NBA: Lakers hope for boost from LeBron James against Rockets

LeBron James is expected to make his return to the floor when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

James has missed 25 of the past 27 games due to a right ankle injury, including Tuesday night's 101-99 overtime against the visiting New York Knicks.

James considered returning for the game against the Knicks but decided Tuesday to take one more day to allow the ankle to heal. He initially hurt it March 20 when he suffered a high-ankle sprain against the Atlanta Hawks.

James returned for two games but intense soreness after a game against the Toronto Raptors on May 2 pushed him right back out of the lineup.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel stopped short of confirming that James will play versus Houston. He said the team will make the decision on Wednesday.

"You always want to measure the response to (practice) workload and make a decision on whether it's smart to be in the next night," Vogel said.

Anthony Davis tweaked his groin while scoring 20 points against New York and said he will see how he feels as game time approaches.

"Very strong possibility that I fight through it and play," said Davis, "but also don't want to have it (linger)."

Los Angeles (39-30) notched a huge victory against the Knicks with the winning points coming on Talen Horton-Tucker's 3-pointer with 20.3 seconds left in the extra session.

"He's got big guts, I can say that," Vogel said. "He showed that with that shot."

The Lakers are in seventh place in Western Conference with three games remaining. They stand one game behind the Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks in the battle to finish among the top six and avoid the play-in round.

Los Angeles has won back-to-back games for the first time since March 26 and 28 as they enter the contest against the lowly Rockets (16-53), who have lost six straight games and 43 of their past 48 games.

The Lakers will be shorthanded in the backcourt Wednesday as Dennis Schroder (health and safety protocols) will miss his seventh straight game and Alex Caruso also could sit out after leaving against the Knicks due to right foot soreness.

Houston hopes to have standout big man Christian Wood (right ankle) back on the floor after a four-game absence.

Wood, listed as questionable, averages 21 points and 9.6 rebounds in 41 games played.

Houston's defense was missing in the opening quarter of Monday's 140-129 road loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Portland scored a franchise-record 50 points in the stanza and tied the NBA record for 3-pointers in a quarter with 12.

Rockets coach Stephen Silas tried to give his injury-plagued squad some slack but found it impossible this time.

"You can see guys limping around and all that and I'm proud of the effort," Silas said, "but I'm still disappointed in the defense -- 140 points is a lot of points to give up."

Kelly Olynyk returned from a one-game absence due to an ankle injury and scored 21 points. D.J. Augustin also had 21, his most this season.

Khyri Thomas, recently signed to a 10-day contract, scored 18 points and is averaging 20.3 in three games with the Rockets.

Danuel House Jr. and DaQuan Jeffries each tweaked their right ankles on Monday. Both are questionable.

The Lakers swept a back-to-back in Houston in January, prevailing by an average of 17.5 points.

--Field Level Media

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-lakers-hope-for-boost-from-lebron-james-against-rockets

Basketball: Chooks-to-Go to bankroll NBL, WNBL

Chooks-to-Go will be the title sponsor of the 2021 season of both the National Basketball League-Pilipinas and the Women's National Basketball League-Pilipinas.

NBL-Pilipinas is the country's first regional professional league for homegrown basketball players while WNBL-Pilipinas is the country's first-ever professional league for women's basketball. Unlike the NBL, the WNBL is an open tournament.

Both leagues secured pro status from the Games and Amusements Board back in August last year.

"The NBL shares the same vision as Chooks-to-Go which is to bring out the best in our homegrown athletes. On the other hand, the WNBL is a league that is a breakthrough for all Filipina athletes," said Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascariñas.

"We are looking forward to helping both leagues in their new journey as professional leagues just like how we have helped the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup and the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League."

For his part, National Basketball chairman Celso Mercado is delighted by the support of Chooks-to-Go.

"We are very excited to take the next step in championing athletes all over the country," said Mercado.

With this, Chooks-to-Go will serve as the title sponsor of both leagues for their inaugural pro seasons.

It will begin when the leagues hold their 1v1 basketball tournament later this month. Both the NBL and WNBL are also looking to start their 5-on-5 basketball tournaments in the third quarter of the year.

For its men's 3x3 basketball tournament, all member teams of the NBL will compete in Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3, along with teams from the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup and the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

For women's 3x3, Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 will work in partnership with the WNBL.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/basketball-chooks-to-go-to-bankroll-nbl-wnbl

The World Tonight | ANC (12 May 2021)

Karate: Junna Tsukii trains in Serbia ahead of another Olympic qualifier

 Filipina-Japanese karateka Junna Tsukii is not wasting her time as she gears up for another Olympic qualifying tournament, this time in Paris, to clinch a ticket for the Tokyo Games this year. 

In an interview with ANC, Tsukii opened up about her preparations to qualify for the biggest sporting event in the world after winning a gold medal in the Karate Premier League in Lisbon, Portugal early this month. 

According to the SEA Games gold medalist, she is currently training in Serbia where she is being helped by a karate world champion.

Tsukii explained that she chose the European country to continue her training because the gym is accessible and easy to visit despite the pandemic. 

She is targeting at least a bronze medal in the Paris tournament next month which will propel her to the Olympics. 

“We have tournament next month in Paris. I need to get medal there. If I can get medal, I'm sure I go to Olympics,” she said. 

Tsukii also bared how she keeps herself motivated to get better in practice, realizing other athletes continued their training amid the COVID-19 threat. 

“Every day my body is pain, tired, my muscle is pain. Sometimes I can't wake up from (being) tired. But even that, I try my best every day for this tournament,” Tsukii revealed. 

Instead of scouting her opponents, she said she is more focused on pushing herself and working doubly hard on her weaknesses. 

“It's not about the other. It’s myself. Even you're tired, I push myself. You do more. You can do more,” she shared. “I accept my weakness. And next, I try to fix it.”

After settling for bronze in the 2017 SEA Games, Tsukii vowed to return with vengeance which turned out to be fruitful, reaping the gold in 2019 edition. 

She first learned about the inclusion of karate in the Olympics around 2015 when she was still with the Japanese national team. 

Tsukii eventually found her heart closer to the Philippines and chose it to represent in the tournaments. 

“I want to represent the Philippines and get gold medal,” she proudly said. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/karate-junna-tsukii-trains-in-serbia-ahead-of-another-olympic-qualifier

Start Letting God Be God In Your Life

 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  1 Corinthians 13:12

One of the most important things you can ever learn about God is that God is God!  That’s not very profound, you may think, but it is, really!  Here’s why!  Not knowing God, we assume that He is kind of a glorified human, and therefore try to understand Him just as you would another human being.  Now, to say that God is God isn’t to say for a moment that He is not a person with intelligence, will and emotions!  He is that plus an infinite amount more.  He is also One who can be known, which means that God is not a Force, The Prime Mover of the Universe or an Abstract Power out there—wherever that may be.

To say that God is God is to make a powerful assertion which takes us above the level of humanity, rising to the supernatural.  Therefore, we should assume that in so many ways God is different from humans we know.  He never changes.  He has neither beginning nor end.  He never grows weary nor becomes bored or frustrated.  He’s faithful, too.  What He says He will do, He does!  It may take Him some time, perhaps even a long while, and we may get pretty restless waiting for Him to come through, but He will eventually.  I’ve often been quoted as saying, “God is seldom early, but He’s never late!”

A man who spent a lifetime walking with the Lord, who was perhaps closer to God than any man in his day, Samuel, the prophet, wrote, “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man that he should change his mind” (1 Samuel 15:29). This is one of the reasons why it’s hard for some to understand Him.  God is different from us.  He’s never in a hurry, but we often are!  He always keeps His word.  But often we don’t.  He just operates on a different logic level, and that’s why it’s tough for us at times.  God, Himself, told us this a long time ago.  You find these words in Isaiah 55:8-9,  “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts,  neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.  ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'”

God is also different from us in that He has infinite patience and compassion.  He understands when we wouldn’t even try.  Have you never read a newspaper account of some terrible situation where someone was brutal to another, perhaps a child or an innocent victim, and you thought, “If I were God I’d really zap that guy…”?  Sure, you would have, and so would I, but God didn’t.  Why?  Is God soft on justice?  Some have thought so, even those who were spiritual men or prophets.  I’m thinking of Habakkuk, the man who wrote one of the Old Testament books, who faced the issue and cried out, “How long, O Lord, must I call for help but you do not listen?…  Why do you tolerate wrong?”  God finally answered him and he began to realize that there is an end to the patience of God, a limit when His infinite patience runs out and justice follows.

There is one thought that I want to leave with you.  Let God be God!  Rest in the fact that He is sovereign, that He knows the future, and therefore, if you are His child, you can rest in the confidence that He is fully in control of your life and the world in which you live.  The more you know of His Word and His ways, the more confident you will be of His ability to keep you and to watch over your life.  No child of God would ever question the ways of God if He understood the whole picture.

Now we know in part, but eventually we will know the whole story.

Resource reading: 1 Corinthians 13: 8-13.

https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/start-letting-god-be-god-in-your-life/

WATCH: PCSO 9 PM Lotto Draw, May 12, 2021

PBA: Brownlee might be here as early as All-Filipino Conference, says Chua

Dennis Gasgonia, ABS-CBN News

Barangay Ginebra will again bring in Justin Brownlee for the import-laden conference this coming 46th PBA Season.

But San Miguel Corp. (SMC) sports director Alfrancis Chua said it is possible that their beloved reinforcement would be in the country even during the All-Filipino conference.

"Si Justin Brownlee, kahit all-Filipino pa lang, baka dumating na rito," said Chua in an interview on The Chasedown. 

