San Beda College guard Robert Bolick is bracing for the toughest season of his collegiate career as the Red Lions defend their crown in NCAA Season 94 starting July 7 at Mall of Asia Arena.

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Returning to its homecourt for the first time since its painful loss in the finals two months ago, Muntinlupa made sure there was no heartbreak this time.

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Defending champion Pocari Sweat-Air Force and BanKo-Perlas zero in on playoffs berths for the semifinals on Saturday in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at Filoil Flying V Center.

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Abe Avena on Friday fought back from three shots down with a four-over-par 76 and then held off the veteran Rolly Viray in the first hole of sudden death to rule the Philippine Seniors championship for the third time.

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Veterans Elmer Salvador and Mars Pucay, winless for years in the ICTSI Tour, fired three-under-par 69s on Friday to forge a four-way tie for the lead going into the final round of what has been an intensely-fought Apo Golf Invitational here.

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Manny Pacquiao stepped up his training sessions in General Santos City amid reports that his title fight against Lucas Matthysse is headed for postponement or worse, cancellation.

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Veteran promoter Bob Arum has declared he was not 100 percent convinced if the WBA welterweight championship fight between Manny Pacquiao and Lucas Matthysse would take place.

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NEW YORK: The Phoenix Suns didn’t have to go far to get Deandre Ayton in the NBA draft, as they made the towering Bahamian teenager their first No. 1 overall pick in franchise history on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

The 19-year-old Ayton was expected to go first to the Suns who like the seven-foot (2.1-meter) center’s size and skill which he used to dominate in US college last season with the Arizona Wildcats.

“It means the world to me, you know my family and coaches know the hard work I put into this game to really try and be successful and achieve all my goals,” said Ayton.

Born in the Bahamas, Ayton, who turns 20 next month, moved to Phoenix during high school and says the majority of his family now live in Arizona.

Deandre Ayton is introduced before the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on Friday in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. AFP PHOTO

The Suns are hoping Ayton can help turn around a team that finished with just 21 wins against 61 defeats, the worst in the NBA.

The Sacramento Kings used the second pick to take Duke big man Marvin Bagley who played with Ayton for one season at a high school in Phoenix, Arizona.

Slovenia’s Luka Doncic was chosen third overall by the Atlanta Hawks, who then turned around and traded the European star’s rights to the Dallas Mavericks for fifth pick Trae Young and a future first round draft pick.

“I’ve been talking to Dallas a lot. They really wanted me, and they were very, very nice,” the 19-year-old said. “They were very nice to me, and I think we had a very good relationship.”

It was a big night for the big men in this NBA throwback draft at Barclays Center arena in New York.

Besides Ayton and Bagley, other big men to go early included Wendell Carter (Chicago Bulls), Jaren Jackson (Memphis Grizzlies) and Mohamed Bamba (Orlando Magic). All five are six-foot-10 or bigger.

Jackson went fourth overall, Bamba was sixth and Carter one back in seventh.

Ayton has been compared to Shaquille O’Neal and with less emphasis on traditional centers in recent years this draft is considered old school. This is the first time since 2007 that a half dozen players six-foot-10 or taller were chosen in the top 10.

Throwback draft
Ayton believes he could form a partnership in Phoenix with Devin Booker similar to the Lakers’ famous O’Neal-Kobe Bryant dynamic duo which dominated the NBA.

“It means a lot to me because the fans there are amazing, they are the best fans in the world,” he said.

“I’m really happy to be a part of the Phoenix Suns now because we can really start a winning legacy with Devin Booker and Josh Jackson and all those other guys.

“You know they’re great, we’re a young team and we’re ready. I’m just happy to be a Phoenix Sun.”

Doncic, who recently won the Euroleague MVP award, travelled to New York just days after sealing the Spanish league championship with Real Madrid.

This is not the first time the Hawks have quickly traded the number three overall pick. In 2001, the Hawks made Pau Gasol a top three pick only to trade him to the Vancouver Grizzlies for Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

The Cleveland Cavaliers used the eighth pick to take Alabama guard Collin Sexton, while the champion Golden State Warriors chose Cincinnati guard Jacob Evans with the 29th pick.

AFP

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Four-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo told his fellow Beermen to play with a sense of urgency against Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX) tonight in Season 43 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Calasiao Sports Complex in Pangasinan.

Although the Road Warriors are No. 11 in the team standings, the 6’11 Cebuano center cautioned that the Road Warriors are capable of pulling off an upset in their 5 p.m. encounter.

June Mar Fajardo PBA MEDIA BUREAU PHOTO

“We really need to play and go hard against NLEX. Even though they are undermanned, they are still a solid team, which we cannot underestimate. I expect them not to give up so we need to work hard from start to finish,” Fajardo told The Manila Times.

The Beermen are fresh from beating NLEX’s sister team TNT KaTropa, 99-94, in a highly physical match last week behind Renaldo Balkman’s 43 points and 15 rebounds.

SMB will be aiming for its fifth straight victory in nine games, which is crucial for it to stay in contention for a quarterfinal berth.

“We are up against a team looking to become a spoiler. On our part, we really need to win at least two out of three remaining games to get into the quarterfinals. If we are lucky enough to win all, we can secure at least one of the best-of-three spots in the quarterfinals,” said SMB coach Leo Austria.

“They (NLEX) have nothing to lose but everything to gain. They will play their best to redeem themselves from their losses.”

Besides the arrival of Balkman, the Beermen’s frontline was further fortified by the addition of the 6’6 bruiser Kelly Nabong that SMB acquired via trade with GlobalPort last Thursday.

Christian Standhardinger, who is still nursing an injury, will miss the game vs NLEX.

“We still have a slim chance of at least tying for the last quarterfinal slot if we can win all our two remaining games. There’s a chance to figure in a playoff. We are not losing hope and we just have to fight for it,” said NLEX coach Yeng Guiao.

Guaio also commended Mac Tallo.

“We are very happy with the way he is contributing to the team. We are lucky to have him.”

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