Though I have only stated my love for tennis and basketball in this blog, I just want to share in the victory of Rubilen Amit and Mr. Efren "Bata" Reyes for having to win the 1st World Mixed Doubles Classic title after edging Korea in an exciting finals match at the Nuvo City Lifestyle Center in Libis, Quezon City Thursday night. I'm not really fond of billiards but seeing them play made me stick to tv even just for a little while. I can say that the match was really exciting since they were really behind at first. Buti na lang at nakahabol..nanalo pa!
I have seen Rubilen play during the 1st World Women's Pool Championship and having to edged all the beautiful ladies from around the world and be able to grab the title of being the 2009 Women's World 10-Ball Championships (can't remember when's that already but all I can remember is the moment of cheering with my pop and sis for the very job well done.)
Kudos to Rubilen and Efren for the job well done! Go Pinoy!
Just updating this blog with recent news about Maria. Got this article from a russian online mag through my google feeds.
Tennis superstar Maria Sharapova has retained the status of Russia's richest athlete with an income of $24 million in 2009, the Finans business magazine said.
According to a Finans ranking published on Friday, Sharapova's earnings dropped by $1.5 million against 2008. She earned just $900,000 from tennis tournaments this year, with the remainder coming from commercial sponsorship deals.
The former world No. 1 finished the season ranked 14th, her lowest yearend position since 2003, having come back from almost a year out with injury problems that saw her fall out of the top 100.
Following Maria would be Andrei Kirilenko, the only Russian in the NBA,with $15.1 million, ice hockey star Alexander Ovechki, with earnings estimated at $12 million, and Russian national football team captain Andrei Arshavin came fourth in the Finans' ranking with $11.25 million.
This continues a review of the women’s and men’s top 30s. Notice that there is only one teenager amongst the women ranked No. 11-20, a very unusual development.
11 MARION BARTOLI: A solid year for France’s most accomplished tennis-playing impressionist painter. She may not be as good as she thinks she is on court, but off court, there’s no more interesting personality on tour.
12 FLAVIA PENNETTA: This veteran has improved more than any other during the past two years. She’s in much better shape, finally believes in her offense and is more comfortable with who she is. Don’t count her out of a Slam final.
13 SAMANTHA STOSUR: It’s taken almost too long for the Aussie to improve her singles game and if she can add a little more pop to her backhand, make better use of the net and not go on walkabouts against the elite players, she’ll be threat to win a major in 2010. She’s love to do it Down Under.
14 MARIA SHARAPOVA: If you look at how much better the three-time Slam champ played in last two and half months of her comeback compared to her first two and half, you’ll realize that if she can stay healthy in 2010, she’s near lock to win a Slam, because she’s a better all around player now.
15 NA LI: Just when we thought that the Chinese veteran was going to give way to her other ambitious countrywomen, she stood strong and reasonable healthy for much of 2009. She’ll never win a Slam, but don’t count her out of the top 10.
16 YANINA WICKMAYER: Without question, the Belgian teen is the biggest surprise entrant into the top 20, but now her career has been derailed with her doping suspension. We may never see how good she can be.
17 FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Didn’t have countrywoman Pennetta’s year, but it’s truly enjoyable to watch the Italian play when she’s motivated because she brings true variety and passion to the game.
18 KIM CLIJSTERS: While it wasn’t surprising that she came back technically a better player, it was a little stunning to see how much more mentally composed the new mom is. Just watch the Belgian finish 2010 in the top 3.
19 VIRGINIE RAZZANO: This French veteran has always been a bit under-rated. She occasionally has the power and ambition to knock off the game’s elite, but she remains erratic.
20 NADIA PETROVA: Given what she went through in 2009 off-season physically, this isn’t a bad finish for the thoughtful Russian, but if she doesn’t stay healthy step it up next year, she’ll never win a Slam.
