment for the next few months,” ani Tenorio. “I would like to issue a statement about my health status by firstly apologizing to my teammates, some coaches, the PBA, the fans, the media and even some friends. As most of you are aware I have been nursing a minor injury since the Finals last January. I used that as the reason for my sudden absence. My sincerest apologies to all.”

Nauna nang naoperahan ang 8-time champion at 4-time Finals MVP noong Marso 8, umno'y dahil sa ‘Luslos’ o ‘Aggravated Sports Hernia’ at inaaasahang makababalik makaraan ang 1 buwan. “With my profession in sports tied in health and entertainment, it will be very difficult to keep the real reason a secret any longer and will only lead to unnecessary gossips, fake news and misinterpretations,” saad ni Tenorio.

“But with my FAITH, I am lifting everything to God now and I believe there is a higher purpose as I go through this part of my life. I am not yet retiring from the game I love, and with the help of the best doctors in the Philippines and Singapore, I BELIEVE I can touch a basketball once more and return stronger.”

Petecio, Last Phl Fighter standing sa World C'Ships

ni Gerard Arce - @Sports | March 21, 2023

Nanatiling nag-iisang lumalabang Filipino boxer si 2020+1 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Nesthy Petecio matapos umusad sa round-of-16 ng women’s under-57kgs featherweight nang dominahin si Tianna Guy ng Trinidad and Tobago sa round-of-32 preliminaries sa IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships sa K.D. Jadhav Indoor Hall sa New Delhi, India.

Tanging ang 30-anyos na dating 2019 World champion ang tumatayong Pinoy boxer sa kompetisyon matapos malaglag sa kanilang mga asignatura sina Southeast Asian Games medalist Aira Villegas at Riza Pasuit sa women’s light-flyweight at women’s light-welterweight dibisyon.

Nanaig ang 2019 SEAG gold medalist sa bisa ng 5-0 iskor kontra Guy at nakatakdang harapin sa susunod na round si Omailyn Alcala ng Venezuela na dinomina rin si Chandra Kala Thapa ng Nepal via 5-0. “The main objective here is to keep them in competition atmosphere and the medals will just be bonus. We just sent the 3 boxers who will most likely compete in the SEA Games.

Riza Pasuit actually just got out of military training before they left but we needed her to participate because she will compete in the SEA Games,” pahayag ni Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) secretary-general Marcus Jarwin Manalo.

Susubukang makabawi ng 2019 SEAG gold medalist na tubong-Davao del Sur sa maagang eliminasyon sa nagdaang 74th Strandja International Boxing Tournament sa Sofia, Bulgaria noong nagdaang buwan.

Sakaling magwagi si Petecio sa beteranong Venezuelan boxer ay makakaharap nito ang mananaig kina Mahsati Hamzayeva ng Azerbaijan at Karina Ibragimova ng Kazakhstan, na minsan ng tumalo kay Petecio sa 2022 Asian Confederation Boxing Championships semifinals noong Nobyembre, 2022.

Hindi naman nakaligtas si Manila meet bronze medalist Villegas sa bangis ng kamao ni Genadieva Chukanova Zlatislava ng Bulgaria sa 0-5 iskor.