"Tawag ng tawag yun, dito na talaga ang bahay niya. Gusto niyang umuwi dito."

Brownlee has been Ginebra's most favored reinforcement having played a vital role in giving the franchise 4 championships.

The American, whose naturalization case remains pending at the House of Representatives, said in an online report that he planned to return to the Philippines once his Middle Eastern tour in the United Arab Emirates National Basketball League ends.

Chua said that if he would have his way, Brownlee would have been already in the Philippines as early as November.

"Kaso kukuha pa ng visa, ng ganyan... maraming kukuhain.

 

Kung inapprove lang na papunta siya dito, noong November pa lang nandito na siya eh. Tutulong daw siya sa ensayo," he said. 

"Alam mo yung batang 'yun mahal niya ang Pilipinas. Sabi nga niya pag nagretire siya dito na siya sa Pilipinas."

He also recounted the time when Brownlee was first introduced to Ginebra in 2016 as a replacement import.

At 6-foot-7, he was considered as an "undersized" import then.

"Napilay yung import namin, kaya kailangang mapalitan agad. so nung nirekomenda sa amin si Brownlee, nung makita namin sa ensayo sabi ko 'Patay tayo dito,'" said Chua.

"Mas relaxed pa sa kin eh, sobrang relaxed! Di aggressive, parang papetiks-petiks lang. Pero nung naglaro na iba pala sa laro. Me magic pala." 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/pba-brownlee-might-be-here-as-early-as-all-filipino-conference-says-chua

Football: Chinese teams score own goals in 'outrageous' bid to lose

Two Chinese football teams purposely scored own goals to try to lose a farcical match in what has been described as "an unbelievable" scene and "a smear" on the game.

Widely shared footage of the game between the over-35 sides showed them strolling about and kicking the ball into their own nets unchallenged with the match locked at 2-2 towards the end.

The teams, on the southern island province of Hainan, were desperate to lose to avoid facing a stronger opponent in the elimination round of the competition.

Hainan's football association called it "an unbelievable scene" and urged organisers to ban both teams for life.

"We condemn this kind of unethical behaviour, which is a smear on amateur football in Hainan," the association said in a statement.

"Chinese football, how low can you go?" wrote a sports blogger on the Twitter-like Weibo who has five million followers.

"It's indecent."

The state-run China News Service said that such farcical scenes were all too common.

"Although this kind of behaviour is outrageous, it is distressing that on the chaotic amateur football field, negative situations like this often occur."

Chinese media and the local football association did not say which team eventually succeeded in losing the game.

pst/dma/dh

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/football-chinese-teams-score-own-goals-in-outrageous-bid-to-lose

Japan to vaccinate Olympic athletes before Games: reports

Japan plans to vaccinate its Olympic athletes before the Tokyo Games, domestic media reported Wednesday, a move that would place them ahead of the general population as the government faces pressure over a slow rollout.

There was no immediate comment from Olympic organisers or Japan's Olympic Committee on the reports in the Nikkei and Yomiuri Shimbun dailies, which did not name their sources.

The newspapers said around 2,500 people including athletes and coaches would be included, with Japanese sports federations in charge of administering the jabs.

Japan's government had previously denied it was considering a plan to vaccinate athletes ahead of the general population.

Earlier this month, US drug giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech announced a deal with the International Olympic Committee to provide vaccines for competitors and staff at the Tokyo Games.

They said initial doses for participating delegations would begin at the end of May, without specifying which teams would be involved.

Japan has so far only approved the Pfizer jab and the government has faced pressure over the comparatively slow rollout of its inoculation campaign as Tokyo and other areas battle new virus emergencies.

For now, only medical workers and the elderly are eligible for jabs, with no timeline yet set for the general population to receive them.

Polls show public dissatisfaction with the rollout, and the government has pledged to speed up the programme.

The Games, opening in just over 10 weeks, face continued controversy in Japan, where surveys show a majority oppose holding them this summer.

But in a potential bright spot for organisers, around 280 doctors have applied for just 200 volunteer positions at the Games, the Kyodo news agency reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

Organisers have come under fire for requesting medical volunteers step forward to help during the Games at a time when Japan's healthcare system is under pressure from a fourth virus wave.

Despite public opposition, organisers insist the Games can be held safely this summer, pointing to safety guidelines, increasing vaccination of athletes and a series of recent test events in Tokyo.

A spokesman for Toyota, a top Olympic sponsor, gave an ambivalent response when asked about their view on the Games.

"We are anxiously thinking every day about what is the best way," Toyota's chief communication officer Jun Nagata told reporters.

"The spirit of the Olympics and Paralympics... is based on the premise that athletes as well as people in Japan are in a safe environment," he said.

"Part of Japanese people's frustration has been directed at athletes, probably because of worries over medicine. We as a sponsor really regret that."

kh-hih/sah/kaf/jfx

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/japan-to-vaccinate-olympic-athletes-before-games-reports

Dwight Ramos to join Gilas training camp soon

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

Dwight Ramos, one of the standouts for Gilas Pilipinas in the most recent FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, is set to join the team in their training bubble at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna. 

Ramos arrived from California last week, having flown back when the national team broke camp in late March when "NCR Plus" was put under enhanced community quarantine.

"I'm just getting this quarantine," Ramos said in an appearance on "Hoops Life" presented by Smart Sports. "Just got back (from) the States. Just wait for a week, get my swab, and hopefully, get to Inspire."

The rest of the Gilas Pilipinas pool have been at the Calamba facility since April 26, where they are preparing for the final window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifiers that will take place in Clark, Pampanga next month.

There, Ramos is expected to once again take a starring role, after shining in the November 2020 window held in Bahrain.

The Ateneo forward memorably had a "perfect" game against Thailand, where he made all seven field goals for 20 points in a comfortable 93-61 victory. Ramos is averaging 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists over the first two windows of the qualifiers. 

"I'm hoping (I'm) just scratching the surface," Ramos said of his performances for the national team. "I'm hoping to continue playing well, and that this is just the beginning."

Leading the Gilas Pilipinas pool are the full-time players selected by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) in the PBA Rookie Draft: Isaac Go, Matt and Mike Nieto, Rey Suerte, William Navarro, Jaydee Tungcab, Jordan Heading, and Tzaddy Rangel.

Other student-athletes who have joined the camp are: Justine Baltazar, Javi Gomez de Liano, Dave Ildefonso, SJ Belangel, RJ Abarrientos, Carl Tamayo, Jason Credo, Geo Chiu, and Lebron Lopez. Ateneo center Ange Kouame, who is on the brink of naturalization, completes the pool.

Aside from the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifiers, the team will also compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia from June 29 to July 4.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/dwight-ramos-to-join-gilas-training-camp-soon

Basketball: Aussie basketball stars feud over 'whitewash' race row

Australian basketball's longest-running feud flared again Wednesday when former NBA star Andrew Bogut took aim at women's Olympic stalwart Liz Cambage over her accusations team photos had been "whitewashed".

Cambage threatened to boycott the Tokyo Games over the lack of racial diversity in two photoshoots before backtracking and declaring she would represent Australia in Japan.

Bogut, an NBA championship-winning centre with the Golden State Warriors in 2015, labelled Cambage's criticism as "absolutely ridiculous".

He said the two-time Olympian, who has a Nigerian father and Australian mother and is preparing for the new WNBA season with the Las Vegas Aces, was basing her argument on "counting the amount of different skin colours in a photo".

Bogut said many Australian athletes of colour, including Cambage herself, were unavailable for promotional photoshoots because they were excelling overseas.

"This is made out like it was a blatant effort to whitewash the photo, to make Australia look white," Bogut said on his podcast Rogue Bogues.

"Come on, not in today's day and age. You'd be an idiot if you're running the AOC (Australian Olympic Committee) to do that because you're going to get blow-ups."

Cambage and Bogut have a history of bad blood dating back to just before the Rio 2016 Olympics, when he mocked her online for attending a Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne.

Bogut, who retired last year after a string of injuries, has continued to chip away intermittently, prompting Cambage to respond to his latest criticism on social media.

"Mr Bogut's obsession with me so strange, it's been like 10 years of you speaking on my name.... if you want me just say that," she tweeted, followed by a string of crying and laughing emojis.

Bogut responded: "Love ya @ecambage! Could you please not use all yellow emojis and use a more diverse range of emojis next time?"

The Australian Olympic Committee conceded after Cambage's aired her initial concerns that she had a point and future photoshoots would reflect its diversity of athletes.

ns/dm/dh

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/basketball-aussie-basketball-stars-feud-over-whitewash-race-row

Thirdy Ravena explains situation to PBA

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

Thirdy Ravena has sent a letter to the PBA explaining his situation with the San-En NeoPhoenix in Japan's B.League, commissioner Willie Marcial confirmed on Wednesday.

This as questions were raised about Ravena's PBA draft eligibility after he signed a contract extension with San-En on Monday.

"Sumulat na siya sa atin. Sinulat lang na nag-renew siya ng kontrata niya sa Japan," Marcial told ABS-CBN News in a phone interview.

In his letter, Ravena made note of his injury-riddled first season with the NeoPhoenix, which also saw him test positive for COVID-19. Nonetheless, the team signed him to a new contract for "multiple years."

"Okay naman siya sa Japan league," said Marcial. "So congratulations kay Thirdy."

Marcial offered no further comment, particularly about Ravena's status as a so-called "draft dodger." 

The PBA in 2018 had crafted a rule where players who skip the Rookie Draft for two consecutive years after their final collegiate season in the Philippines are subject to a ban from the league.

Ravena last played collegiate basketball for Ateneo de Manila University in 2019.