(no Chris' pic as of this time..posing here are UAAP Season 72 MVP Dylan Ababou, Sir Rick Olivares, JV Casio, Andy Mark Barocca, & Japeth Aguilar..courtesy of bleachersbrew.blogspot.com)
As a supporter of the Smart Gilas Developmental Team, just wanna congratulate the team for winning against the PBA's Powerade Team during a Charity Game for the Typhoon Ondoy victims last October 5, 2009 at the Aranet Coliseum. Though the proceeds are clearly for A CAUSE, you can really see both team's desire to win as this is their first time to clash since the launching of the Development Team under an Iranian Coach, Coach Rajko Toroman. I really can't wait to see Chris' post 'bout the game.
Meanwhile, here is an article from teampilipinas.info(gmanews.tv) about the game. Sorry for copy-pasting the article. I just thought that I love your version on how you blogged about the team & the win. And besides, no one's been reading my blog anyway so I think, no harm is done. Peace!:D
"The Smart Gilas team of Serbian coach Rajko Toroman has served notice of its readiness to play in the Philippine Basketball Association.
And they showed it by beating the country’s cream of the crop.
Relying not on anyone but everyone, Smart Gilas easily demolished an out-of-shape and undermanned Powerade-Pilipinas team, 98-69, Monday in the “Pinoy Basketball, Kakampi N’yo" fund-raising game at the Araneta Coliseum. CJ Giles and Japeth Aguilar combined forces in possibly the most formidable frontline in Philippine basketball. Andy Barroca and JV Casio alternately played the point and held their own against their more experienced counterparts. And Dylan Ababou, Aldrech Ramos and Jason Ballesteros did a little bit of everything in handing Smart Gilas an easy triumph.
It was a game dominated by Toroman’s wards majority of the way.
They were only feeling their way around in the first few minutes of the first period, trailing by seven, 7-14, with James Yap and Willie Miller leading the way for Powerade.
Then came a big scoring outburst by Smart Gilas.
Giles and Aguilar made their presence felt inside and JV Casio fired a trey to cap off a big 17-5 exchange as the all-amateur team seized a 24-19 lead at the end of the first.
It was all Smart Gilas from there, leading by as many as 20 points twice in the third canto.
And with Giles and Chris Tiu combining for a one scintillating play to complete an alley-oop slam and push Smart Gilas to a 92-76 lead with only 2:16 left , the curtains finally fell on the all-pro Powerade-Pilipinas five, which didn’t have the chance of practicing since its eighth-place finish in the last FIBA Asia Championship.
Overall, Smart Gilas outplayed Powerade in almost all fronts.
Toroman’s troops shot the ball decently, making 37 of 78 attempts for a 47% clip, while Powerade struggled all game long and shot only 34%.
Smart Gilas, as expected, played better as a team, dishing out 17 assists more than Powerade-Pilipinas.
On rebounds, Giles, Aguilar and Ballesteros were too much as they terrorized the shaded lane and clobbered their rivals. Smart Gilas grabbed 60 rebounds to only 36 by Powerade.
Former Los Angeles Lakers Giles finished with 22 points, 16 rebounds and five shot blocks for Smart Gilas, which will play as a guest team in the coming PBA. Aguilar, the controversial top overall pick who previously suited up for Powerade-RP, had 24 points and four rebounds.
A project of basketball stockholders in the country led by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the PBA, the game was held for the benefit of victims of tropical storm “Ondoy" and in memory of Barako Bull executive Tony Chua, who perished at the height of the storm.
At last, the long wait has come. Maria has made it to being the champ. Here's the article from Maria Sharapova's official site:
Jankovic took a 2-0 lead in the 1st set by breaking Maria in the 1st game. Then the momentum switched to Maria's side of the court as she took the next 5 games, Maria levelled the set 2-2 when Jankovic netted a forehand. Jankovic was leading 40-0 on her service game but Maria started to play powerful and accurate returns and took the next 5 points to lead 4-2. Maria then held her serve and at the changeover Jankovic had an injury time-out for a wrist injury and played 2 more points on her service game and retired.In the new rankings to be released on Monday, Maria will move up to #15 with 2680 points and she gained 800 points here.
