Al-Hussaini caps stint with potential No.1 draft pick

Rabeh Al-Hussaini capped his stint in the 2010 PBA Rookie Camp with an excellent performance by a potential number one draft pick.

The 6-foo-7 former UAAP MVP came away with 28 points and had eight rebounds to propel the White Team to an 80-78 victory over the Yellow Team in the Finals of the camp’s first mini- tournament at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Al-Hussaini, who also had two assists and two blocks, scored 11 of his points in the fourth quarter of close match while teaming-up with Riego Gamalinda of San Beda to subdue a strong comeback by the Yellow squad. Gamalinda poured nine of his 18 points in the fourth.

 University of the East’s Narciso Llagas, who caught the attention of coaches with his energy and defensive effort, scored 16 points to show the way for the Yellow Team. Fil-American John Smith had 12 points and Khazim Ali Mirza added 10.

Elmer Espiritu, a 6-foot-4 former slam dunk champion with a good shooting touch, and Nonoy Baclao also had an impressive performance for Yellow on the final day of the camp. Espiritu turned in six points, 14 rebounds and two blocks while Baclao had seven points, 11 boards and two assists.

Air 21 coach Yeng Guiao have openly expressed his interest in drafting Al-Hussaini and Baclao – instrumental in Ateneo’s two championship runs -- to bolster the Express frontline after trading Beau Belga and Billy Mamaril.

Air 21 owns the no.1, 2,3 and 6 draft picks in the PBA Annual Draft set this Sunday (Aug. 29) at the Market! Market! Place in Taguig City.

Ford Arao, RJ Jazul and Alfredo Gerilla each scored 10 points as the Red Team wound up third with an 80-75 win over the Blue Team. Mark Jeffries led the Blue Team also with 10 points.

The scores:
First Game

Red Team 80 – Arao 10, JAzul 10, Gerilla 10, Hayes 8, Albano 8, Aquino
8, Thiele 6, Acuna 5, Anthony 4, Weinstein 3, Travela 3, Canta 2,
Sagun 2, Gutilban 1, Taganas 0, Ipo 0.

Blue Team 75 – Jeffries 10, Agas 9, Vanlandingham 8 Hermida 7, Pragas
7, Adolfo 6, Canlas 6, Musni 6, Rafil-avil 5, Mazo 4, Tecson 3, Taylor
3, Aguilar 1, Reyes 0, Gupilan 0, Gavina 0.

Quarters: 16-14; 30-35; 57-55, 80-75

Second Game

White Team 80 – Al-Hussaini 28, Gamalinda 18, Ciriacruz 9, Gile 8,
Pascual 4, Husted 4, Lingganay 4, Bagatsing 3, Amparado 2, Melegrito
0, Mangahas 0, Braganza 0, Medina 0, Rodriguez 0.

Yellow Team 78 – Llagas 16, Smith 12, Mirza 10, Guevarra 8, Baclao 7,
Espiritu 6, Swan 5, Labagala 5, Simpson 3, Retaga 2, Santos 2, Barua
2, Saquillo 0, Rogado 0, Binos 0.

Quarters: 17-12; 41-33; 57-50; 80-78

Philippine Youth Basketball downs Puerto Rico,34-23; is 9th best in the world

The Philippines capped its three-on-three basketball campaign on a bright note with a 34-23 thrashing of Puerto Rico, Monday to finish ninth place in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games at the *scape Youth Space court in Singapore.

Bobby Ray Parks, Jr., son of former seven-time  PBA Best Import Bobby, Sr., came through anew after he poured in 13 points which he spiked with seven rebounds, a block, a steal and no error before fouling out.

It was a reprise of his 10-point, five-steal effort in the 28-19 smashing of Iran Sunday, the powers that be in Asia but never here, that set them up against the other traditional powerhouse Puerto Rico.

The Filipinos won emphatically.

Michael Pate fired eight points laced with a pair of booming triples in a reserve role, while Jeron Teng, son of former pro Alvin, and Cris Michael Tolomia, younger brother of ex-PBA player Chester, chipped in seven and six points, respectively.

The win by the cage team was a source of pride for the Filipino community here and for the  nine-man RP delegation that failed to snare a medal in the first ever staging of an event of this magnitude.