"Ang comment ko, congratulations, and good for him," Marcial said of Ravena's contract extension with San-En.

Ravena is looking to make a bigger impact for San-En in its campaign in the next B.League season, after playing just 18 games in his first year with the club. 

The former UAAP Finals MVP averaged just 9.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game, as the NeoPhoenix finished with a 12-47 win-loss record. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/thirdy-ravena-pba-draft

19 teams committed as MPBL eyes 3-month season

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

Nineteen teams, including last season's finalists San Juan and Davao Occidental, are committed to play in the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Mumbaki Cup.

League commissioner Kenneth Duremdes said Tuesday that 19 teams have confirmed their participation for the upcoming season, including a new team based in Negros.

"Meron tayong bago na sumali diyan, 'yung Negros. Bale new team siya at sasali siya sa bubble natin 'pag natuloy tayo," Duremdes said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

"And 'yung finalists, andoon, 'yung finalists natin," he added. "May natanggap din ako na gustong sumali din, but we're still waiting for their letter of intent, kung aabot sila." 

The league is hoping to start the Mumbaki Cup as soon as possible, though it is still in the process of securing the necessary permits from the government. 

Initially, the MPBL targeted a June 12 opening, but as the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has yet to give them the go signal to resume practices, Duremdes has admitted that it is unlikely they can start the season on that date. 

Once the IATF has allowed the MPBL teams to practice, they must then get permission from the local governments where they are based. Duremdes said he plans to give teams at least two weeks to practice before they officially start the season.

The MPBL is once again planning to hold its games in a bubble, possibly in Subic where they concluded last season's Lakan Cup. There are two venues in Subic that they can use, according to Duremdes.

"Dalawang venue and we play Monday to Saturday -- three games sa kabilang court, three games sa kabilang court," he explained. "Para mabilis ' yung tournament natin." 

"Sa 19 teams, na-compute na namin 'yung mga total games. Aabot tayo ng finals, most likely, in two and a half months to three months kung walang mga delays," he added.

However, Duremdes warned that delays will occur should there be any MPBL teams that return positive COVID-19 results. The commissioner said that they are required to undergo saliva tests every seven days.

"Any moment naman na magkaroon ng positive, magkakaroon ng delay 'yun. Dahil mag-aadjust 'yung team, hindi puwedeng maglaro, magka-quarantine 'yun, magkakaroon ulit ng swab," he said. "So masisira ang schedule mo, gagawa ka na naman ng panibago na adjustment."

"So 'yun ang mga tinitingnan natin na medyo aabot siya ng three months kung saka-sakaling may mga delay," he said.

The MPBL's Lakan Cup ran for over a year as the playoffs were suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It wasn't until March 2021 that the season concluded in the Subic bubble, with Davao Occidental emerging as champions. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/19-teams-committed-as-mpbl-eyes-3-month-season

Alfrancis Chua kay Calvin Abueva: Last stop mo na sa Magnolia

 Dennis Gasgonia, ABS-CBN News

Binalikan ni San Miguel Corp. (SMC) sports director Alfrancis Chua ang naging unang pag-uusap nila ng kontrobersyal na si Calvin Abueva mula nang makuha ang huli para sa koponan ng Magnolia.

Sinabi ni Chua na kung magiging maayos na player ang dating San Sebastian standout ay sa Magnolia na mananatili si Abueva hanggang magretiro.

"Pinatawag ko siya, nag-usap kaming dalawa. Sabi ko sa kanya, 'Bata, ang dami mo nang napuntahang team, dami nang nangyari sa buhay mo. Tingin ko huling stop mo na 'to,'" sabi ni Chua sa panayam niya sa "The Chasedown." 

Nakuha ng Hotshots ang explosive power forward sa isang blockbuster deal kapalit ni Chris Banchero, na napunta naman sa Phoenix Super LPG.

Alam ni Chua ang mga sigalot na pinagdaanan ni Abueva, na minsang nakabanggaan na rin ng dating coach noong siya ay team manager ng Ginebra.

Ngayong nasa Magnolia na si Abueva, magkakampi na ang dalawa dahil nasa iisang payong na sila ng SMC group.

"Ayusin mo na 'to. Na-prove mo na kaya mong ayusin. 'Yung last conference, last bubble, maganda attitude mo, maganda nilaro mo. Kaya mo pala ng ganun. Pero nandoon pa rin [ang] laro mo. Ang dami mong napabilib," ani Chua.

Habang nasa PBA bubble, nakapagtala si Abueva ng averages na 15.4 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists, at 1.7 steals per game.

Naging kandidato pa siya para sa Best Player of the Conference at maging sa Sportsmanship Award.

"Kung ako papipiliin, siya Sportsmanship (awardee) ko e. Kaso nga ang tao, kahit anong tanong mo, kahit nagbago ka na, kapag tinanong mo [tungkol kay] Abueva, iba pa 'yung nasa utak nila. Na-prove mo na sa kanila kung ano ka. Bata, iayos mo [ang] buhay mo. Calvin dito, gaganda buhay mo. Nasa sa 'yo 'yan," sabi ni Chua.

Pero ipinaaalala ng SMC official na kailangang makisama ni Abueva sa kanyang bagong teammates.

"Pagdating mo sa Magnolia, may sistema na 'yan. Hindi sila makikisama sayo. Back to zero ka rito. Ikaw makikisama sa kanila," ani Chua.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/alfrancis-chua-kay-calvin-abueva-last-stop-mo-na-sa-magnolia

National volleyball team lineup inanunsyo na

Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News

Inanunsyo na ng Philippine National Volleyball Federation ang kanilang mga lineup para sa men's, women's, at beach volleyball para sa upcoming SEA Games sa Vietnam, pati na rin ang Asian Senior Women's Championship na ayon kay PNVF president Tatz Suzara ay magaganap sa Clark, Pampanga.

Kasama sa women's national team sina Jaja Santiago, Aby Marano, Eya Laure, at ilang mga atleta sa iba't ibang UAAP schools.

NOW - The Philippine National Volleyball Federation holds a press conference to announce the official national team lineups | @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/lTowTNkq3E

— Dyan Castillejo (@DYANCASTILLEJO) May 12, 2021

Sa men's team naman sina Marck Espejo at Bryan Bagunas, at iba pang atletang nakasama sa koponan na nakasungkit ng silver sa nakaraang SEA Games. 

Sa beach volleyball, kabilang sina Sisi Rondina at ang mga kasama niyang nanalo ng Bronze sa huling SEA Games.

Lahat ng labing-anim na dumalo ng women's team tryouts noong April 28 at 29 sa ay pasok sa team.

Ayon sa PNVF, kulang pa raw ang pool para sa women's team kaya binuksan nito ang pagkakataon para sa mga players na hindi nag-attend ng tryouts sa Subic, kagaya nina Alyssa Valdez at Jia Morado.

Pero ang pagpili ng mga natitirang slots sa teams ay nakabase sa desisyon ng PNVF, kasama ang bagong Brazilian coach na si Jorge Edson. 

Magsisimula ang training sa June 1 sa Subic, samantalang ang beach volleyball training ay magaganap muna sa Ilocos Norte simula May 15 bago pumunta rin sa Subic.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/national-volleyball-team-lineup-inanunsyo-na

WATCH: PCSO 5 PM Lotto Draw, May 12, 2021

PNVF names 16 players to women's national team pool

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

(UPDATED) All 16 players who participated in the tryout for the women's national volleyball team late last month were included in the national team pool released by the country's volleyball federation on Wednesday.

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) identified 16 players to the national team pool, which will then be submitted to the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

However, they plan to add at least four more players to the pool, who will be identified by incoming Brazilian head coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito upon his arrival, in coordination with coach Odjie Mamon.

The national team pool is as follows:

Setters

1. Iris Tolenada (Unattached)

2. Kamille Cal (NU)

Outside Hitters

3. Faith Nisperos (Ateneo)

4. Ivy Lacsina (NU)

5. Mhicaela Belen (NU)

Opposites

6. Mylene Paat (Chery Tiggo) 

7. Eya Laure (Chery Tiggo) 

8. Alyssa Solomon (NU)

Middle Blockers

9. Aby Maraño (F2 Logistics) 

10. Majoy Baron (F2 Logistics) 

11. Jaja Santiago (Chery Tiggo)

12. Dell Palomata (Air Force/Sta. Lucia)

13. Ria Meneses (PetroGazz)

14. Imee Hernandez (UST)

Liberos

15. Jennifer Nierva (NU)

16. Bernadette Pepito (UST)

Only 16 of the 40 players invited by the PNVF attended the tryouts in Subic last April 28, with high profile players such as Alyssa Valdez, Jia Morado, Kim Fajardo, and Dawn Macandili all begging off, mainly over health and safety concerns. 

According to PNVF President Ramon "Tats" Suzara, all players who missed the tryouts remain in consideration for the last four to six slots in the national team pool. Souza de Brito and Mamon will base their selections on previous competitions as well as the upcoming Premier Volleyball League (PVL) tournament.

"We would like to complete the 20, it might be 21, it might be 22, depending on the missing positions, like setter, opposite, and outside hitter," Suzara said. 

"We definitely need another setter and another libero because the current ones we have on the lineup are both young. So we need a veteran libero to beef up the team. Outside hitter we have only three, so we need two or three more," added Mamon.

The national team pool is expected to start training soon, as the PNVF plans to compete in the upcoming AVC Asian Senior Women's Volleyball Championship that they hope to host in Clark, Pampanga this August. 

