UAAP Season 80 Preview: Now contenders, Adamson Falcons embracing the pressure
LATEST STORIES LOOK: Venues for 2019 SEA Games SEA Games in Calabarzon safe, secure – Solcom chief NBA: ‘Special’ Kyrie Irving to be a better playmaker with Celtics, GM Ainge says For the complete collegiate sports coverage including scores, schedules and stories, visit Inquirer Varsity. Read Next “Slowly, we’re picking up. What’s important for us is to stress and make sure that we can be mentally tough and prepared for this coming season in terms of how to handle pressure.” Chief Justice Peralta on upcoming UAAP game: UP has no match against UST PLAY LIST 01:00Chief Justice Peralta on upcoming UAAP game: UP has no match against UST00:50Trending Articles00:50Trending Articles01:37Protesters burn down Iran consulate in Najaf01:47Panelo casts doubts on Robredo’s drug war ‘discoveries’01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games After bursting into the Final Four last year, Adamson is now regarded as one of the contenders for this season’s championship.Coach Franz Pumaren is well aware of that, and he believes that it’s time for the young Soaring Falcons embrace the challenge head-on.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSSEA Games: Philippines picks up 1st win in men’s water poloSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutout“It’s important for us to start manning up, start accepting the pressure. The difference right now, probably, is that other teams will be preparing for us, unlike last season that they underestimated us because we’re consistent being at the bottom of the team standings,” he said.With focus on consistency in his program, Pumaren has also set higher expectations for his team—from just merely trying to make the Final four to achieving higher than fourth place. “We need to improve on our finish last year, but we have a tough task ahead of us. As we all know, other teams have been rebuilding since last year. It’s a never ending process. Two years ago, they’ve stockpiled their players so we just have to assess everything once the season gets going,” he said.The Soaring Falcons will have a virtually intact line up with Cameroonian big man Papi Sarr upfront, together with the trio of Jerrick Ahanmisi, Robbie Manalang, and Sean Manganti.Pumaren, though, is expecting more from his bench unit as he wants Adamson to be unpredictable on both ends.“Hopefully, we can get some lift from our guys and the rest of the team because it’s so hard if you rely in only a couple of guys. You’ll be predictable,” he said.But more than the talent, Pumaren is putting emphasis on he mental side of things as he seeks to see a more mature Adamson crew this year.ADVERTISEMENT E.T. returns to earth, reunites with grown-up Elliott in new ad 
MOST READ Coach: Franz PumarenLast Season: 8-6 (Final Four)Holdovers: Jerrick Ahanmisi, Robbie Manalang, Papi Sarr, Sean MangantiAdditions: Tyrus Hill, Koko PingoyKey Losses: Jaydee Tungcab, Harold NgADVERTISEMENT Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC LOOK: Loisa Andalio, Ronnie Alonte unwind in Amanpulo for 3rd anniversary WATCH: Streetboys show off slick dance moves in Vhong Navarro’s wedding Catriona Gray spends Thanksgiving by preparing meals for people with illnesses UPLB exempted from SEA Games class suspension Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. View comments
SPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutCurry on Monday said he had not been aiming at the official in question when he tossed his mouthpiece.“I think once he saw the mouthpiece flying, he was already throwing me out,” Curry said before his fine was announced. QC cops nab robbery gang leader, cohort LATEST STORIES Kevin Durant out with Achilles injury; to undergo MRI on Tuesday PLAY LIST 03:12Kevin Durant out with Achilles injury; to undergo MRI on Tuesday01:43Who are Filipinos rooting for in the NBA Finals?02:25Raptors or Warriors? PBA players take their pick of NBA champ01:37Protesters burn down Iran consulate in Najaf01:47Panelo casts doubts on Robredo’s drug war ‘discoveries’01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games Japan ex-PM Nakasone who boosted ties with US dies at 101 ‘One more game’ CPP denies ‘Ka Diego’ arrest caused ‘mass panic’ among S. Tagalog NPA Stronger peso trims PH debt value to P7.9 trillion Kin of Misamis Oriental hero cop to get death benefits, award — PNP The 29-year-old point guard could be seen tossing his mouthpiece after a disputed call.Team-mate Andre Iguodala was fined $15,000 for verbally abusing a game official in the same incident. Team-mate Kevin Durant was also ejected after the stormy end to the defeat.