NBTC bares its Seaoil-NBTC National Finals, All-Star Game

On Monday, the National Basketball Training Center, the official grassroots program of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), revealed its cast for the 3rd edition of the Seaoil-NBTC High School All-Star Game.

Led by a stellar cast that includes those who have already played for the Philippines in international competitions, the All-Star Game is arguably the showcase of the best high school senior talent in the country.

From over 60 high school standouts, the selection committee (led by legendary head coach Ato Badolato) pruned that down to 30 players to be divided into the Blue and White teams. No details were available as to the composition of the Blue Team and the White Team, but the committee has been tasked to handle the filtering process to ensure parity of talent with both teams.

JB Sison and Jeff Napa are tasked to be the coaches for this all-star game, which will take place on March 9 at the Ynares Arena in Pasig.

Gracing the press conference were Arvin Tolentino of San Beda, Hubert Cani and John Paul Cauilan of National University, and Mohammad Salim of Chiang Kai Shek. The high school standouts express confidence that they are going to put on a show and at the same time impress the college coaches and scouts that are expected to flock to the venue.

NBTC Program Director (and more known as the head coach of National University) Eric Altamirano believes that this is the best batch of All-Star participants, given its national pedigree. Tolentino, Thirdy Ravena and Paolo Rivero were part of the FIBA 3x3 team, while Richard Escoto, Diego Dario and Arnie Padilla were part of the team that finished 2nd in the FIBA-Asia U-16 tournament in Iran.

Here are the 30 players participating in the event:

Ateneo de Manila - Thirdy Ravena
Chiang Kai Shek - Mohammad Salim
Colegio de San Juan de Letran - Ivan Villanueva
La Salle Greenhills - Paolo Rivero
Far Eastern University - Richard Escoto
Hope Christian - John Apacible, Jobert Mercado, Arjan dela Cruz
Malayan HS - Justin Serrano
National University - Hubert Cani, Manuel Mosqueda, John Paul Cauilan, Lorenzo Battad
San Beda - Javee Mocon, Adven Diputado, Ranbill Tongco, Arvin Tolentino
San Sebastian - Michael Calisaan, Alfred Gayosa, Ryan Costelo, Ranzelle Yong
University of the Philippines - Diego Dario
Xavier School - Jarell Lim, Isaac Go
Claret School - Zamboanga - Allen delos Santos
Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori - Cagayan de Oro - Glenn Gallardo
Hua Siong College of Iloilo - Joshua Edjan
West Negros University - Keith Pido
Assumption College - Davao - Allyn Bulanadi
Sacred Heart School - Cebu - Arnie Padilla

Meanwhile, before the All-Star Game, the Seaoil-NBTC National Finals is scheduled to take place from March 6-9. 24 of the best high school teams in the country slug it out to see which is the best.

Among those highly fancied to win are National University, Hope Christian and former champions Sacred Heart School-Cebu.

NASCAR gets Seaoil boost

This past Monday, NASCAR returned to Philippine television with the season-opening race, the Daytona 500. This is, in part, thanks to Fox International Channels and FOX Sports, who will have the LIVE and EXCLUSIVE telecast of all 38 Sprint Cup races, as well as highlights of the Nationwide Series.

For this year, though, the broadcast gets a boost with the entry of Seaoil as the fuel partner of NASCAR on Fox Sports. Seaoil has links to NASCAR thanks to its relationship with STP, which it uses its additives to enhance its fuel performance. STP has been linked with NASCAR since 1972.

To celebrate the collaboration, FIC, FOX Sports and Seaoil held a NASCAR Quiz Night at Skinny Mike's on Monday night.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won the 2014 Daytona 500, in a race that had been delayed for six hours due to rain. He ended a 55-match winless run, and at the same time has earned eligibility in the Chase for the Sprint Cup "postseason".

TV5 secures rights to 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

After bringing in the biggest one-game sporting spectacle in the United States with Super Bowl XLVIII, Sports5 has now secured the rights to arguably the best knockout tournament in the US, the NCAA Tournament.

TV5, along with Aksyon TV, Hyper and Cignal PPV, will be showing select NCAA Tournament matches, from the opening round until the NCAA Title Game, which will be held inside the Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

According to Sports5 Head (and more recognized as the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas head coach) Chot Reyes, “The airing of March Madness further solidifies TV5 as the leader in providing the biggest sports event to Filipinos, truly bringing to the Filipino public sports that matter. Our basketball-crazed nation will surely get wild watching this electrifying basketball event. Imagine the Sweet 16, Elite 8, Final 4, and the NCAA Championship game live on free TV! I don't think this has ever happened before in local television history.”