This will also serve as a build-up to the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi this November. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/pnvf-names-16-players-to-womens-national-team-pool

Volleyball stars who missed tryout can still make national team pool

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

The players who missed the women's national volleyball team tryouts can still make it to the national team pool, after all.

Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon "Tats" Suzara walked back from his initial "no tryout, no national team" pronouncement, which he made on April 28 after a sparsely-attended tryout in Subic.

Of the 40 players that the federation invited to the women's national team tryout, only 16 attended including star middle blocker Jaja Santiago and national team skipper Abigail Maraño. 

Several national team mainstays, including Alyssa Valdez, Kim Fajardo, Dawn Macandili, and Jia Morado, begged off over health and safety concerns.

Also missing the tryouts were: setter Rhea Dimaculangan; liberos Kath Arado and Denden Lazaro; outside spikers Myla Palo, Ces Molina, and Angel Canino; opposite hitters Kat Tolentino, Kianna Dy, MJ Phillips, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, and Alleiah Malaluan; and middle blockers Bea de Leon, Risa Sato, Maddie Madayag, Thea Gagate, Marist Layug, and Lorene Toring. 

On Wednesday, all 16 players who attended the tryout were named to the national team pool. But Suzara and National Team Commission chairman Tony Boy Liao said they have to pick at least four more players.

"We would like to complete the 20. It might be 21 (players), it might be 22, depending on the missing positions like setter, opposite, and outside hitter," said Suzara.

Making the selections are incoming Brazilian head coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito as well as coach Odjie Mamon. Souza de Brito is expected to arrive in the country by July, but is already studying game tapes of the national team players. 

According to Suzara, all of the players who did not attend the tryout on April 28 will be considered for the remaining slots in the national team pool. Initially, he had said that only those with valid excuses will be considered, such as Filipino-American players Kalei Mau and Alohi Robins Hardy, who were both out of the country during the tryout. 

"All these various reasons why they did not attend will be considered," said Suzara. "There will be no more tryouts."

Souza de Brito and Mamon will base their selections on previous competitions as well as their performances in the upcoming season of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).

"We definitely need another setter and another libero because the current ones we have on the lineup are both young. So we need a veteran libero to beef up the team. Outside hitter we have only three, so we need two or three more," said Mamon, who will provide Souza de Brito with the game film of the national team players ahead of the Brazilian coach's arrival in the Philippines.

The national team pool for both men and women will begin their training on June 1 in Subic, with the women's team set to compete in the AVC Asian Women's Volleyball Championship in August that the PNVF hopes to host in Clark, Pampanga.

Suzara has already requested the officials of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) to hold its tournament in a bubble in Subic so as the national team can keep training even while the conference is ongoing. 

"I requested the PVL, through Ricky Palou and Tony Boy, na if possible na matuloy na sa Subic, because doon naka-base ang national team," he said. "It will be easier for the players to train."

"Although nothing is still final, but the PNVF's request is to have the PVL bubble in Subic. Kasi kung mag-ibang venue, mahihirapan ang national team," he added.

Aside from Subic, the PVL is also considering the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna as a possible site for its bubble. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/volleyball-pnvf-alyssa-valdez-jia-morado-national-team-pool

PH likely to host Asian Women's Volleyball Championship in Clark bubble

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

The Philippines will almost certainly host the 2021 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship after the original host, China, backed out.

Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) President Ramon "Tats" Suzara said in a media briefing on Wednesday that it was "99%" certain the country will host the biennial event in a bubble in Clark, Pampanga.

"China backed out, and the AVC (Asian Volleyball Confederation) requested the Philippines to host the championships," he explained.

The Philippines previously hosted the tournament in 2017 in Biñan, Laguna, where Japan emerged as champions over Thailand. The Philippine women's team placed eighth overall in the event.

Suzara said they expect 14 to 16 teams to participate in the tournament.

The Angeles University Foundation (AUF) Gym will serve as the main venue for the games, while the San Fernando Convention Center and Subic Gym will be the secondary halls. The teams will likely be billeted at the Quest Hotel.

The event will thus follow a similar set-up to what was done by the PBA in its bubble in Clark last year, as well as what will be done by FIBA and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas for the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers next month.

"If FIBA Asia will be in AUF, susunod ang volleyball naman," said Suzara.

The federation president guaranteed that all health and safety protocols will be strictly followed by all involved.

"We will follow all the rules," Suzara said.

As the event will take place in a bubble, no fans will be allowed to watch the games in person. 

The 2021 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship will be the first major test for the Philippine women's volleyball team this year, following their sparsely-attended tryout in Subic last April 28. On Wednesday, the PNVF named all 16 players who attended to the national team pool, with four to six more players to be added in the coming weeks.

Incoming Brazilian head coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito will choose the last few members of the pool together with Coach Odjie Mamon when he arrives in July. 

After the AVC competition, the women's national team will then turn its attention to the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam in November. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/pnvf-avc-asian-womens-volleyball-championship-hosting

Basketball: Fil-Am Remy Martin enters transfer portal, says US media

US-based Filipino basketball player Remy Martin has entered the NCAA transfer portal, American media reported Wednesday, days after Martin declared for the NBA Draft.

As of posting time, Martin did not say officially whether he was backing out of his Draft plans.

Martin, who played 4 seasons at Arizona State University, was named to the All-Pac-12 first team in the past 2 seasons. 

According to David Cobb of CBS Sports, the 6-foot playmaker “would be one of the most-coveted transfers on the market in college basketball this offseason.”

In a farewell message to his college, Martin said he was a “Sun Devil for life,” referring to Arizona State’s team moniker. 

“I’m extremely thankful for the four years you supported me. I want you guys to know I’ll pursuing my NBA dreams,” the 22-year-old said.

He first declared for the draft in 2020, but relented to complete four years at Tempe.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/basketball-fil-am-remy-martin-enters-transfer-portal-says-us-media

NBA: Kings still barely in playoff race after beating Thunder

Terence Davis came off the bench to score 27 points, leading the Sacramento Kings to a 122-106 home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.

With their sixth victory in seven games, the Kings (31-38) kept their faint playoff hopes alive for at least another day. 

With three games remaining, Sacramento needs to win out and have the San Antonio Spurs lose the rest of their games to have a chance at making the Western Conference play-in tournament.

The Thunder (21-49) saw their losing string stretch to eight, and they fell for the 22nd time in 23 games.

Kenrich Williams led Oklahoma City with 20 points. Darius Bazley had 18 points, and Moses Brown finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

After trailing for much of the first half, the Kings blitzed the Thunder in the third, fueled by a hot start and hot finish to the quarter by Delon Wright.

Wright got Sacramento going coming out of the half with a quick steal to help create a bucket and then scored a basket of his own moments later.

Wright hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final 90 seconds of the period to give the Kings a 20-point lead after a 41-point quarter.

Wright scored 13 of his 21 points in the third, making all five of his field goals in the period. Buddy Hield also finished with 21 for the Kings.

The Thunder were without a true point guard in the game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Theo Maledon were both out due to plantar fasciitis, and Ty Jerome was sidelined due to a calf strain.

Oklahoma City initially thrived with its bigger lineup, jumping ahead with a 12-0 first-quarter run to go up by nine. The Thunder produced a 15-6 run to start the second quarter, giving them a double-digit lead.

After starting the second quarter just 1 of 7 from the floor and falling behind 47-33, the Kings were 12 of 18 the rest of the way until halftime to cut the deficit to three by the break.

Oklahoma City shot 62.2 percent from the floor in the first half but hit just 34 percent after the break.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-kings-still-barely-in-playoff-race-after-beating-thunder

SEA Games medalists banner national beach volley pool

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

The players who won bronze medals in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games will continue to lead the charge in the national beach volleyball team. 

The pairs of Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, and Dzi Gervacio and Dij Rodriguez banner the women's beach volleyball team pool. The four were bronze medalists in the 2019 SEA Games, ending the country's 15-year medal drought in the event. 

They are joined by Babylove Barbon, Gen Eslapor, and Mer Jauculan of University of Santo Tomas, and the Abanse Negrense trio of Jennifer Cosas, Alexa Polidario, and Erjane Magdato.

Meanwhile, the men's beach volleyball pool will feature Jude Garcia, Jaron Requinton, and James Buytrago, who all won bronze medals in the 2019 SEA Games.

Joining them is veteran Ranran Abdilla, who shifted from indoor to beach volleyball. Other members of the pool are Anthony Arbasto, Philip Bagalay, Jade Becaldo, Calvin Sarte, James Pecaña, and AJ Pareja.

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) unveiled the pools on Wednesday.

Paul Jan Doloiras will coach the women's team, while Rhovyl Verayo will call the shots for the men's team.

The beach volleyball teams will begin training in a bubble in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte on May 15 to prepare for their participation in the AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Cup in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand next month. The event serves as a qualifying tournament for the Tokyo Olympics.

"'Yung bubble na gagawin namin ngayon, talagang medyo intense at medyo mahirap, para makuha namin ang gusto naming goal, which is 'yung championship sa SEA Games," said Doloiras.

"Ang expectation namin sa SEA Games is maitaas pa namin ang medal na bronze. Hopefully, we can make it silver and gold," said Verayo. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/national-beach-volleyball-team-sipons

NBA: Talen Horton-Tucker thrives in OT as Lakers nip Knicks

Talen Horton-Tucker hit the decisive 3-pointer with 20.3 seconds left in overtime, lifting the Los Angeles Lakers to a 101-99 victory over the visiting New York Knicks on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old guard scored eight of his 13 points in extra time.

The seventh-place Lakers (39-30) pulled within one game of the Mavericks (40-29) in the chase for sixth place in the Western Conference after Dallas lost at Memphis on Tuesday. 