RP chief Mark Joseph said the feat of the Filipino dribblers should make everybody proud back home.

“Sometimes making an impact is enough,” said Joseph, who also heads the aquatics association. “We came here operating on logic that we could effect the opponents put before us and simply put, we took our chance.

“Folks back home need a cause, some reason to hit out of our usual apathetic drift. Our youth Olympic athletes carry an irresistible energy with them demanding that we Filipinos look at them.

“In reality, our team came in anonymity but made an impact and left a memory. Sometimes, just that is enough,” he added.

The Puerto Ricans never saw it coming as Parks was simply unstoppable, carrying  the Filipinos to a 20-15 lead at the break — never looking back from there to nail the inspiring triumph.

Angel Torres Montavio, Kristian Medina and Abdel Badillo Martinez paced Puerto Rico, reserve Miami Heat guard Carlos Arroyo’s motherland, with nine, nine and five points but proved no match for Parks and the rest of the Filipinos’ grit.

It was a sweet ending to what looked like a doomed campaign for the Filipinos, who dropped three straight heartbreaking losses to US Virgin Islands, Spain and Croatia before closing the group stages with a non-bearing rout of South Africa.

And then it was cruise control from there as it massacred Central African Federation, a team that shocked Israel and nearly pulled the rug from powerhouse USA in the prelims, in a 22-13 win.(pr)

NBA FIT Week ends; Miami Heat fans swell

NBA FIT, the global basketball league’s comprehensive health and wellness program that encourages physical activity and healthy living for children and families through programs, events, and products, ended its nine-day run at the SM Mall of Asia Sunday (August 15) with more fitness challenges, dance classes, running lessons, urban fitness training, nutrition and hydration seminars and basketball clinics presented by Gatorade.

Besides the increased appreciation of Metro Manilans for fitness and a healthy lifestyle – based on the attendance in NBA FIT events – NBA FIT Week also appeared to produce more Pinoy Miami Heat fans, thanks to the excitement that Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra created in malls, schools, sporting events and San Pablo City, his mother’s hometown from August 6 to 12.

Spoelstra, an NBA FIT team member since a year ago, preached the fitness and healthy lifestyle gospel in malls, UAAP schools, in print, broadcast and online media; even on his out of town trip to San Pablo City. Kids and youth who attended the last day of FIT Week sported Miami Heat playing shirts and t-shirts and declared Spoelstra’s team as their favorite NBA team.

“I am excited to return to the Philippines to promote the importance of healthy living to Filipino kids and their families. A healthy lifestyle and conditioning are essential to good performance on the court and out of it,” Spoelstra said.

Following the tradition of NBA events held so far in the country, participation to NBA FIT events is completely free. The event was so successful that Ed Winkle, NBA Asia’s Senior Director of Business Development and Marketing Partnerships announced that NBA FIT would definitely be back in Manila in 2011. “It will be on a bigger scale next year,” he said.

Last Sunday, winners of the NBA FIT Fitness Challenge and the NBA basketball game called Dribble, Dish, Swish were awarded their prizes, which included free tickets to the forthcoming NBA Asia Challenge on August 27 at the Araneta Coliseum.

“NBA FIT is an excellent way to encourage kids to devote their time to active sports like basketball. I like the idea that the NBA has defined fitness not just in terms of exercising, but also eating right and choosing a healthy lifestyle,” said Grace Gacosta, a Dribble, Dish, Swish winner. Other winners were: Michael Pingol of Congressional High School in Cavite, Dexter Agabin, a business man from Quezon City; and Leolet Peralta from Las Piñas, who aims to play in the collegiate league after high school.

Official partners of the NBA FIT Week are Gatorade, Head & Shoulders, and Summit Drinking Water. Media partners are Basketball TV, Men’s Health Magazine, Yahoo! Philippines and Wave 89.1. Partners in sport include Fitness First, Run Rio and University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Venue partners are SM Mall of Asia and Marriott Manila. Community partners such as the Department of Health, the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) under the Department of Science and Technology, and UNICEF are also endorsing the program.(pr)

RP Basketball loses to Spain in YOG

The Philippines could not get over its Olympic jitters as its three-on-three basketball team of Fil-Am Bobby Ray Parks, Jeron Teng, Cris Michael Tolomia and Michael Pate was pushed on the brink after it absorbed its second straight loss, this time to Spain, 27-29, in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, Tuesday.

