Sports
January 20,2014
Tuesday
Volume 1
Article 2
PORTLAND -- (UPDATED) Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge has postponed planned surgery on an injured left thumb and recorded 26 points and nine rebounds as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Washington Wizards 103-96 Marqus Blakely led San Mig Coffee against Barangay Ginebra in this file photo. Photo by Mark Cristino for ABS-CBNnews.com
Blakely back as Purefoods import
MANILA -- Defending champion Ateneo de Manila University collected its eighth straight win in as many outings on Sunday in the 77th UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan
MANILA - Former PBA Best Import awardee Marqus Blakely will be returning for the Purefoods Star Hotshots in the upcoming 2015 Commissioner's Cup. However, the PBA website reported that this time, Blakely will play as a stand-in import for Purefoods as the Hotshots await NBA veteran Daniel Orton, who will only be available next month. This time, the website added, Blakely will have the odds stacked against him as he is expected to play against bigger reinforcements.
MELBOURNE -- Maria Sharapova was all business as she raced into the Australian Open quarter-finals on Sunday to set up a glamour showdown with Eugenie Bouchard, as Rafael Nadal continued his unrelenting Grand Slam march.
However, the 6-foot-5 baller has a rather positive take on his height disadvantage for the PBA Commissioner's Cup. "Being undersized isn't really a disadvantage. Running the floor, it would be an advantage on our team whereas other teams will have a 6-foot-9 post man," he said.
changing their style of play to take full advantage of their quickness. "It'll be harder for them to go up and down the floor," he said. "That’s something that we’re working on. We’re changing our style a little bit just to be a little quicker." Blakely, meanwhile, said that with coach Tim Cone, "there's gonna be no expectations" and they will have to work hard in order to give the team "an opportunity to get to the championship." But he said that doesn't mean they are going to settle for anything less. "You can’t win them all. It kind of brings us back to square one. I guess we realized what we did. And how hard it was to do it, to get back to that status what we had to do," he said.
Ateneo Lady Eagles score eighth straight win MANILA -- Defending champion Ateneo de Manila University collected its eighth straight win in as many outings in a surprising 25-18, 25-21, 25-22 domination of the National University (NU) on Sunday in the 77th UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan. The anticipated scoring showdown between Lady Eagles ace Alyssa Valdez and 6-foot-4 Jaja Santiago of the Lady Bulldogs never happened. Reigning Most Valuable Player Valdez was unstoppable with 20 points under her statline including 18 of the Lady Eagles’ 42 total kills. Santiago fizzled out in the duel of this season’s top individual award contenders. While Valdez had her way against former coach Roger Gorayeb’s NU squad, Santiago barely scored in double digits stymied by Ateneo’s solid net defense. “Oo (nagulat ako na straight sets) kasi for sure naman sobrang nagprepare and sobrang maganda rin naman talaga ang game nila,” Valdez said after their swift one-hour, 19 minutes match. “Masaya kami na siyempre nakuha namin ng straight sets kahit sobrang dami naming errors (26).” Santiago finished with 10 points in a quiet eight-kill performance, a shadow of her 27-point average in the Lady Bulldogs' short-lived twogame winning run.
Amy Ahomits manned the net like a sentinel coming away with four blocks among her 10 points for the the Lady Eagles. Ateneo stunned the Lady Bulldogs overhauling an 8-6 deficit with 13 unanswered points to take control of the opening set 21-8. From there NU found themselves playing catchup in the next two sets. The Lady Bulldogs used an 8-3 run to close the gap, 18-19, in the third frame after a 16-10 deficit. Santiago brought their deficit to 21-22 after her hit but Valdez answered with an off the block point and a service ace to put Ateneo at match point. Myla Pablo saved a matchpoint for NU but committed a service error in the next play. Jorelle Singh had nine points while Pablo scored eight as the Lady Bulldogs slid to 4-4 record and got swept by Ateneo in the elims.
