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Sunday, June 13, 2021

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NBL, WNBL to start first pro campaigns in July

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

The long-awaited first professional seasons of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) will start in July.

Rhose Montreal, executive vice-president of the WNBL, said in a press conference on Saturday that they have decided to open their campaign in the first week of July, with both leagues following an "open circuit" system.

This means that teams will go from their houses and then to the venue and back, while strictly following the health and safety protocols being implemented by the league.

"(Our opening was) supposed to be on June 26," Montreal said. "But because there's a FIBA qualifier next week, the teams decided to give due respect and support to our Philippine team, so nag-move tayo to another date."

The tentative start date for the Chooks-to-Go backed leagues is now July 3, in two different venues in the North and South. The organizers have yet to announce the final venues, however.

"It's a circuit, it's not a bubble," Montreal said. "'Yung experience (of a) bubble, medyo hindi talaga siya healthy. So we're going to open an open circuit for the 5-on-5, for both the WNBL and NBL."

"(A bubble) is not really advisable, kasi it really affects the psychological (well-being) of the players. So ang atin talaga, we know naman ang Filipino culture, talagang close knit family tayo, 'di ba?" she added.

"It's a challenge, but there will be symptoms monitoring from the start of the season to the last day of the championship," she assured.

The NBL concluded its 2020 season in a bubble in Pampanga in October 2020, with the Pampanga Delta emerging as champions after beating La Union PAOwer in the best-of-five finals.

Both the NBL and the WNBL received approval from the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) to turn professional last August.

Ahead of the 5-on-5 competition, both leagues held a 1-on-1 tournament in May.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/13/21/nbl-wnbl-to-start-first-pro-campaigns-in-july

WATCH: PCSO 2 PM Lotto Draw, June 13, 2021

MMA: Israel Adesanya retains belt in win over Marvin Vettori at UFC 263

Israel Adesanya remains king of the UFC middleweight division.

Coming off his first career loss in a challenge to light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz, the UFC middleweight titleholder returned to his division and put on a clinic in defeating Italy's Marvin Vettori in the main event of Saturday night's UFC 263.

The judges' scorecards at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz., were 50-45 across the board for a unanimous decision.

Vettori (17-5-1) had a clear game plan which involved hunting down New Zealand's Adesanya (21-1), throwing heavy hands, then looking for a clinch along the cage in order to take things to the mat. He found just enough success to keep his opponent honest and go the distance, but Adesanya is simply on another level.

Adesanya landed low kicks over and over, evaded most of Vettori's shots and defended the bulk of the takedown attempts.

He added in several head kicks which landed flush and his usual array of inventive strikes, and at times the bout seemed more a sparring session than a serious fight.

The evening's co-feature bout featured an electric moment, as Tijuana's Brandon Moreno became the first Mexican-born fighter to win a UFC championship.

In a rematch of a classic title fight last December which went to a draw, Moreno defeated Brazil's Deiveson Figueiredo to claim the flyweight championship with a third-round submission.

Moreno (19-5-2) set the tone in the first by establishing a crisp jab and earning a knockdown with a left hook. He made his big adjustment from the first fight on the ground, and flustered Figueiredo (20-2-1), a man known for slick submissions.

From there it seemed a matter of time, and a rear-naked choke caused Figueiredo to surrender at the 2:26 mark of the third, leading to a delirious reaction from the heavily Hispanic crowd in Arizona.

"I used all six months for this. Starting in January, starting the year, making drills, to be better today, and watch me (expletive) now," said Moreno.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/13/21/ufc-263-results-israel-adesanya-retains