The top six teams clinch berths in the main draw of the playoffs while the seventh- through 10th-place teams head to a play-in tournament.

Kyle Kuzma paced the Lakers with 23 points. Anthony Davis added 20 points, and Andre Drummond chipped in with 16 points and 18 rebounds.

The Knicks (38-31) finished a six-game road swing 3-3. They play their final three games of the regular season at home.

Facing his former team, Julius Randle totaled a game-high 31 points for New York. Derrick Rose contributed 27 points, six rebounds and six assists off the bench.

After the loss, the Knicks are in a three-way tie with the Atlanta Hawks (38-31) and the Miami Heat (38-31) for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Lakers star LeBron James missed his fifth game in a row. He decided to take more time to rest his sore right ankle, having returned in late April from a six-week absence and appearing in just two games before shutting it down again.

The Lakers hope James can play at home Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, when the team will unfurl the championship banner from last year in the final home contest.

Los Angeles point guard Alex Caruso started the game, but exited after the opening quarter due to right foot soreness and did not return. He played seven scoreless minutes.

It was a tightly contested, physical contest that featured 23 lead changes and 11 ties. Los Angeles improved to 5-1 in overtimes this season while the Knicks dropped to 3-2.

At the start of overtime, Horton-Tucker gave the Lakers a three-point lead on a corner 3-pointer, an advantage they held onto until Randle hit a 3-pointer with 1:11 left, putting the Knicks ahead by a point.

After Horton-Tucker's go-ahead hoop, New York's RJ Barrett missed a long 3-point try in the final seconds. Barrett also missed a shot for the win at the end of regulation.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-talen-horton-tucker-thrives-in-ot-as-lakers-nip-knicks

Volleyball: Bagunas, Espejo headline men's national team pool

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

Thirteen members of the team that won silver in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games have qualified for the men's national team volleyball team pool, the federation announced on Wednesday. 

Leading the way are the country's ace spikers, Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo. Bagunas qualified despite missing the tryouts held in Subic late last month due to a knee injury that he sustained during his campaign for Oita Miyoshi in Japan's V.League. 

The pool is as follows: 

Setters

1. Jessie Lopez (Air Force) 

2. Kim Dayadante (Go for Gold)

3. Ish Polvorosa (Unattached) 

4. Josh Retamar (NU/Sta. Elena) 

Outside Hitters

5. Mark Alfafara (PLDT) 

6. Marck Espejo (Cignal) 

7. Bryan Bagunas (Go for Gold) 

8. Jao Umandal (PLDT) 

9. Nico Almendras (NU/Sta. Elena)

Opposites

10. John Vic de Guzman (PLDT) 

11. Ysay Marasigan (Cignal)

12. Joeven dela Vega (Navy)

Middle Blockers

13. Rex Intal (Cignal) 

14. Kim Malabunga (Go for Gold) 

15. Francis Saura (Go for Gold) 

16. JP Bugaoan (Cignal)

17. Lloyd Josafat (UE/PLDT)

Liberos

18. Jack Kalingking (Navy) 

19. Ricky Marcos (Go for Gold) 

20. Manuel Sumanguid (Cignal)

The national team will start training in a bubble in Subic by June 1. According to national team coach Dante Alinsunurin, Bagunas is expected to be ready to practice by July.

"Nag-usap na kami ni Bryan tungkol sa tuhod niya. Hindi naman kailangan ng operation, need lang talaga ng conditioning at strengthening. Siguro by June or August makakasama na sa amin," he said.

The men's team is expected to compete in the Asian Men's Championship, scheduled for September in Japan, before the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam in November. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/volleyball-bagunas-espejo-headline-mens-national-team-pool

Hesitant Rafael Nadal joins chorus of concern about Tokyo Olympics

Two-time Olympic champion Rafael Nadal on Tuesday became the latest top tennis player to admit that he had not yet decided whether he would participate in the Tokyo Games this summer, still giving himself time to decide according to "circumstances".

The 34-year-old Spaniard won gold in the singles in Beijing in 2008, adding another gold in the doubles with Marc Lopez in Rio de Janeiro five years ago.

"In a normal world I would never consider missing the Olympics. There is no doubt about that," he said at a press conference ahead of his opening match at the Italian Open.

"Everybody knows how important the Olympics are for me.

"Under these circumstances, I don't know. Let's see what's going on in the next couple of months. But I need to organize my schedule. 

"I don't know yet. Honestly I can't give you a clear answer because I don't know. 

"In a normal year, I know my schedule almost 100 percent from January 1 until the end of the season. This year is a little bit different, no?

"We need to be flexible. We need to adapt to the things that are happening. I don't know, I can't give you an accurate answer. Sorry."

Nadal is the latest top tennis star to voice his concerns about the Tokyo Games. 

On Monday, Serena Williams said she was undecided about going to the Olympics while Japanese stars Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori have both raised concerns about whether Tokyo should be hosting the Games at all.

"I'm an athlete, and of course my immediate thought is that I want to play in the Olympics," Osaka told the BBC.

"But as a human, I would say we're in a pandemic, and if people aren't healthy, and if they're not feeling safe, then it's definitely a really big cause for concern."

The Olympics, postponed from 2020 because of the coronavirus, are due to run from July 23 to August 8.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/hesitant-rafael-nadal-joins-chorus-of-concern-about-tokyo-olympics

WATCH: PCSO 2 PM Lotto Draw, May 12, 2021

VisMin Super Cup: Regulator 'inclined' to revoke team's license over game-fixing

The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) on Wednesday said it is "inclined" to withdraw or revoke the license of a basketball team over allegations of game-fixing during the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup. 

While the investigation is still ongoing, GAB Chairman Abraham Mitra said: “Meron pong isang team doon na pinatanggalan na ng... hindi na pinayagang maglaro ulit.” 

“The GAB is inclined to withdraw o tanggalin naman iyong lisensya nila para ma-ban na talaga sila to teach them a lesson, so that all these things will not happen again,” he said in a public briefing. 

(There is a team there that was no longer allowed to play. The GAB is inclined to withdraw or revoke their license so that they will be totally banned to teach them a lesson, and so that all these things will not happen again.)

The league in April expelled players and coaches of Siquijor's now-infamous contest with the Lapu-Lapu City team, during which both sides missed point blank layups and free throws. 

Several players and coaches of Lapu-Lapu City were fined and suspended. 

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) decried the game as a "travesty," and warned of possible sanctions at the federation level. 

The following teams are set to compete in the Mindanao leg of the league: Basilan Peace Riders, Cagayan De Oro Rafters, Zamboanga Los Valientes, Pagadian Explorers, Roxas Vanguards, Sindagan Saints, and groups from Tawi-Tawi, Valencia City, Bukidnon, and Ozamis.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/vismin-cup-basketball-game-fixing-gab

PBA teams undergoing swab tests, practices to resume soon

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

PBA teams are already undergoing swab tests in preparation for their return to practices, with the Meralco Bolts expected to start training by Saturday.

"Nagpapa-swab na lahat," PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial confirmed to ABS-CBN News. "By next week, puwede na. Ang Meralco by May 15, puwede na mag-practice 'yun."

The Bolts will train in a bubble in Laoag, Ilocos Norte where they will be hosted by Gov. Matthew Manotoc. 

According to Marcial, the TNT Tropang GIGA will also train there. 

The Blackwater Bossing, the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are expected to train in Batangas, where three different venues have been made available to the PBA by the local government. 

Marcial stressed that teams must first report the result of their tests to the league before they can begin practicing.

Teams must be tested twice in a seven-day span, the commissioner said. They must first undergo an RT-PCR swab test seven days before resuming their practices, then undergo quarantine. 

A saliva test is then required two days before practices start.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/pba-teams-undergoing-swab-tests-practices-to-resume-soon

MMA: India's Bhullar has Brandon Vera well-scouted

Having waited a long time for his opportunity to fight Brandon Vera, Indian wrestling champion Arjan "Singh" Bhullar has compiled a thorough scouting report on the ONE heavyweight champion.

Bhullar, a former UFC veteran, has had months of training and preparation as well as plenty of time to study his Filipino-American foe. Ahead of their showdown at ONE: Dangal, the 34-year-old believes he has come up with the right strategy that will prove he is the better fighter.

Bhullar is scheduled to challenge Vera for the heavyweight belt in the headline bout at ONE: DANGAL, a tape delayed event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore that airs on Saturday, May 15.

"Brandon Vera is dangerous if you let him keep you at range. His kicks are very accurate and powerful. He's got good knees. He'll square me on the ground - that type of stuff. So those are the areas you want to take away," said Bhullar.

"I think Vera's strategy is going to be relying on his kickboxing for sure. He joined another gym which is renowned for their kickboxing. So he is going to look to focus on that, keep his range which is longer, and work his kickboxing. He will also work his clinch, try to stay off the cage, and that's it," he added.

Even if he has studied Vera, Bhullar knows the Fil-Am star won't be an easy opponent. "The Truth" has reigned supreme in the heavyweight division since capturing the inaugural heavyweight belt in 2015. He has been the only man to hold the ONE Heavyweight World Title in the history of ONE Championship.

Vera has finished every man he's faced in the division, showcasing his unreal power and prime striking skill. He has made multiple successful title defenses. 

However, Bhullar believes he has Vera's number, and has the advantage in areas he feels are crucial to taking home the victory.

"For us, our boxing is better. My kickboxing is sharp as well but I just haven't had the chance to show it - how I deal with that and how I meet someone who does that. This would be a good opportunity for that. My clinch work is better than his and I will show that," he guaranteed.