Sharapova, Nadal march on in Australian Open After a tough period of time for me it's a fantastic result and I'm very happy with the way I played today," said Spain's Nadal, who came into the tournament after a three-month injury layoff. "It was probably my best match here this year so that's very important for me and very special." Berdych admitted he would have to be at the top of his game to beat MELBOURNE -- Maria Sharapova was all business as she raced into the Australian Open quarter-finals on Sunday to set up a glamour showdown with Eugenie Bouchard, as Rafael Nadal continued his unrelenting Grand Slam march. The Russian world No. 2 ended Chinese hopes by swatting aside 21st seed Peng Shuai 6-3, 6-0 as she lifts her game the deeper she gets in the tournament. It hands organizers a dream last eight clash between two of the most marketable players on tour with Canadian seventh-seed Bouchard surviving a midmatch slump to defeat unseeded Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania in three sets. Nadal, a 14-time Grand Slam champion, was dominant after a tight first set against power-hitting South African Kevin Anderson, running out a 7-5, 6-1, 6 -4 winner and will next play Czech Tomas Berdych for a place in the semifinals. The consistent Berdych, who made the final four last year, ended Australian Bernard Tomic's tournament with a comfortable 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 hit-out.
Nadal. "I'm going to have to sit down with my team and prepare the right tactics," he said. "Whatever I need to do I'm going to be ready for it and will try to fight until the last point." Another Australian, Nick Kyrgios, will attempt to down Roger Federer's shock conquerer Andreas Seppi of Italy later Saturday, while Britain's Andy Murray has a tough task against 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov. Sharapova, gunning for a sixth Grand Slam title and her first in Australia since 2008, said her match against Peng was tougher than the score suggested. "I've always had a little trouble against Peng Shuai, she's a really tough competitor," she said. The Russian added that Bouchard, the tour's most consistent performer at Grand Slams last year who pushed her in their French Open semi-final, would be another big challenge. "She's been playing incredibly well, confident aggressive tennis. I have a
Aldridge delays surgery on injured thumb PORTLAND -- (UPDATED) Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge has postponed planned surgery on an injured left thumb and recorded 26 points and nine rebounds as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Washington Wizards 103-96. The Trail Blazers announced last Thursday that Aldridge would undergo surgery and miss six to eight weeks, but the forward has decided to play through the ailment for as long as he can and helped the Blazers (32-13) win for only the second time in seven games.
Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge posts up against Washington Wizards forward Nene Hilario at the Moda Center. Photo by Craig Mitchelldyer, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
John Wall scored 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field to go with nine assists for the Wizards (29-15). Aldridge was injured in Monday's victory over Sacramento when he collided with center DeMarcus Cousins and then missed Wednesday's loss to Phoenix.
La Salle dodges UP’s upset ax in
Aldridge has averaged 23.2 points and 10.2 rebounds over 38 games for the Trail Blazers, leading the club in both categories. While not voted in as a starter, he might yet receive a berth in his fourth NBA All-Star Game in a row. -- Reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse
UAAP volleyball MANILA -- The De La Salle University Lady Spikers weathered the upset -minded University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons after falling a set down, 25-27, 25-20, 25-23, 25-10, Sunday to post back-to-back wins and kept a firm hold of the second spot in the 77th UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan. Just like what La Salle coach Ramil De Jesus said before the game, their rematch won’t be as easy as their straight set victory over UP in the first round. “Sabi ko naman the last time. Maganda rin ang nilaro ng UP kasi nandun 'yung depensa and kilala na kasi nila ng matagal ang isa’t isa e,” he said. Former utility Christine Soyud proved to be an effective weapon as an outside hitter as she peppered the UP defense with 13 kills in her 16point output for La Salle’s eighth in nine outings. “Actually two days ko pa lang napa-practice si Soyud sa ganoong posisyon e. Posisyon kasi ni Cyd (Demecilo) 'yun na outside hitter. Na-
The Lady Maroons crawled their way back from a five-point deficit midway
gulat ako kasi nag-perform ng maayos,” De Jesus said.
through the first set and took the lead, 24-23, from a kill by Araneta but a service error by UP followed by La Salle block gave the Lady Spikers a set point
Demecillo came off the bench in the first two frames but started in the third and fourth as De Jesus called it a day for Demecillo after a dismal
advantage.
five-point outing in the two sets.