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSSEA Games: Philippines picks up 1st win in men’s water polo MOST READ Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) listens to referee Monty McCutchen during the first half of the Warriors’ NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 28, 2015, in Oakland, California. AP FILESAN FRANCISCO, United States — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry was fined $50,000 but has escaped a suspension for hurling his mouthguard at a game official, the NBA said on Monday.Curry was ejected after the flashpoint late in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 111-101 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.ADVERTISEMENT Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa Read Next “I don’t even know if he knew where it went, let alone where it ended up. I would say I wasn’t trying to hit him with it or put him in danger by any type of stretch of the imagination.“Again, it was a dumb thing to do. It was stupid. Learn from it and try to move on and be better.“We were playing terrible, I was frustrated because I was fouling and I thought I got fouled on the last play. The reaction was definitely a little over the top.”The fine means Curry will be free to play later Monday in the Dubs game against the Dallas Mavericks. /cbbADVERTISEMENT Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH View comments
Calisaan-less Che’Lu-San Sebastian holds off Gamboa-St. Clare Coach Yeng Guiao is excited of what the 27-year-old Moultrie can bring to the table for NLEX.“He’s not too young, nor too old, but at the peak of his abilities. He will blend easily to our team,” he said.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSLillard, Anthony lead Blazers over ThunderSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutMoultrie spent two seasons with the 76ers, splitting time in the NBA and the NBA D-League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and the Delaware 87ers.He soon took his act overseas, playing in China, Puerto Rico, Turkey, Iran, Korea, and his latest, in Bahrain with Al-Muharraq. LOOK: Iya Villania meets ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ cast in Mexico Moultrie posted 22 points, 18 rebounds, three assists, and two steals in his lone game with the club, a 95-87 victory against Al-Hala in the Bahrain Premier League.He previously suited up for Incheon ET Land Elephants in the Korean Basketball League, where he averaged 11.5 markers, 11.5 boards, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 steals. Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. LATEST STORIES Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH Arnett Moultrie #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket in front of Jared Sullinger #7 of the Boston Celtics during the game on December 8, 2012 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Jared Wickerham/Getty Images/AFPNLEX is set to shore up its frontline with the signing of Arnett Moultrie as its reinforcement for the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.The Road Warriors announced the development on their social media accounts on Tuesday, with the former Philadelphia big man set to arrive in April.ADVERTISEMENT Pussycat Dolls set for reunion tour after 10-year hiatus John Lloyd Cruz a dashing guest at Vhong Navarro’s wedding
MOST READ Families in US enclave in north Mexico hold sad Thanksgiving Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC View comments Read Next Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university PLAY LIST 01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City Google honors food scientist, banana ketchup inventor and war hero Maria Orosa Typhoon ‘Tisoy’ threatens Games
BREAKING: Cop killed, 11 hurt in Misamis Oriental grenade blast Tallo heats up as Racal cruises past AMA “I haven’t broken so many records by accident. That’s not an obsession for me, but I do like breaking them.”Ronaldo has already added his name to more record books during this season’s Champions League.His hat-trick against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals made him the first man to score more than 100 Champions League goals.And he duly added another hat-trick in the semi-finals against Atletico Madrid to carry Real to the final in Cardiff this weekend.“He has a good opportunity with the season that he has had, above all in the Champions League this year,” Predrag Mijatovic, who scored the winning goal when Real last met Juventus in the Champions League final in 1998, told AFP.ADVERTISEMENT However, the Montenegrin believes Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon could finally end Messi and Ronaldo’s reign if he lifts the Champions League for the first time at 39 to complete the treble for the Italian giants.“I think the next Ballon d’Or will come from the team that wins the Champions League,” added Mijatovic.“Cristiano is there, as is Buffon and other great players at Real Madrid like Sergio Ramos that could aspire to it.”Ramos uninterestedRamos more than Ronaldo has been Real’s hero in beating Atletico in two of the past three Champions League finals, scoring in both games in Lisbon and Milan.However, the Spanish international doesn’t seem interested in depriving his teammate of a fifth Ballon d’Or to tie Messi’s record.