"More than anything, skills aside, I say we are equal all the way around. My insights have separated me from him. I will go further and deeper than he will, and that is where I draw a lot of my confidence from," he added. 

If he can defeat Vera, Bhullar will become the first mixed martial arts world champion to represent his home country of India, on the global stage of mixed martial arts competition. 

"Being a world champion is the most important to me and the fact that I have the ability to make history and be the first (mixed martial arts world champion) in India is very, very important. One, for myself and my legacy, and two, for the next generation to wake up, and other wrestlers and martial artists from India to understand that this is possible for them," he stressed.

ONE: DANGAL features a host of Indian martial arts stars, and aims to showcase the very best that India has to offer. Other Indian athletes scheduled for action include atomweight phenom Ritu "The Indian Tigress" Phogat, Gurdarshan "Saint Lion" Mangat, and Roshan Mainam.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/mma-indias-bhullar-has-brandon-vera-well-scouted

NBA: Bucks brush aside Magic for sixth win in seven games

Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 27 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 114-102 victory over the visiting Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.

Donte DiVincenzo scored 19 points as the Bucks (44-25) won for the sixth time in the past seven games. Brook Lopez added 17 points and Jrue Holiday had 15 for Milwaukee.

The Bucks remain one game behind the Brooklyn Nets for second place in the Eastern Conference with three games left.

Cole Anthony scored 18 points and Moritz Wagner registered 17 points and a season-best 13 rebounds for Orlando (21-48), which has lost four straight games and 17 of its past 21.

Gary Harris scored 14 points, Chasson Randle added 12 and R.J. Hampton had 11 for the Magic, who went 0-3 against Milwaukee this season and have dropped the past seven regular-season meetings.

Orlando, who never led, trailed by 15 in the second quarter and by 14 in the third quarter.

The Magic moved within seven on a basket by Wendell Carter Jr. with 6:43 remaining before Holiday scored five points during a 7-0 spurt that gave the Bucks a 101-87 advantage with 5:39 left. The Magic didn't get closer than 10 the rest of the way.

Khris Middleton added 11 points despite 3-of-15 shooting for the Bucks, who connected on 42.6 percent of their shots and 8 of 33 (24.2 percent) from 3-point range. Milwaukee owned a 63-52 rebounding advantage, led by Bobby Portis' season-best 15 that fell one shy of his career high.

Orlando shot 41.5 percent from the field, including 10 of 30 (33.3 percent) from behind the arc. Carter collected 14 boards for the Magic.

Orlando trailed 65-58 after a 3-pointer by Wagner with 8:05 remaining in the third quarter. Milwaukee answered with a 10-3 run to push the lead to 14.

However, the Magic finished the quarter with a 10-4 burst to pull within 79-71 entering the final stanza.

Antetokounmpo and Lopez scored 11 points apiece as the Bucks led 59-48 at the break.

Milwaukee led 29-22 after the opening quarter and increased the margin to 47-32 on Lopez's 3-pointer with 5:57 left in the half.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-bucks-magic-result-giannis-antetokounmpo

Boxing: Brief visit to hometown will 'recharge' Marcial in quest for Olympic glory

 Tokyo-bound boxer Eumir Marcial is confident he will be physically and mentally ready for the final push towards the Olympic Games after visiting his hometown.

Marcial spent several months in the United States last year to train with Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym. He also made his professional debut in December, beating American boxer Andrew Whitfield via unanimous decision.

He returned to the Philippines in late April, together with world champion Jerwin Ancajas. The 25-year-old Marcial has been in his hometown of Zamboanga for the past few weeks, where he has continued to train and maintain his fitness.

"'Yung reason ko talaga kung bakit umuwi po ako dito is para makita ko 'yung mga magulang ko," said Marcial during an appearance on "Power and Play" recently. 

The young boxer noted that during his seven-month stay in the U.S., his older brother passed away but he still opted to stay in Los Angeles to train. He didn't fly back for the holidays, either. 

Marcial had the option to go straight to Thailand, where the other Filipino boxers are training, but that would mean that he won't see his family again until after the Olympics.

Given his options, Marcial said he needed to see his family first.

"Sobrang dami na ng iniisip ko, gusto ko na makita 'yung magulang ko," he said. "'Yun po 'yung reason talaga na pumunta ako dito, para makapag-recharge."

"Kahit physically fit tayo, pero 'yung mental natin talagang sira, wala tayo sa focus," he pointed out. "Walang mangyayari sa laban natin noon."

Marcial admits that the training in his hometown does not quite compare to what he can do abroad, be it in the US or in Thailand. This is also a concern of the officials of the national boxing federation, who believe that Marcial should already be in Thailand with the rest of the national team.

"We're hoping that he can do well in Zamboanga, pero he's been sparring with his cousin, who is not a middleweight," said ABAP secretary-general Ed Picson on the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday. 

"He should be sparring with Olympic boxers, Olympic-style boxers, 'yun ang sinasabi namin. He has only one sparring partner, pinsan pa niya sa Zamboanga," Picson added. "Sana nga, andoon na siya sa Thailand ngayon pa lang. Pero, well, it is what it is. So we'll work with whatever we have right now."

Marcial believes, however, that visiting his family and getting the right mindset is a worthy tradeoff, even if it means that he will have to work harder to catch up in training.

"Ngayon dito nagku-conditioning na lang kami. At the same time, 'yung isip ko, fresh na fresh," he assured.

Marcial will compete in the Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships in Dubai later this month, after which he will join the national team in Thailand. 

Once there, he is certain that the brief visit he made to Zamboanga will pay dividends.

"Ngayon, nakuha ko na 'yung lakas," he said. "Pagbalik ko sa training, pag-join ko sa team, talagang physical at mental fit po ako." 

Marcial is one of four Filipino boxers to qualify for the Tokyo Games, along with Nesthy Petecio, Irish Magno, and Carlo Paalam, all of whom have been training in Thailand since March 10 in preparation for the Olympics.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/boxing-brief-visit-to-hometown-will-recharge-marcial-in-quest-for-olympic-glory

NBA: Pacers beat 76ers to clinch playoff berth

Caris LeVert scored 24 points and Domantas Sabonis posted a triple-double with 16 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds to lead the host Indiana Pacers to a 103-94 comeback win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

The Pacers (33-36) clinched a berth in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with their second consecutive victory coupled with the Chicago Bulls' loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Sixers (47-22), who were without star center Joel Embiid due to an illness not related to COVID-19, had their season-long eight-game winning streak snapped and were unable to secure the top seed in the East.

Indiana, which holds ninth place in the East, also increased its lead to one game over the 10th-place Washington Wizards as the teams vie for home-court advantage if they were to play in the 9-10 matchup of the play-in round.

Tobias Harris led Philadelphia, which leads Brooklyn by two games with three remaining, by scoring a game-high 27 points.

But LeVert, who also had seven rebounds and five assists, scored nine points during an 11-0 run by the Pacers, which put them ahead 99-92 with 57.6 seconds remaining.

LeVert scored 13 of his points in the fourth and came up huge again for the short-handed Pacers, who played without Malcolm Brogdon (sore hamstring), Jeremy Lamb (sore knee) and Edmond Sumner (left knee contusion).

Sabonis had secured his ninth triple-double of the season before the end of the third quarter as Indiana outscored Philadelphia 24-13 in the period and held the Sixers to 32 total points in the second half.

Doug McDermott also had 20 points while Justin Holiday totaled 16 points and five rebounds. T.J. McConnell added 10 points and six rebounds.

Ben Simmons finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while rookie Tyrese Maxey had 11 points and Seth Curry finished with 10.

Shake Milton (sore knee) was a late scratch for the Sixers. Furkan Korkmaz (right ankle sprain) and Matisse Thybulle (left hand soreness) were also out.

Pacers forward JaKarr Sampson (concussion) returned to action, but he scored only two points in less than four minutes.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-pacers-sixers-result-caris-levert

Sharon Cuneta in tearful farewell to family, as she flies abroad to ‘collect myself’

Music veteran Sharon Cuneta flew overseas on Tuesday on a personal trip without her family, saying she “needs to breathe.”

On Instagram, Cuneta shared photos of her in an emotional moment with her family — husband Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, and their 3 children.

“Praying and saying bye to my family,” Cuneta captioned the set of pictures, which show them in an embrace and gathered in prayer.

In a separate post, Cuneta chronicled being at the airport, with photos of her passport, signages pertaining to health protocols, and of her wearing protective gear.

“I’m going home. Of course my real home, where my heart is, is where my husband and children are. But tonight I am flying home to my Mommy’s Gramps’ country, where only my eldest and I are legal residents,” she wrote.

Cuneta did not specify the country she was bound for.

“I need to breathe, collect myself, gain strength. Love you all and will miss you guys,” she said.

Cuneta is currently seen as a judge in the ABS-CBN celebrity competition “Your Face Sounds Familiar,” which has been taping advanced episodes.

Cuneta did not state whether her stay overseas will be brief or long term, nor the reason behind her decision to fly out.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/05/12/21/sharon-cuneta-in-tearful-farewell-to-family-as-she-flies-abroad-to-collect-myself

NBA: Grizzlies blow out Mavericks as Luka Doncic struggles

Ja Morant recorded 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to lift the host Memphis Grizzlies to a 133-104 rout over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.

Dillon Brooks scored 22 points with three steals and John Konchar added 18 for the Grizzlies (36-33), who posted their third straight win and fourth in five games on Tuesday despite playing without Jonas Valanciunas (back soreness) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee).