The past few years has seen the tournament being shown on Basketball TV, but it is hard to recall the tournament being shown on local free TV.

The tournament is expected to showcase 68 of the best collegiate squads from all over the United States, as picked by a Selection Committee. In a bracket-style knockout format, the 68 will be whittled down to 64 (through what is called the First Four), then it will be cut down into 32, then to the Sweet 16 (which means you get to play a second weekend) and then the Elite Eight. The winners will be in the Final Four.

We can expect drama like nothing else in sports, from buzzer-beaters to highlight-worthy plays, to favorites and of course, the Cinderellas. Many of the current and future NBA stars first carve their basketball legacy in front of fans in this tournament, like Stephen Curry, Derrick Rose and Kemba Walker. Of course, the much-hyped bumper crop of NBA draft prospects dot the field, like Kansas' Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins, as well as Duke's Jabari Parker.

Stay tuned for more details for this event.

FEU-Diliman launches Sports Center

Far Eastern University, in its ambition to produce the best student-athletes in the country, last week inagurated its Sports Center at its Diliman campus, complementing the football pitch that is currently serving as the host of the UAAP football tournament.

It aims to be the home for basketball, volleyball, taekwondo, chess, fencing and the pep squad, while also providing administrative and support services for their athletes, with room for a dorm, locker rooms, therapy area. There is also room for a conference room and an Athletics Office.

The facility contains a world-class maple wood sports floor from Connor USA as its basketball court, the same court that is used by some NBA teams and the NCAA. It also has a customized basketball goal system, volleyball net and aluminum bleachers and protective court cover from Porter, a Philips gym lighting, Gerflor Taraflex and a UNICC digital scoreboard.

FEU is also looking into adding a flexible floor tile system for outdoor basketball or volleyball or futsal court, a fitness facility for strength and conditioning, as well as a sports resource center / library.

With a minimalist and simplistic exterior, the FEU-Diliman Sports Center aims to develop homegrown talents for the Tamaraws, with the vision of being at the caliber of a San Beda or UST, as expressed by UAAP Board Representative / school trustee Anton Montinola. He also adds that there is a likelihood of shifting the sporting activities from Morayta to Diliman, given the accessibility of the facility and absence of possible distractions. 

NCAA Season 89 Football Schedule for 2nd round

Venue will be at ASCOM unless otherwise stated: Schedule is as of February 8.

February 10

8am: Arellano vs Perpetual (Jrs)
10am: San Beda vs Lyceum (Jrs)
12nn: CSB-La Salle Greenhills vs EAC (Jrs)
2pm: San Beda vs Lyceum (Srs)

February 12

8am: Lyceum vs Arellano (Jrs)
10am: Perpetual vs EAC (Jrs)
12nn: San Beda vs CSB-La Salle Greenhills (Jrs)
2pm: Arellano vs CSB (Srs)

February 14 at San Beda

8am: Perpetual vs San Beda (Jrs)
10am: CSB-La Salle Greenhills vs Lyceum (Jrs)
12nn: Arellano vs EAC (Jrs)

February 15

12nn: Lyceum vs Arellano (Srs)
2pm: CSB vs San Beda (Srs)

February 16

9am: EAC vs San Beda (Jrs)
11am: Lyceum vs Perpetual (Jrs)
1pm: Arellano vs CSB-La Salle Greenhills (Jrs)

February 17

8am: CSB vs Lyceum (Srs)
10am: San Beda vs Arellano (Srs)

February 18

8am: EAC vs Lyceum (Jrs)
10am: CSB-La Salle Greenhills vs Perpetual (Jrs)
12nn: Arellano vs San Beda (Jrs)

February 20 - if there is a need for a playoff

TV5 airs the Sochi Games

Last Saturday, TV5, as the official Philippine Olympic Network, opened its extensive coverage of the XXII Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia with the Opening Ceremonies.

40,000 spectators attended the ceremonies at the Fisht Olympic Stadium, where a grand fireworks display accompanied the entrance of athletes as well as a number of Russian music performers.

Coverage is expected for our lone participant, Michael Christian Martinez. The 17-year old will take to the rink for the men's figure skating on Thursday for the short program and Friday for the free skate. Both events will start at 11pm Philippine Standard Time.