“If I wanted to win individual awards I would have played tennis,” Ramos said on Tuesday.In contrast to Madrid’s previous finals in recent seasons, though, Ronaldo arrives in Cardiff in his best form of the campaign having been spared for a series of league games recently.Despite Ronaldo missing nine La Liga games in total, Madrid didn’t miss a beat, winning every single one to edge out Barcelona and claim a first league title in five years.“It was very intelligent management on the part of the coach because everything had minutes, everyone played and contributed,” added Ronaldo on Zinedine Zidane. Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. “I feel better than in recent years. That is why I think this year will be good for me.“I hope to help the team with a good performance and goals if possible.”If he adds to his 14 goals in his last nine games against the meanest defence in this season’s Champions League, Ronaldo will likely have his name etched on yet another Ballon d’Or.Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates at the end of the match after the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. APCristiano Ronaldo heads to Saturday’s Champions League final against Juventus on the brink of realizing a burning ambition of matching Lionel Messi’s record of winning the Ballon d’Or five times.“I want to catch Messi,” Ronaldo confessed when collecting his third World Player of the Year crown back in 2015.ADVERTISEMENT LATEST STORIES Cayetano dares Lacson, Drilon to take lie-detector test: Wala akong kinita sa SEA Games MOST READ BREAKING: Cop killed, 11 hurt in Misamis Oriental grenade blast Every 18 seconds someone is diagnosed with HIV Now the Portuguese has four to his name, but Messi still remains one step ahead with five.The two have dominated the award for the past decade in the battle to not just be considered the best of their generation, but among the best of all time.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingYet, whilst Juventus’s stubborn defence forced Messi to fire blanks in a 3-0 quarter-final aggregate win for the Italians over Barcelona, Ronaldo can complete another stellar season by ensuring Madrid become the first side to retain the Champions League.“I am aware of the fact that what I’ve done in football has already left and will continue to leave a mark,” Ronaldo told UEFA.com. Palace: Duterte to hear out security execs on alleged China control of NGCP Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ Pagasa: Storm intensifies as it nears PAR BSP survey: PH banks see bright horizon amid dark global recession clouds Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games View comments
FILE- In this Saturday, April 7, 2012 file photo, the new high-rise buildings of downtown Doha, photographed in the background as Qatari women and a man walk by the sea in Doha, Qatar. Qatar, now facing a diplomatic crisis with other Arab nations, is a small country with a big history of turmoil and coups as it became one of the world’s top suppliers of natural gas and now plans to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)Qatar’s bid for the 2022 World Cup was based on a powerful vision that soccer could unite the Middle East.“Just think together of what we can achieve together,” Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, the wife of the Qatar’s then-ruler, told FIFA voters in 2010. She ambitiously forecast a “culture of peace across our region through football,”ADVERTISEMENT With five years until kickoff, that optimism is rapidly disintegrating after Arab neighbors severed ties on Monday with the tiny nation that turned to sports to buttress its global status.Soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, is hoping the regional rifts are healed long before there’s any need to contemplate any change of host, a move that would deal a heavy blow to Qatar’s reputation and economy as it is investing more than $150 billion on infrastructure to handle the World Cup.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutFor now, FIFA is predictably sidestepping detailed questions about the impact of the decision by Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to cast Qatar adrift diplomatically. Qatar’s Gulf neighbors have accused Qatar of supporting terror groups, interfering in the sovereign affairs of Arab countries and backing groups that undermine political stability.FIFA has reiterated that it maintains regular contact with Qatar. LATEST STORIES Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Cayetano dares Lacson, Drilon to take lie-detector test: Wala akong kinita sa SEA Games MOST READ Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games Every 18 seconds someone is diagnosed with HIV Warriors focus on crown, not historic unbeaten run Palace: Duterte to hear out security execs on alleged China control of NGCP BREAKING: Cop killed, 11 hurt in Misamis Oriental grenade blast “There are still five years before the World Cup kicks off,” Grindel said. “Political solutions must take precedence over threats of boycott in this time.”Not all the countries currently embroiled in the dispute with Qatar are World Cup regulars, so there is slim chance of the entire bloc qualifying for the 2022 tournament. But Qatar will be hosting athletes from across the region when it stages the world track and field championships in 2019.