Unlike in a 28-34 loss to US Virgin Islands Monday, the Mon Jose-mentored Filipinos came out with more game as they fought back from an early 8-11 deficit by knotting the count at 11-11 and 16-16.

RP even snatched a 21-20 lead late in the game before the Spanish squad of Luis Costa, Mikel Motos, Javier Medori and Francesc Pascual came throughto snatch the win out of the Filipinos’ hands.

The Spanish win thus sent the Philippines to must-win games against Croatia today and South Africa tomorrow for it to have a chance to make it to the next phase.

RP chief de mission Mark Joseph blamed the loss to spotty officiating.

“Spain won by two points but lousy referees did not count two shots of ours but our guys did great,” said Joseph.

Parks and Teng, sons of former PBA stars Bobby Sr. and Alvin, respectively, continued to pace the Filipinos with 15 and 10 points but they would need to step up big in their last two games if they want to stay in the medal hunt.

The Filipinos had a faltering start in the first two days of competition as netter Jeson Patrombon, taekwondo jin Kirk Barbosa and tankers Jessie Lacuna and Jasmine Alkhaldi all fell by the wayside.

Lacuna, who wound up third in his heat early in the day to get the No. 7 ranking in the eight-man finale, drowned in the spotlight and finished eighth and dead last in his favorite event, the 200-meter freestyle swim.

The 16-year-old Lacuna timed in 1:51.95, slower than the 1:51.52 he registered in the morning trials, in the event topped by Russian Andre Ushakov, who clocked 1:49.81.

Jasmin Alkhaldi, for her part, missed the final cut after she ended up 12^th among 16 semis qualifiers with a time of 58.01, which was an improvement on the 58.16 she clocked in the morning trials.

Alkhaldi though vies next in the 200m free Wednesday and then in the 50m free on Thursday while Lacuna sees action in the 200m fly on Friday.

Patricia Llena hopes to end RP’s heartbreaks as she shoots for a medal in the 63-kilogram division of the weightlifting being conducted at press time last night at the Toa Payoh Sports Hall.

The 16-year-old former powerlifting world champion will face tough opposition from Russia, Turkey, USA, Kazakhstan, Colombia, Australia and Mexico.(pr)

PBA ROOKIE CAMP STARTS AUG. 20

ASPIRANTS in this year’s PBA Draft get a glimpse of what await them in the pro league as they go through the annual Rookie Camp which starts on Aug. 20.

The camp has been stretched to a seven-day event this time, giving all rookie hopefuls – numbering to about 72 at noon time of Monday’s list up deadline – the opportunity to show their wares and playing skills.

Day 1 of the camp which will be held at the Club 650 Gym in Libis, Quezon City, mainly involves physical test and drills, while the rest are concentrated on the candidates’ playing ability as they will be spread out into four teams and undergo a single-round elimination from Aug. 21-26 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The elimination round will culminate in a knockout championship on the final day of the camp.

As in the past, the strength and athleticism of all rookie aspirants will be determined on the initial day of activities through physical measurement (height, weights, wing span) and strength test (push ups, sit ups, sprint, bench press and pull ups).

Then, they will undertake different drills such as agility, shooting and dribbling. Day 1 activity will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Game time takes place the following day with the players divided into four teams, namely, Red, Blue, White and Yellow. All games will be held from 9 a.m.- 12 noon.

After three elimination games, comes the crossover semifinals on Aug.24, with the top seeded team taking on no. 4 squad and no. 2 facing no. 3. The two teams to survive will play in a one-game championship.

Prominent amateur players who have made themselves available for the Draft include former UAAP Most Valuable Player (MVP) Rabeh Al-Hussaini, NCAA counterpart John Wilson, Nonoy Baclao, Ford Arao, Jai Reyes, slam dunk king Elmer Espiritu, Jimbo Aquino, Marvin Hayes, Khazim Mirza, Rey Guevarra and RJ Jazul.

