UAAP Season 72 Men’s Basketball Schedule (1st Round)

July 11 (Saturday) – Araneta Coliseum
2 PM – UST vs Adamson
4 PM – La Salle vs UE

July 12 (Sunday) – Araneta Coliseum
2 PM – UP vs NU
4 PM – Ateneo vs FEU

July 16 (Thursday) – Araneta Coliseum
2 PM – UST vs NU
4 PM – UE vs Ateneo

July 18 (Saturday) – Araneta Coliseum
2 PM – UP vs Adamson
4 PM – FEU vs La Salle

July 19 (Sunday) – Philsports Arena
2 PM – UE vs NU
4 PM – Ateneo vs UST

July 23 (Thursday) – Philsports Arena
2 PM – La Salle vs UP
4 PM – FEU vs Adamson

July 25 (Saturday) – Philsports Arena
2 PM – NU vs FEU
4 PM – Ateneo vs UP

July 26 (Sunday) – Philsports Arena
2 PM – Adamson vs La Salle
4 PM – UST vs UE

July 30 (Thursday) – Araneta Coliseum
2 PM – La Salle vs NU
4 PM – Adamson vs Ateneo

August 1 (Saturday) – Philsports Arena
2 PM – Ateneo vs NU
4 PM – FEU vs UP

August 2 (Sunday) – Philsports Arena
2 PM – UE vs Adamson
4 PM – UST vs La Salle

August 6 (Thursday) – Araneta Coliseum
2 PM – UP vs UE
4 PM – UST vs FEU

August 8 (Saturday) – Araneta Coliseum
2 PM – UST vs UP
4 PM – AdU vs NU

August 9 (Sunday) – Araneta Coliseum
1 PM – La Salle vs Ateneo
5 PM – UE vs FEU

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao: Fight of the Century

Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao are now gearing up the finihing touches for their highly anticipated matchup at December 6 (December 7, Manila time) at MGM Grand Las Vegas.

As far as I am concerned, regardless of my nationality, this is a very good match to bring back the glory days of boxing. Boxing have been overshadowed by many combat sports recently with the amazing success of mixed martial arts, most notably the UFC. More and more boxing matches are decided by merely points, most of the time in controversial fashion, with both men slugging it out as if they were amateurs. Power, speed and stamina lost it’s importance as the key stats of boxing, with the more handsome, salable and popular fighter being raised as the victor for money making purposes even in a questionable outcome.

Most of the boxing analysts and even experts thought that this fight card was just a dream, some even laughed about it as an April Fool’s Day joke. Oscar De La Hoya is a legendary title holder of six divisions and naturally bigger than Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao from birth was naturally thin, and even cheated his weight on the scales just to be allowed to fight in his early days. He was even underage when he started boxing. To sum up, Pacquiao is really up to the challenge whatever it takes and so far, continues to succeed in every obstacle he wishes to overcome.

De La Hoya is past his prime but his recent fights will show that he’s still fighting fit and ready to win more glorious battles such as the upcoming fight. He made the former WBC light middleweight champion Ricardo Mayorga a walking punching bag bringing him thrice on the canvas, once on the opening round and twice on the sixth which resulted to a halt and a record setting win from a new champion. The former pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. stole that crown from De La Hoya in 12 rounds, the fight were Freddie Roach called the shots on his corner which will perform a vital role on Pacquiao’s preparation come December 6. The Golden Boy subdued Steve Forbes at the scorecards in his most recent outing at 150 lbs, showing grace under pressure on much faster Forbes. I have seen this fight live (or probably a bit delayed) on TV and from that time, I knew that Oscar might face Manny someday knowing the barrage of punches with a good hand speed of smaller Forbes is controllable. Oscar did the right thing to earn a lot of money fighting Pacquiao and a rare attemtpt in putting his name above everyone else if ever he succeeds. However, he is facing the most lethal and a complete package this time around. Yes, Pacquiao is physically in trouble but there are lots more to dig up.

*****

My unpublished post on the Pacquiao-De La Hoya fight.

I’m Back To Blogging

Yes! I’m back to the blogosphere after years of hiatus!

For the moment, you can check my other online accounts!

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Bulldogs, Falcons give UAAP 2-0 edge in College Wars

UAAP teams National University and Adamson University put away their NCAA counterparts on opening day of the ABS-CBN-backed College Wars at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Gym last June 15.

Behind the exploits of Kokoy Hermosisima, the Bulldogs came away with an 86-81 win over the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta in the first game. A close first half turned into somewhat of a struggle for the Altas in the next 20 minutes as the firepower of Hermosisima, Mervin Baloran and big man Jewel Ponferrada gave the Sampaloc unit a 10-point edge late in the third quarter. However, swingman John Galabin responded for coach Boris Aldeguer’s squad, nailing crucial baskets to trim the Bulldog lead to two, 74-72 with 7:22 in the game.