“We are talking to our teams in the region to properly understand the implications for both the short term and long term,” the IAAF said.Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next BSP survey: PH banks see bright horizon amid dark global recession clouds BREAKING: Cop killed, 11 hurt in Misamis Oriental grenade blast Pagasa: Storm intensifies as it nears PAR Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ “One thing is certain, the world’s football community should agree that large tournaments cannot be played in countries that actively support terror,” said Reinhard Grindel, president of the German football federation and a member of FIFA’s ruling council.Qatar denies funding extremists, but that hasn’t stopped its neighbors from implementing punitive measures that impact people and businesses across the region, including soccer fans.FIFA was dragged into the backlash against the 2022 World Cup host nation on Tuesday when Qatar’s state-funded broadcaster beIN Sports appeared to be blocked in the UAE. With beIN holding the broadcasting rights to FIFA events across the Middle East and North Africa, the ongoing Under-20 World Cup in South Korea will now be unavailable for viewers in the UAE.FIFA said it was in contact with the broadcaster and was monitoring the situation.FIFA is also in partnership with Qatar’s flagship carrier. Qatar Airways, which signed up as a World Cup sponsor last month , has been forced to reroute journeys over Iranian and Turkish airspace after Saudi Arabia and Egypt blocked Qatari flights from using their airspace. A soccer sponsorship has already been affected, with Saudi club Al-Ahli terminating its deal with the airline.ADVERTISEMENT The escalation of the crisis in the Persian Gulf will have underscored to FIFA just how precarious the region is, and the geographical weakness of oil-and-gas rich Qatar.The desert nation is heavily reliant on food imports , predominantly through its border with Saudi Arabia, where hundreds of trucks transporting food and construction materials have now been stopped from entering.A sustained blockade could hit the construction boom required to transform the sparse nation. An entire city is being built to stage the final. Not a single stadium was ready at the time of bidding, and only one venue has so far been completed as Qatar prepares to welcome the 32 teams.Qatar has long been heavily reliant on a massive workforce of migrant laborers from Asia to expand its infrastructure. The Philippines has temporarily suspended the deployment of Filipino workers to Doha, but said there is no plan yet to repatriate the more than 200,000 existing members of the labor force.Being handed the World Cup made working, living conditions and employment rights in Qatar a global concern. Practices such as the “kafala” sponsorship system that binds workers to their employer are in place across the region, but activists have largely only shone the spotlight on Qatar and the human cost of hosting the World Cup.Qatar has responded to the pressure by compelling companies to adopt labor reforms . It’s one of the consequences of hosting a major sporting event that Qatar did not seem to anticipate amid the joy of beating the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea in the 2010 vote.Qatar has the global attention, but it’s largely been unwelcome.From the moment then-FIFA President Sepp Blatter pulled Qatar’s name out of the envelope in Zurich, the whiff of corruption has hung over Qatar’s bid, coupled with concerns about heat that forced the tournament to be shifted into the heart of the European season in November-December 2022.Despite being exonerated by FIFA’s ethics investigators, speculation about Qatar being stripped of the hosting rights or being boycotted by some countries has persisted, without the call coming from any authoritative soccer body or government.Significantly, the federation of World Cup holder Germany is not endorsing such an extreme move. View comments