Foreign-bred players numbered 20 this time, although only Josh Vanlandingham of Everett Community College, Sean Michael Anthony of McGill University and Hyram Bagatsing of La Salle have completed their respective documents.

Draft day is set on Aug. 29 at the Market! Market! Place in Taguig, with Air21 the owner of the no.1 overall pick. (pr)

PHOTOS FOR NBA FIT FUN RUN

Ed Winkle, Senior Director of Business Development and Marketing Partnerships, NBA Asia, announces NBA FIT's bigger, better staging next year.

Close to 1,500 runners joined the first ever NBA FIT Fun Run at the SM Mall of Asia Saturday, August 14.

NBA FIT Fun Run participants limber up gleefully at SM Mall of Asia.

Buhangin Fiesta Cup sked

BUHANGIN FIESTA CUP

INVITATIONAL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT 2010

GAME SCHEDULE

AUGUST 15, 2010 (SUNDAY) - INTERCOMPANY DIVISION

1:00 PM -     BPI                VS.        DPWH

2:30 PM -     EMCOR          VS.        PAC PACKAGING CORP.

4:00 PM -     GH DEPOT     VS.        AGDAO COOPERATIVE

5:30 PM -     RPSB-PNP     VS.        PNJK FACULTY & STAFF

7:00 PM -     NDRC           VS.        GOLDSTAR HARDWARE

Notice:

Our Open Division will start on August 16, 2010.

We will have an extension of submission of Team Line-up until August 20, 2010 only. Late entries will no longer accepted. Get a copy of Entry Form to Coach Rael Diaz at Davao Jones Academy from 8am – 5pm.

Mosquito Division - 

Age: 18 below

Registration: P 1,500.00

Midget Division - 

Age: 25 below

Registration: P 2,000.00

Games will be played every Weekdays (Mondays – Fridays) 

from 5:00 pm up to 10:00 pm.

For more information contact Coach Rael Diaz at 0921-3903659 / 0932-7241839.

Prepared and confirmed by:

HON. JIMMY SALVADOR       ELADIO VARQUEZ        RAEL DIAZ

Commissioner                            Commissioner                   Commissioner

LITO DELOS REYES             CEF AYCO

Commissioner                           Technical Supervisor

PBA BOARD OKAYS MERALCO ENTRY

The PBA Board of Governors have officially approved the sale of the Sta. Lucia Realty franchise to Meralco during its regular meeting Tuesday paving the way for the return of the country’s biggest electric company to the basketball scene.

Now that the franchise transfer is official, the league’s newest ball club will start forming the team according to Ramon Segismundo, Senior VP and head of Human Resources and Corporate Services, who will also represent Meralco in the PBA board.

Betty C. Sy-Yap, SVP and finance officer, will be the alternate governor.

Segimundo also announced that B-Meg derby Ace’s Ryan Gregorio has accepted their proposal to coach the team.

The Meralco executive refused to divulge the terms of the contract other than saying they offered Gregorio a “proposition that made him move.”

With the coach already in place, forming the team will now be the subject of an organizational meeting that is expected to take place next week upon Gregorio’s return.

Gregorio is scheduled to leave with his family today for a short vacation in Guam and will return Monday.

“We will be building on our acquired franchise to develop a competitive team over the long-term.  Meralco’s legacy has always been intertwined with Philippine basketball. It is an honor and privilege for us to be part of PBA’s future,” said Segismundo, an executive of a multi-national company in Singapore before joining Meralco last
January.

Meralco became a household name in the 1960s until the mid 70s while playing in the defunct MICAA. Among its players at the time were former senator and basketball icon Robert Jaworski, Alberto “Big Boy” Reynoso and Jimmy Mariano. (pr)

PBA HOLDS LEO AWARDS TOMORROW

The Philippine Basketball Association will honor the cream of the crop of the 2009-2010 season during its annual Leo Awards on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Highlight of the event set at 5:15 p.m. is the much-awaited announcement of this year’s Most Valuable Player awardee.

The program precedes the Game 3 of the best-of-seven PBA Fiesta Conference championship series between defending champion San Miguel Beer and Alaska.