Kyle Anderson had 15 points and Brandon Clarke collected 14 points and nine rebounds as Memphis benefited from seven players scoring in double figures to avert a season sweep at the hands of Dallas. The Grizzlies shot 57.3 percent from the floor and 48.5 percent (16-for-33) from 3-point range.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 19 points, Willie Cauley-Stein added a season-high 16 and Jalen Brunson had 15 for the Mavericks (40-29), who saw their four-game winning streak come to a screeching halt.

Luka Doncic made just 4 of 16 shots from the floor to finish with 12 points. He also gave the Mavericks a scare after he jumped over an advertising board and fell on the concrete floor while chasing a loose ball with 24 seconds left in the second quarter.

Cauley-Stein's dunk trimmed Memphis' lead to 72-69 midway into the third quarter before Anderson scored eight of his team's next 10 points. Anderson highlighted the surge with three mid-range jumpers and Morant added a short jumper to push the Grizzlies' lead to 84-71.

Dallas attempted to chip away, however De'Anthony Melton and Morant sank 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to push Memphis' advantage to 96-80.

Frustration mounted for the Mavericks, who saw Dwight Powell ejected after committing a flagrant-2 foul on Clarke early in the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies scored the first eight points of the quarter to ignite a 13-4 run to push their lead to 109-86.

Dallas' JJ Redick limped off the court early in the second quarter and did not return to the contest with what the team labeled as right heel soreness. Reddick missed time earlier this season with right heel/Achilles issues.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-mavs-grizzlies-result-luka-doncic-ja-morant

NBA: Surging Timberwolves cruise past Pistons

The Minnesota Timberwolves led the Detroit Pistons wire to wire, highlighted by an 18-0, second-quarter run that gave them a comfortable lead for much of a 119-100 blowout win, Tuesday in Detroit.

Anthony Edwards continued his push for the 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year award with 22 points for Minnesota (22-47), which won its second straight and sixth in the last nine.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored a game-high 28 points, including nine in the game's first six minutes to set the tone.

The Timberwolves jumped to an early lead that grew to as many as 12 points in the first quarter and ballooned to 24 points on the strength of Minnesota's 18-0 eruption before intermission. The Timberwolves' lead reached 27 points in the second half.

Detroit (20-50) never came closer than 16 points after the game-deciding run, which was the result of a 5:23 Pistons scoring drought.

Detroit committed 28 turnovers, which Minnesota converted into 34 points. The Timberwolves also had advantages of 22-14 in fast-break points and 56-50 points in the paint to compensate for a 14-for-48 3-point-shooting night.

Minnesota shot 62 percent inside the 3-point arc at 31 of 50.

D'Angelo Russell scored 15 points and dished a game-high 10 assists for Minnesota, while Ricky Rubio added 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor.

Naz Reid came off the bench for 13 points.

Saddiq Bey extended his NBA rookie record for most games making at least five 3-pointers to 13, going 5 of 8 en route to 21 points.

Saben Lee came off the bench for 22 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the floor and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. Josh Jackson recorded 11 points, Killian Hayes finished with 13 points, six rebounds, seven assists and Sekou Doumbouya posted 12 points and eight rebounds.

Tuesday was Minnesota's final road game of the season. The Timberwolves wrap up with a three-game homestand, while Detroit finishes its current, four-game homestand with its final two games of the season.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-surging-timberwolves-cruise-past-pistons

NBA: Nets win second straight, hurt Bulls' playoff hopes

Kevin Durant totaled 21 points and eight assists to lead eight players in double figures as the visiting Brooklyn Nets never trailed Tuesday and recorded a 115-107 victory over the Chicago Bulls, whose quest for a play-in berth took a significant hit.

Joe Harris added 17 for Brooklyn (45-24), which won its second straight but also lost Kyrie Irving to a facial contusion early in the third quarter.

Irving was injured when Chicago forward Nikola Vucevic elbowed him in the face as they were jockeying for a rebound under the rim.

Bruce Brown chipped in 15 and 10 rebounds while wearing a protected facemask after sustaining a nasal fracture in practice Monday. Jeff Green contributed 14 while Irving and Blake Griffin finished with 13 apiece as the Nets shot 47.2 percent and handed out 32 assists.

Brooklyn led by as many as 19 and survived a comeback attempt in the fourth quarter when they were unable to contain Zach LaVine, who led all scorers with 41 points.

LaVine scored seven straight points and hit a 3-pointer to pull Chicago within 102-91 with 4:55 remaining. He then hit a turnaround jumper in the lane and two free throws to get the Bulls within 107-101 with 1:39 left.

Brooklyn then finished it off by hitting six free throws in the final 23.8 seconds.

Chicago (29-40) was unable to win its fourth straight game and dropped three games behind the Washington Wizards for the final play-in berth.

LaVine shot 15 of 27 but had little help. Coby White added 16 but was 6-of-17 from the floor and Vucevic was held to 12 points on 5-of-18 shooting as the Bulls shot 40.6 percent.

Irving scored 13 points as the Nets scored the game's first eight points and held a 32-23 lead after the first quarter. Brown scored 10 points in the second and Brooklyn expanded the lead to 64-51 at halftime.

Chicago cut its deficit to 74-65 on a 3-pointer by Daniel Theis with 7:14 remaining in the third but Brooklyn outscored them 19-9 over the rest of the quarter and held a 93-74 lead into the fourth.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-nets-bulls-result

NBA: Clippers easily take care of depleted Raptors

Kawhi Leonard had 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Toronto Raptors 115-96 on Tuesday night at Tampa.

Ivica Zubac added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers (46-23) in the opener of their four-game road trip as they try to clinch third place in the Western Conference.

Terance Mann had 20 points on 7-for-7 shooting off the bench for Los Angeles. Paul George had 16 points, Marcus Morris Sr. scored 14 points, Rajon Rondo had 11 points and Nicolas Batum had five points and nine rebounds.

Chris Boucher scored 16 points and had seven rebounds for the depleted Raptors, who have lost four in a row and were eliminated from playoff contention when the Indiana Pacers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night.

Khem Birch added 13 points for Toronto, while Freddie Gillespie, Jalen Harris and DeAndre' Bembry each scored 10 points.

The Clippers took a 14-point lead into the fourth quarter.

The lead reached 18 points on Batum's dunk with 9:13 remaining. Mann made two free throws to increase the lead to 19 with 5:37 to play.

After leading by as many as 12 points, the Clippers were ahead 27-19 after one quarter.

Mann's 3-pointer gave the Clippers a 13-point lead with 6:26 remaining in the second quarter.

The lead reached 17 on Morris's 3-pointer with 3:16 to go in the first half. Malachi Flynn's 3-pointer completed the scoring in the first half and cut the Clippers' lead to 60-52.

The Clippers led by 13 on Leonard's layup with 6:42 left in the third quarter. Leonard bumped the lead to 17 on two free throws with 3:14 remaining. The lead reached 18 before the Raptors scored the final four points of the third quarter, trimming the deficit to 85-71.

OG Anunoby (calf), Kyle Lowry (rest), Fred VanVleet (hip), Pascal Siakam (shoulder) and Rodney Hood (hand) did not play for Toronto.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-clippers-easily-take-care-of-depleted-raptors

NBA: Heat clinch playoff spot with victory at Boston

The Miami Heat clinched a spot in the playoffs for the fourth time in the past six seasons by beating the host Boston Celtics 129-121 on Tuesday night.

Miami (38-31) won in Boston for the second consecutive game, all but relegating the Celtics (35-34) to the NBA's play-in tournament. Miami has a three-game lead and holds the head-to-head tiebreaker on the Celtics with each team having three regular-season contests to play.

The Heat, who beat the Celtics in the 2020 Eastern Conference finals, pulled into a tie with Atlanta for fifth in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks (38-31) hold the head-to-head tiebreaker on Miami.

Tyler Herro led the Heat, who shot 59.3 percent from the field, with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo scored 22 apiece. Kendrick Nunn contributed 18 points, and Goran Dragic had 17.

Miami was without Jimmy Butler (team-high 26 in the Sunday win) in the second half after he was apparently poked in the eye after colliding with Smart just before halftime.

Butler ended with 13 points in 18 minutes.

Kemba Walker had a season-high 36 points to lead the Celtics. Jayson Tatum amassed 33 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Evan Fournier logged 20 points and eight assists, and Marcus Smart scored 10 points.

The lead changed hand 13 times in the first half before Miami emerged on top by six at the break. Herro and Adebayo each scored 15 points before halftime while Fournier and Walker had 17 first-half points apiece.

The Heat completely took over in the second half, building to a 21-point lead early in the fourth quarter before Boston closed the gap considerably in the final minutes.

Walker briefly left the game in the first quarter after colliding with Adebayo in the paint and appeared to hurt his shoulder.

Walker returned later in the first, good news for a Celtics team hit hard by injury.

On Monday, the Celtics announced All-Star Jaylen Brown would miss the rest of the season due to a ligament tear in his left wrist.

Boston forward Robert Williams III, who tried to play through a toe injury Sunday, was held out Tuesday.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-heat-clinch-playoff-spot-with-victory-at-boston

NBA: Nuggets snap two-game skid, hold off Hornets

 Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola Jokic pumped in 30 points apiece to carry the Denver Nuggets as they broke a two-game losing streak by defeating the host Charlotte Hornets 117-112 on Tuesday night.

Aaron Gordon provided 17 points as Denver (45-24) continued pursuit of rising to a top-three seed in the Western Conference. This was the beginning of a four-game road trip to cap the regular season.

The Hornets (33-36), who have three games remaining, are still trying to lock up a spot in the Eastern Conference play-in round.