Heart Evangelista admits she’s pregnant… with chicken Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.netJoshua Smith knows that his hefty size is seen as a defensive liability at times for TNT, so when coach Nash Racela called his number in the final 7.1 seconds of regulation on Friday, even he was surprised.“It’s weird because in those situations, I’m [usually] out off the floor. The fact that they put me on the ball, I kind of looked at the coach and told him, ‘Are you sure you want me out there?’ I was just trying to be disruptive, use my length,” he said.ADVERTISEMENT LATEST STORIES 1 dead in Cavite blast, fire With the KaTropa staring at an 89-88 deficit, Smith tried his best to distract inbounder Chris Newsome and take his options out, forcing the Bolts swingman to throw the ball to his foot.“Once I saw he had no options, he was going for my feet, I tried to move out of the way. It ended working out for us,” he said.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutThe ball rolled on the court, paving way for Jayson Castro to split the ball and fish for the foul. He ended up splitting his freebies to tie the game at 89 and force overtime.TNT went on to claim the winner-take-all Game 3, 104-96 to advance to the 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals. Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games Heart Evangelista admits she’s pregnant… with chicken WATCH: Firefighters rescue baby seal found in parking garage Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’
World’s 50 Best Restaurants launches new drinking and dining guide What ‘missteps’? Cayetano dares Lacson, Drilon to take lie-detector test: Wala akong kinita sa SEA Games MOST READ Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. For all of his faults, Smith delivered a monstrous double-double in the victory with 31 points, 27 rebounds, four assists, and two steals, much to the delight of Racela.“He’s a due for a big game like this. If you’ve noticed from the moment he came in, he has been playing controlled minutes. There were games when he played less than 20 minutes, but slowly, we’ve been stretching that,” the youthful mentor said. “As long as you give him minutes, he will get you numbers. That’s the good thing about Joshua. We just took advantage of what we had.”Smith, meanwhile, is just making most of the confidence Racela has on him, especially with the high stakes the Game 3 of the quarterfinals had for the KaTropa.“In do-or-die games, you want to leave it all out there. You don’t want to have any regrets. You don’t want to have turmoil—coulda, shoulda, woulda,” he said. “Today, I wanted to make sure I could score as many points and to try and grab as many rebounds as I can.”With Meralco out of the way, TNT will now move on and prepare for top-seed Ginebra in the best-of-five semifinals series to start on Sunday.ADVERTISEMENT LeBron sets record for most triples-doubles in NBA Finals View comments
Fultz will not play Sunday, but there is no timetable for his return to action.“We’ll be as cautious as we can, making sure he’s healthy,” Pierce said.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSWin or don’t eat: the Philippines’ poverty-driven, world-beating pool starsIt was the last thing the Sixers wanted to see just when they appeared to be ready to put years of misery behind them. They have dealt with significant injuries to center Joel Embiid and last year’s No. 1 pick, Ben Simmons, over the last three years.“Oh no no no,” Embiid tweeted, “don’t do this to us.” Markelle Fultz. APLAS VEGAS — No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz needed to be helped off the court with an injury to his left ankle in the Philadelphia 76ers’ summer league game Saturday night against Golden State.Fultz appeared to roll his ankle in the second half and was helped to the locker room by two teammates. Sixers summer league coach Lloyd Pierce said Fultz has been diagnosed with a sprained left ankle and “will be treated accordingly.”ADVERTISEMENT Ethel Booba on hotel’s clarification that ‘kikiam’ is ‘chicken sausage’: ‘Kung di pa pansinin, baka isipin nila ok lang’ Another vape smoker nabbed in Lucena Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ LOOK: Jane De Leon meets fellow ‘Darna’ Marian Rivera Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games China furious as Trump signs bills in support of Hong Kong Pagasa: Storm intensifies as it nears PAR El Nido residents told to vacate beach homes
MOST READ Fultz, who signed his contract earlier in the day, was taken for X-rays. The former Washington star had eight points in 15 minutes.“I’m a little bit punch-drunk with the injuries that we’ve had with our first players selected over the years,” head coach Brett Brown said during the ESPN telecast.But Pierce said he was trying not to look at it that way.“It’s easy to put that on the history that we’ve gone through, but no, it’s just part of the game,” Pierce said.The 76ers pulled off a trade with Boston before the draft in June to move up from No. 3 to No. 1 to take Fultz, the dynamic scoring point guard that GM Bryan Colangelo felt was the perfect piece to put with Simmons and Embiid.ADVERTISEMENT View comments LATEST STORIES Pagasa: Kammuri now a typhoon, may enter PAR by weekend Robert Whittaker edges Romero, grabs interim belt at UFC 213 Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. The move energized a fan base that had been worn down by years of tanking under previous GM Sam Hinkie, though his oft-criticized strategy was finally starting to pay off with the accumulation of talent in Philly.The Sixers also added veterans J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson to supplement the young core and appeared poised to get rolling in the wide-open Eastern Conference.Fultz averaged 23.2 points last season for the Huskies, tops among freshmen, and added 5.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game, the only Division I player to reach those stats.“I think that he has a tremendous feel for the game,” Brown said. “I think that the way he plays and the pace he plays with is going to allow him to play multiple positions. He has proven to be a better shooter than personally I expected.”Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next