The coveted trophy is bestowed to the player who made an impact throughout the season.

Candidates for the league’s highest individual accolade are Kelly Williams and Mark Cardona of Talk N’ Text, Arwind Santos and Jay Washington of San Miguel Beer, James Yap of B-Meg Derby Ace, Coke’s Asi Taulava, Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine and Alaska’s L.A. Tenorio.

During the occasion, the league will also pay tribute on the accomplishments of out-going chairman Lito Alvarez, now the Customs commissioner, who will be presented with a special award by PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios, deputy commissioner Chito Salud and the entire membership of the PBA Board of Governors.

Almost as significant as the MVP trophy is the Rookie of the Year hardware that is a toss-up among B-Meg’s Rico Maierhofer, Sta. Lucia’s Josh Urbiztondo and Chris Ross, Rain or Shine’s Jervy Cruz and Ronnie Matias of Air 21.

During the brief awarding rites the league will also give due recognition to the first and second Mythical Selections, the season’s Most Improved Player and the All-Defensive Team.

Entertainment will be supplied by the all-girl group Eurasia and Mocha.(pr)

Fil-foreign applicants with incomplete documents will be dropped from list

Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Sonny Barrios is giving Fil-foreign applicants for the Annual Draft until Aug 16 to comply with eligibility requirements.

Applicants who fail to complete the requirements at the close of office hours of the new deadline will be scratch from the list of candidates for the Rookie Draft set on Aug. 29 at the Market! Market! Place in Taguig City.

This is the third time the Office of the Commissioner has move the deadline to give Fil-foreign applicants sufficient time to obtain important documents required from them.

Originally the deadline for Fil-foreign applicants was last July 14.

Included in the list of requirements that has to be submitted by Fil-foreign aspirants are certificate of recognition from the Bureau of Immigration and DOJ affirmation of citizenship from the justice department.

The two departments underwent re-organization recently so understandably securing documents from these departments will take quite sometime. 

To date 20 aspirants with dual citizenship have applied for the Draft led by 26-year old forward Josh Thomas Vanlandingham, a great grandson of Filipino Olympic medalist, the late swimming great Teofilo Yldefonso.

But so far, only three have completed the requirements. They are Vanlandingham, 6-foot-4 guard Sean Michael Dee and Hyram Bagatsing, also a 6-1 guard from De La Salle.       

“Only Fil-foreign applicants with complete documents by Aug. 16 will be eligible for the Annual Draft. Those who fail to meet the requirements will be dropped from the list,” Barrios said.

Incidentally, Aug. 16 is also the deadline for local players interested to join the PBA.

As of 12 noon Friday, the PBA has received 51 applications, 31 of them local players.

Interestingly, three members of Smart-Gilas Pilipinas have made themselves available for the Annual Draft. They are Rey Francis Guevarra, high-scoring Letran guard Rafael Joey Jazul and Rabeh Ahmed-Al Hussaini.

Other notable locals joining the Draft are former UST Tigers Khazim Mirza and Chester Taylor, Riego Meinardo Villa Gamalinda, a key player in San Beda’s string of NCAA championships, pesky Robert Labagala of University of the East.

All official candidates for the Draft will undergo a week-long rookie camp set from Aug. 20-26.(pr)

ALASKA vs TALK N TEXT (game 6 Photos); Alaska wins, 94-83

LA Tenorio gets the lose ball against improt Shawn Daniels.

Cyrus Baguio denies Macmac Cardona's shot.

Jimmy ALapag puts up a difficult shot against Cyrus Baguio and Diamon Simpson.

Diamon Simpson with the hook shot against Shawn Daniels, Ranidel De Ocampo and Mark Yee.

Kelly Williams with a back shot against Shawn Daniels.

Jimmy Alapag goes for a three-point shot against Larry Fonacier.

SMB vs BMEG (Game 6 Photos); SMB wins, 91-83

James Yap with the up and under shot against Jay Washington.

James Yap fires a three-point shot over Alex Cabagnot.

Jay Washington looses the ball on his way up against Marc Pingris and Roger Yap.

Mark Pingris posting up against Jay Washington.

pba fun run for a cause photos