Demecillo blundered on her serve in the next play to tie the set at 25 before UP stole the frame by an Araneta block and an off the block it by Tiamzon.
Ara Galang had 14 points while reserve Mary Joy Baron had six blocks in her total of 13 points for the Taft-based squad. Kim Fajardo had a productive game with a monster 50 excellent set contribution spiked by eight points.
The Lady Maroons had a hot start in the second set, building 16-13 advantage only to see it disappear in a 9-3 rally by La Salle. Araneta saved a point for UP to close the gap, 20-22, but the Lady Spikers took the last three points capped by a right cross court hit by Baron for the match equalizer.
After conceding the opening set and nip-and-tuck game in the next two, La Salle bullied its way in the fourth frame pulling away 21-7 and extinguished the fight out of the Lady Maroons, who had their two-game win-
UP engaged La Salle in a see-saw battle in the third, forcing a deadlock at 22
ning streak cut short to slide down to a 4-5 slate, tied with the Far East-
after a miscue by the Lady Spikers. The Lady Spikers took the next two points for a 24-22 lead but Tiamzon saved a set point with a cross. A two-man block
ern University Lady Tamaraws.
by La Salle capped the set.
Angeli Araneta scored 15 points including 11 kills and three blocks while Nicole Tiamzon got all her 14 markers from smashes for the Lady Maroons.
Charlotte rallies to beat Carmelo-less Knicks Brian Roberts scored 17 points and the Charlotte Hornets struggled but eventually rallied to beat the New York Knicks. Both teams were without their leading scorers as Knicks (8-37) forward Carmelo Anthony sat out with a sore left knee and Hornets (19-26) guard Kemba Walker was sidelined after a cyst on his left knee flared up. --Grizzlies 101, 76ers 83 Zach Randolph scored 17 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, had four assists and even shot and made a 3-pointer as the Grizzlies cruised past the Philadelphia 76ers. Randolph's double-double was his eighth straight (24th this season) since returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss nine games. Memphis (31-12) swept the season series 2-0.
Charlotte Hornets center Al Jefferson knocks the ball away from New York Knicks center Cole Aldrich at Time Warner Cable Arena. Photo by Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports/Reuters Bucks 101, Pistons 86 O.J. Mayo made four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points as the Milwaukee Bucks snapped a two-game losing streak with a victory over the Detroit Pistons. Along with Mayo, John Henson and Jared Dudley each scored 12 for the Bucks (2221) to drop Detroit to 17-27. --Jazz 108, Nets 73 Gordon Hayward scored 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field and guard Trey Burke added 19 points off the bench to lead the Utah Jazz to a win over the Brooklyn Nets. Joe Ingles added 16 points to help the Jazz (16-28) while Jarrett Jack scored 16
Clippers fans heckle Floyd:
points for the Nets (18-26) who lost for the third time in four games.
Fight Pacquiao MANILA, Philippines – Now it becomes clearer to Floyd Mayweather Jr. what sports fans want these days. The American boxer got heckled by Los Angeles fans while he was watching the game between the Clippers and the Brooklyn Nets at the Staples Center last Thursday. Sports writer Robert Morales, who covers the LA games said on Twitter that Clippers fans started chanting when they saw Mayweather. With Floyd Mayweather Jr. on hand at Clippers game, fans chanting, "We want Pacquiao, we want Pacquiao." #Clippers #boxing #makethefight
— Robert Morales (@RMoralesPT) January 23, 2015 Now the chant to Mayweather changes to, "Fight Pacquiao, fight Pacquiao."#Clippers #boxing
Mayweather, however, has yet to sign the fight contract.
— Robert Morales (@RMoralesPT) January 23, 2015
The American boxer even scolded Pacquiao for butting into the negotiations, claiming that the Filipino boxer is merely a pawn and that it
The undefeated American is currently in negotiations with Manny Pacquiao for their supposed super bout. Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum maintained that they have already agreed to everything the Mayweather camp demanded, including the upside of the purse split, the venue, the fight date and even the type of drug testing.
was Arum who is doing the negotiating.