Trump signs bills in support of Hong Kong protesters Robredo should’ve resigned as drug czar after lack of trust issue – Panelo Audacious Alpe pins hope on repertoire of strength The Water Defenders have now won five of their last six games including two straight victories over Creamline in the Final Four.Pocari’s stunning fall spoiled Myla Pablo’s night. The former National U star was named MVP before the match but managed just nine points against BaliPure.Elaine Kasilag had 11 points to lead Pocari.Earlier, Mega Builders pulled off an 18-25, 25-23, 26-24, 22-25, 25-13 squeaker over Cignal TV to force a sudden death duel for the men’s crown.ADVERTISEMENT DILG, PNP back suspension of classes during SEA Games MOST READ LATEST STORIES The way things worked out in Game 1 of the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference Finals Saturday night was hard to imagine as BaliPure actually tiptoed precariously at the edge of elimination early in the tournament.ADVERTISEMENT Robredo should’ve resigned as drug czar after lack of trust issue – Panelo Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes dies at 59 with wife by his side
From grasping at straws to salvage an up-and-down campaign, the Water Defenders are now within a game of grabbing the championship trophy following a surprisingly quick 25-22, 25-19, 25-22 victory at Filoil Flying V Centre.“We were almost eliminated and it was a really difficult road going to the championship,” said coach Roger Gorayeb in Filipino.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSWin or don’t eat: the Philippines’ poverty-driven, world-beating pool stars“[But] we’re confident and we’ll just capitalize on this win,” he added. “We will go to the next game with the psychological advantage.”Aiko Urdas led the Water Defenders with 15 points while Jerrili Malabanan and Grethcel Soltones added 14 and 10 points, respectively. View comments Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next NATO’s aging eye in the sky to get a last overhaul NGCP on security risk: Chinese just technical advisers Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games
The new rules of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which will be applied from next year, have left Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan a bit confused and the bollywood superstar said that it would be fair for everyone if all the players are put up for auction in November.”New IPL rules are a bit confusing. Two new teams added (good). All players should go into pool to make it fair for everyone. Simple & straight,” Shah Rukh wrote on his Twitter page.With the inclusion of two new teams – Sahara Pune Warriors and Kochi – in the IPL, the league’s governing council (GC) proposed a revised structure on Sunday but it has not gone down too well with some of the franchise owners who later voiced their concerns publicly.The new rules state that the 10 teams will be divided into two groups and there would be 74 matches in the next three IPL seasons.Out of the 74, 70 would be league matches plus four playoff matches with each team playing the same number of matches (14 of which seven would be home and the other seven away), as in the previous IPL editions.According to the previous format, the number of matches were 94.The IPL GC also decided that the eight original franchises would be allowed to retain a maximum of four players, including a foreigner and three Indians. Besides the four players, the rest of the squad would be selected through open bidding.It has also been made mandatory for the retained players to be registered for the 2010 season.advertisementThe fee of the retained players would be decided after mutual agreement between the stakeholders.Player contracts will be for a period of two years plus oneyear right of extension by the franchise. The salary cap of the franchisees has also been raised to $9 million.But if any franchisee retains all the four players, it will have to spend $4.5 million per year on other players.The new rules have limited the number of players to 30 for a squad.The two new teams Pune and Kochi, who did not participate in the 2010 season, can sign up to four players from the list of players who were not a part of the squad of any of the teams in the past three IPL editions.(With inputs from agencies)