I just want to share another milestone of Smart Gilas Pilipinas Team on one of its exhibition games against Singapore Slingers yesterday, September 23, 2009. This really made my day especially that Chris Tiu went with the team to play :D I just hope he gets to share this win in his blog. Take note that out of the, I think, 14 member of the team, only 9 went there to play. Below is the article from a Singapore sports news. Sorry for being so biased..:)
Members of the Smart Gilas developmental team together with coach Rajko Toroman, fourth from left, depart for Singapore for a series of exhibition games with the SingaporeSlingers. They are, from left, Maggie Sison, MacMac Baracael, Mark Barroca, Japeth Aguilar, Jason Ballesteros, JV Casio and Chris Tiu. (Photo by Rudy Santos) courtesy of teampilipinas.info
Singapore Indoor Stadium, Wednesday, September 23, 2009 – The word on the Smart Gilas Pilipinas team was that they were all about skills, quickness and hustle.
Although they displayed all that and more, including several rim-rattling, crowd-pleasing dunks, it took a last-ditch defensive play from point guard Mark Barroca to prevent his Singapore Slingers counterpart Al Vergara from setting up the game-tying shot at the death.
Smart Gilas Pilipinas edged out the Slingers 70-67 in a fast-paced Challenge Series game that was chockful with excitement all 40 minutes. The match was the second of four pre-ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) season matches for the Slingers. Their first was a 93-85 win over the Coca-Cola Tigers of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) last Friday, and while that victory was achieved against an experienced, well-grounded side, this match was a different kettle of fish.
The Smart Gilas Pilipinas squad are a national developmental team whose ultimate goal is to reach the 2012 Olympics in London. Led by former Iranian men’s basketball team coach Rajko Toroman, the Smart Gilas consisted of standout collegiate and amateur players like Barroca and the twin towers of 2009 PBA Number 1 draft pick Japeth Aguilar and former Los Angeles Lakers’ player CJ Giles, who, standing at 6 feet 11 inches, is an inch taller than Aguilar.
And it was Giles who provided the highlight moment of the match late in the third quarter, with the game tied. The centre, who led Smart Gilas with 21 points and 11 rebounds, rose high above the Slingers defence to dunk an alley-oop pass from Barroca to hand his team the lead at 52-50. After the Slingers immediately turned it over, Giles slammed home a teammate’s miss with aplomb to double the Smart Gilas’ lead, and send the hugely-partisan Philippine crowd into raptures.
The crowd were at it right from the tip-off, as the Slingers looked to be overrun by the Smart Gilas team during the opening exchanges. The home team started with Kyle Jeffers, Pathman Matialakan, Hong Wei Jian, Al Vergara and Marcus Ng, the latter being the one change from the previous starting five, taking Lim Wai Sian’s spot.
Despite the seemingly-consistent lineup, coach Frank Arsego said, “There is no starting five yet. We are still putting some players in and changing around, and seeing who can do what.”
What the Slingers did was get into an early deficit – as they did in the previous match against the Tigers – and then climb right back out of it. The Smart Gilas sprinted and hustled their way to a quick 8-2 lead, with Aguilar and Giles splitting the points, and the Slingers looked both out of depth and sorts as they struggled to keep pace with their opponents. They racked up the turnover count as well, with Wei Jian accounting for four first-quarter mishandlings.
With the Smart Gilas team and the crowd smelling blood, the Slingers dug in and played to their strengths. With their shooters yet to find their range, they went to the low block of Jeffers and Pathman for points in the paint.
Jeffers then made the second period his own. Tormenting the Smart Gilas post defenders time and again, the big 6 feet 9 inch American scored 12 of his 20 points here in a dazzling array of post moves, long jumpers and even an alley-oop dunk from a Vergara feed.