The Altas, who lost key man Raffy Ynion to fouls, failed to sustain their rally, allowing NU to hold on and help the UAAP draw first blood. Hermosisima led the Bulldogs with 21 points, while Galabin had 22 to pace Perpetual Help.

In the second game, Adamson University fended off a late blitz to hold off San Sebastian College-Recoletos, 69-66. The Falcons, despite building an 11-point lead entering the second quarter, were held to just five points in the next 10 minutes of action. The Stags, in return, launched an 11-0 run to seize the momentum entering the half.

In the third period, the wards of coach Leo Austria regrouped and regained the lead courtesy of a basket by Jerick Cañada at the 1:40 mark of the quarter. The Stags regained the lead at the 4:07 mark of the fourth period but Adamson came away with the win thanks to crucial baskets by Cebuano forward Jan Colina, who led all scorers with 20 points. Swingman Jimbo Aquino led the Stags with 17 points.

On Wednesday, June 16, the College Wars take centerstage at the Jose Rizal University Gym along Shaw Boulevard. At 2 p.m., Mapua Institute of Technology takes on University of the Philippines, while the hosts Heavy Bombers do battle against reigning UAAP champions Ateneo de Manila University at 4 p.m. All games are broadcast live on Studio 23.

The scores:

First game

NU 86 – Hermosisima 21, Baloran 17, Ponferrada 10, Cabaluna 7, Malanday 7, Luy 6, Singh 5, Terso 5, Fabula 3, Tungcul 2, Roy 2, Manito 1, Donahue 0.

Perpetual Help 81 – Galabin 22, Ynion 14, Elopre 13, Salanga 10, Salvado 10, Vivero 5, Carullo 4, Roño 3, Sicat 0, Hainga 0, dela Cruz 0.

Quarter scores: 26-25, 49-40, 68-58, 86-81.

Second game

Adamson 69 – Colina 20, Galinato 11, Alvarez 9, Canuday 7, Cabrera 6, Lozada 5, Cañada 4, Nuyles 4, Etrone 2, Camson 1, Importante 0, Yambot 0, Santos 0.

San Sebastian 66 – Aquino 17, Abueva 13, Pascual 9, Bulawan 8, Najorda 6, del Rio 5, Maconocido 4, Gusi 2, Dizon 2, Raymundo 0, Semira 0, Gatchalian 0.

Quarter scores: 27-16, 32-36, 46-48, 69-66.

*****

I wish InboundPass.com didn’t deleted this article. – JOSH™

SPORTS by Quinito Henson

Three weeks ago, I had a chance to meet-and-greet my favorite sportscaster/sportswriter of all time Mr. Joachin “Quinito” Henson.

It was special because our student publication flew from Manila to Bacolod just to attend the 5th Spectrum Fellowship: National Journalism Seminar 2008 at University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City. No one knew that only Mr. Henson made me very excited, and every time spent after that will just be a vacation for me.

Mr. Henson was one of the speakers on the first day of the seminar and he was really early. We had a chance to talk with him before we ate our breakfast.

One of the interesting points that he caught me (and I guess everyone else) was his personal meaning of SPORTS. He confessed the passion for sports runs through his veins and was just a frustrated athlete that’s why he ended up being a sportswriter. We have similar cause and effect on why I’m on the student publication even though I was trained to become a professional basketball player as early as three years old. As the saying goes, “you can’t teach height”.

S – SIMPLICITY
P – PURPOSE
O – OBJECTIVITY
R – PERSONANCE
T – TRUTH
S – SENSIBILITY

I was happy that he gave a very interesting lecture not primarily focused on sports writing, but on how to improve our journalistic sense as student writers. Surprisingly, even the non-sports aficionados were tuned in in his two hours continuous talk and even without a prepared powerpoint presentation. Ironically, a sports writer like him was voted as one of the highest ranked in the evaluation.

I remembered on my childhood days way back on 1997, I wanted to be a sportswriter. From the tender age of 10, I am clearly aware on how the basketball stats are computed. I already memorized the rosters of the current NBA team (with the help of NBA Live 1997 on my SEGA, it was Mitch Richmond on the cover donning a #2 Sacramento Kings jersey). I collected a local sports magazine Scoreboard from the time when Andy Seigle was drafted by Mobiline as it’s first pick while Nic Belasco was picked second for Sunkist at the PBA. I really don’t know how my aspirations went into the drain so quickly after high school, and the start of the grueling stages of college.

Our student publication gladly handed Mr. Henson a few copies of our recent issues after the talk, including our special UAAP issue.

*****

I have difficulty sleeping tonight, thanks to the Starbucks’ Mocha Frap grande i took at 10 PM.

Now, I’m officially back as a blogger.