After trailing 103-90, the Hornets rallied with a 16-4 burst, capped by Devonte' Graham's two 3-pointers. A minute later, a 3-pointer from Facundo Campazzo pushed Denver's edge to 112-107 with 1:30 to play.

Graham finished with 31 points off the bench, thanks to 7-for-14 shooting from 3-point range, to lead Charlotte. Terry Rozier had 21 points, Jalen McDaniels and Cody Zeller (10 rebounds) both posted 15 points and P.J. Washington added 13 points for the Hornets.

Jokic, who had a game-high 11 rebounds along with six assists, made 16 of 17 free throws. The Hornets were 17-for-20 on foul shots as a team.

Hornets coach James Borrego was ejected in the third quarter, when the Nuggets stretched their lead to 10 points. Charlotte responded to that development, and had a chance to go ahead with 4 1/2 minutes to play in the quarter.

Then Austin Rivers scored five straight points as Denver regained momentum and held a 100-87 edge in the opening 3 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter.

Earlier, the Nuggets led 33-13 in the first quarter. The Hornets used a 10-0 run bridging the first and second quarters to close within 38-28.

Charlotte cut the gap to 61-60 when Rozier made three free throws with 10 seconds to play in the first half, before a Gordon buzzer-beater made it 63-60 at halftime.

Porter was 5-for-7 on first-half 3-pointers on his way to 23 points before the break. The rest of the Nuggets went a combined 3-for-13 from long range in the opening half.

Charlotte relied on getting into the lane, shooting 20-for-32 on 2-point attempts in the first half. That helped overcome eight turnovers.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/nba-nuggets-snap-two-game-skid-hold-off-hornets

Football: Barca title hopes hanging by a thread after Levante draw

MADRID, Spain -- Lionel Messi scored a brilliant volley but Barcelona's title hopes could be over, with a 3-3 draw away at Levante on Tuesday giving Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid the chance to pull away at the top of La Liga. 

Another slip could prove decisive given Atletico will move four points clear of Barca with two games left if they can win away at Real Sociedad on Wednesday. Real Madrid will edge two points ahead of Ronald Koeman's side if they win away on Thursday at Granada. 

There are certainly no guarantees in what has been a frenetic and thrilling title race in recent weeks, with all of Spain's four contenders stumbling down the final stretch. 

But with only two games left now and potentially two teams to catch, Barcelona's chances of taking the title off Real Madrid this season would appear remote.

"We were always depending on other results but the objective was to win our three games and hope others dropped points," said Koeman. "Now it's very complicated." 

Levante sit 14th in the table and had won only one of their previous eight matches but they had also prevailed in three of their last four games at home against Barca, and they turned it on again. 

Barcelona led 2-0 from Messi's acrobatic strike and a simple Pedri finish but two goals in two minutes before the hour suddenly had Levante level, Gonzalo Melero and Jose Luis Morales giving Levante hope. 

Ousmane Dembele pulled the visitors ahead again but again they squandered the advantage, Sergio Leon diverting in at the near post and this time there was no way back. 

"We lowered our intensity from the start of the second half, lost our rhythm," said Koeman. "We weren't defensively attentive and we let Levante back in. There is no other explanation."

"Our chances are slim," added Sergio Busquets. "And that's our fault - our decisions, our concentration - we give away easy goals."

Koeman has made positive strides this season but his team's lapses of concentration and fragility in defence remain. 

Questions around the Dutchman's future will grow louder the more the club's title chances fade, his decisions this time to start Dembele at right wing-back and to bring Sergi Roberto into the back three particularly vulnerable to scrutiny.

"Coaches will always be questioned, that isn't going to change but with that second half there will be questions asked and I understand that perfectly," said Koeman.

Barcelona had scored twice in nine minutes to take control, Jordi Alba's cross grazing the head of Miramon on its way to Messi, who adjusted his body and threw his left foot over the ball, volleying it into the bottom corner for his 37th goal of the season. 

Messi instigated the second too, freeing the sprinting Dembele down the right, who powered past Oscar Duarte and prodded back just in time for Pedri to finish. 

Barca were in charge but Levante always looked a threat on the break and made it pay with two goals in two minutes before the hour. 

First, Melero nipped in front of Sergi Roberto to head in and then a sloppy Messi touch allowed Morales to bounce the ball off Roger Marti, before volleying brilliantly into the far corner. 

Parity lasted only five minutes, though, as Barcelona came again.

Messi on the turn was able to slide a pass into Antoine Griezmann and while he was challenged, the ball spilled right to Dembele, who took a touch and lashed into the top corner. 

Barca were ahead again but they always looked vulnerable and with seven minutes left, Levante struck. 

Sergino Dest was put on the floor by Tono down the left and his cross was turned in by Sergio Leon, who beat Gerard Pique at the near post. Barca had no answer. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/football-barca-title-hopes-hanging-by-a-thread-after-levante-draw

Tennis: Djokovic overcomes 3-hour rain break to advance in Rome

ROME, Italy -- World number one Novak Djokovic overcame a "strange" lengthy rain delay to beat American Taylor Fritz 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) to reach the third round of the Italian Open on Tuesday.

Title holder Djokovic waited three hours to finish off the match despite Fritz's efforts in the second set.

"It was a really strange match, to play in the rain, it was difficult," the Serb said.

"It possibly helped me because the play was slower, and he has a good serve. He played really well.

"In these circumstances, you don't know how much time it will go on for. If you have to eat, rest, or not. You have to do what feels best for you," he added.

Djokovic, 33, playing his second tournament since winning his ninth Australian Open in February, will play Cameron Norrie or Alejandro Davidovich for a place in the quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime beat last year's runner up Diego Schwartzman 6-1, 6-3 and will face either Federico Delbonis or David Goffin, who meet early on Wednesday.

Earlier, sixteenth seed Grigor Dimitrov crashed out in the first round when he was beaten in straight sets by Spanish qualifier Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

The world number 48 saved two set points in the second set as he dismissed the 2014 semi-finalist Dimitrov 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) to win in one hour and 43 minutes.

Tenth seed Roberto Bautista Agut booked his place in the second round with a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win over American Tommy Paul.

On the women's side, Argentinian Nadia Podoroska, ranked 44 in the world, assured herself of a second round meeting with Serena Williams, playing her first event since the Australian Open, when she came from a set down to beat German Laura Siegemund 2-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1.

Madison Keys won the battle of the Americans when she overcame Sloane Stephens 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/tennis-djokovic-overcomes-3-hour-rain-break-to-advance-in-rome

Golf: Masters champ Matsuyama returns at PGA Byron Nelso

 WASHINGTON -- Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama will try to recapture his form after a month off, including a celebration in Japan, when he tees off Thursday at the US PGA Byron Nelson tournament.

Matsuyama became the first men's major winner from Japan when he captured the green jacket last month at Augusta National, but had barely picked up a club before practice rounds this week at TPC Craig Ranch in suburban Dallas.

"After you win a tournament, you make some adjustments and you go on," Matsuyama said. "But this time going back to Japan and really not picking up a club much over there, I didn't get to practice very much at all.

"Coming back here, really one of my goals now is just to try to find my game again and prepare for the PGA Championship next week."

Matsuyama, 29, says he is prepared for the extra attention he will receive next week at Kiawah Island at the year's second major tournament.

"I realize now the responsibility that goes with a major championship, especially the Masters," Matsuyama said. "I'm honored. I'm flattered by the added attention.

"At the same time, sometimes it's difficult to say no. But it goes with the territory and, again, grateful that I have this opportunity and I'll try my best to prepare well for what's to come."

World number 15 Matsuyama spent two weeks in Covid-19 quarantine when he got back home, then spent time with his family. While isolated, he read how his exploits were hailed in his homeland.

"I was able to probably read every news article," Matsuyama said. "Seeing how the Masters win was portrayed in Japan was great, really unforgettable.

"A bit embarrassing -- I'm not used to all that attention -- but grateful that people took notice."

He watched highlights of his Masters victory and relived his most nerve-wracking moments.

"While I was watching those highlights, I got nervous again, just like I was playing," he said. "It was, at some points, difficult to watch because I was so nervous and all those nervous memories were brought back."

Matsuyama wore his green jacket to meet the media and when receiving an award from Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, but says it hasn't changed him.

"It was a relief, really, to win the Masters," he said. "Looking forward, I still have the drive to want to win more on the PGA Tour."

Matsuyama plans on getting some advice before deciding on the meniu for the 2022 Masters Champions Dinner.

"Sushi does come to mind," he said. "I'm a little worried. I don't know if everyone will really like sushi or not.

"There's a lot of really good food from Japan, some of the best beef in the world, so I'm thinking about that and looking forward to it next year."

- 'Grinds his tail off' -

Jordan Spieth, third at the Masters, recalled a 2019 event in Japan when he was paired with Matsuyama.

"It was six deep the entire first fairway," Spieth said. "Maybe the most exciting, nerve-wracking crowd I had ever played in front of on a Thursday and Friday. It was just crazy. It's next-level stuff."

American Will Zalatoris, the Masters runner-up, was unable to congratulate Matsuyama at Augusta but did so in the course parking lot Tuesday.

"It was nice to share a moment and just tell him congratulations," Zalatoris said. "Making history like that for an entire country is unbelievable."

Top-ranked Dustin Johnson, last year's Masters champion, withdrew from the Byron Nelson with a knee injury.

South Korean Kang Sung won the most recent Byron Nelson in 2019, before the event moved to his home course.

"I live about five miles from here and I've been practicing here probably the last over 10 years," Kang said. "I'm very excited and I'll be very comfortable this week."

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/12/21/golf-masters-champ-matsuyama-returns-at-pga-byron-nelso