Aguilar scored six points in the period to keep the Smart Gilas close, but the Slingers led by as many as eight, the largest lead in the game. Jeffers’ points, as well as contributions from Pathman and Wei Jian, who converted a double-clutch layup which seemed to defy gravity, provided the impetus for a 35-31 Slinger lead at half-time.
The second 20 minutes was a cagey affair, as both teams neither built a substantial lead nor held one for an extended period of time. There were nine lead changes and five tied scores alone in the half, which the Smart Gilas team dominated to overturn the half-time deficit.
Although Aguilar was held scoreless in the third period, Giles, Joseph Casio, Chris Tiu and Marnel Baracael stepped up to score the points for their team. Baracael scored all his seven third-quarter points in a 7-0 run which gave Smart Gilas a 43-37 lead as the Slingers seemingly fell into a rut.
But once again, the Slingers came right back at their opponents. A reticent Wei Jian, who had not taken a jump shot yet in the game, scored 10 of the Slingers’ next 13 points, including two three-pointers. He said, “Coach told me not to worry (about his 4 first quarter turnovers), and to just keep taking shots.”
Wong Wei Long, who missed the previous game due to his enlistment into National Service, added another trey as the Slingers tied the game at 50, before Giles came up with his double-dunk delight for the Filipino fans.
Barroca’s jumper off an excellent screen from Giles made it 58-52 at the start of the final period, but the Slingers chipped away at the deficit once again, and led 61-60 after three minutes of fourth-quarter play when Vergara made one of two technical free throws after Smart Gilas were deemed to have made an improper substitution which resulted in them having six players on court for several moments.
This left Pilipinas coach Toroman delirious with rage, as he remonstrated at length with the officials. The Serbian was once again absolutely livid with three minutes to go when, with his charges trailing 64-65, the Slingers’ Jamal Brown seemed to commit a goaltending violation which was not called by the officials. The following play went out of bounds off a Smart Gilas player, handing possession over to the Slingers, and leaving Toroman and his team quite incensed.
Boos rang down from the Philippine section of the crowd, but they soon turned to cheers when Aguilar made a jumper which gave his team the lead for good, and again when Tiu’s acrobatic layup made it 70-67 to the Smart Gilas with 50.2 seconds to play.
Jeffers used up the clock on the ensuing inbounds play, but missed his hook shot after good team defence from the Smart Gilas. They then had a chance to put the game to bed, but Marcus Ng nearly stole the ball off Barroca, whose team then failed to get a shot off in time as they committed a shot-clock violation with 5.5 seconds left.
Vergara brought the ball up-court as the Slingers prepared for a game-tying three, but Barroca swiped the ball away from behind as time expired on a game that left spectators and players alike breathless.
“Our main aim was to take away their athleticism,” said Arsego on the Smart Gilas team. “These guys are the future of Asian basketball. With their team structure and play, ball movement and screens, this team is hard to defend.”
Despite the close loss, Arsego felt his charges could hold their heads high. He said, “The Smart Gilas had that third quarter run, but we kept it close till the end with big plays. We were just a little tap away from winning the game. I’m proud of the boys, to put up that sort of performance against this team.”
When asked about the aspect of play that the Slingers could improve on, Vergara replied that they could do better on their transition defence, and Wei Jian echoed his point guard’s thoughts, saying, “We did not defend hard enough, nor run back fast enough during their (Smart Gilas) fast breaks.”
The Slingers will play their next match of the Challenge Series against the Barangay Ginebra Kings, one of the most popular PBA teams. The match will take place on Wednesday, September 30 at 8pm, and will be played at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Scoring by quarter: Singapore Slingers v Smart Gilas Pilipinas 1st Q: 17-14 2nd Q: 18-17 3rd Q: 17-25 4th Q: 15-14 Final Score: 67-70