They will also have coverage of the other athletes of Filipino descent, like US speed skater JR Celski, in addition to showing the other events like hockey, snowboarding and skiing on their different networks (TV5, Aksyon TV & HYPER) over the sixteen days, with the help of PLDT Home Fibr, SMART and CignalTV

On Marcus Smart

Yesterday, Oklahoma State guard (and well-known NBA prospect) Marcus Smart decided to do this when his Cowboys were about to be upset by Texas Tech.

c/o SB Nation

In light of the Malice at the Palace, this is a no-no, and the Big 12 is expected to send a harsh penalty. I expect the talking heads (like the infamous Ok State alumnus Skip Bayless) to pillorize him for many a reason. However, Colts punter Pat McAfee wrote an interesting set of tweets that needs to be considered.

#MarcusSmart...I have the very fortunate opportunity to be on the sidelines and listen to the things that fans think they can say to players
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 9, 2014

1 of the things that makes sports so amazing is the feelings that it gives people.. From anger & anxiety all the way to elation.. It's a
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 9, 2014

Roller coaster of emotions that fans within the venue get to openly experience.. We all know as players that fans are what make our sports
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 9, 2014

Tick.. Those feelings are what have kept sports relevant for so long.. BUT, just like in any aspect of life, there is a line.. & sometimes
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 9, 2014

That line gets crossed in the heat of the moment.. I think we should take what happened last night and use it as a learning situation.. A
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 9, 2014

Front row ticket is not a golden pass to say whatever you want to somebody.. Just like Twitter and social media isn't one either.. We should
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 9, 2014

Learn that our words can be powerful, and remember that no matter the setting we should be nicer to eachother
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 9, 2014

By the time this will be posted, the school and Smart will be saying something to the media in Stillwater. He'll be grilled on this by NBA coaches and GMs on this, and his draft stock might fall. But that may just be a good idea, as he would be on a team that is winning and would be surrounded by individuals who can mentor him right.

Also a good read: Dave Zirin's piece on this matter at the Nation.

I write this, knowing how this is sort of like how the Bo Perasol incident happened.

Trequartista Sweeper - The Final Week for UAAP Season 76 eliminations

The eliminations portion of UAAP Season 76 Football will end this weekend (at least for the collegiate portion), with the postseason still has yet to be finalized for both the men and women. The possibility of a playoff still looms in the horizon.

What we know is that there is some compelling action still left to be accomplished on the turf at FEU-Diliman.

Men's Football.

FEU has already clinched the top seed, and last Sunday, UP sealed the second seed and the other twice-to-beat advantage. All that needs to be determined is who will they face in the Final Four.

UST is sitting comfortably at 17 points. The rookie-laden Golden Booters will make the postseason, they just do not know who they will face yet.

There are two schools left in the running for the last open spot:

The University of the East is the one on the outside looking in, with 12 points. The Red Booters have yet to secure a victory since their surprising three-match winning run to open the season. That also happens to be the last time Fitch Arboleda was healthy. Arboleda did not dress in their 2-0 loss to UP last Sunday due to a MCL issue, but he aims to be ready to help first-year mentor Ryan Marinay. They will have to beat Far Eastern University on Thursday to even have a chance of putting some sort of pressure on the other school.

De La Salle University totes 14 points, just two ahead of UE, and will make the postseason if the Red Booters fail to claim a victory against the Tamaraws. However, a UE win means the Green Booters cannot afford to lose against National University on Sunday.

They, however, have an incentive to win against the Bulldogs. A win will enable them to be level on points with UST for third place, and based on how previous UAAP seasons work, there will be a playoff to break the tie. A draw (and a hypothetical UE win) means La Salle and UE will have a playoff to determine FEU's Final Four opponent.

Remaining eliminations schedule (all games at FEU-Diliman):

February 6: 3PM: FEU vs UE* televised
February 9: 1PM: Ateneo vs UP & 3PM: DLSU vs NU

Women's Football.

All eyes are on this Saturday's matchup between Ateneo and UST.

With only five participating schools, only the top two teams advance. UST and FEU each have 12 points. Ateneo has 10 points and can only overtake the two teams above them with a win. A draw won't be enough.

The Lady Booters from Loyola Heights suffered a costly 2-1 loss against UP last Sunday that could have afforded them entry into the finals without having to sweat it out on the final day of the eliminations. At least this year, they will be on the field as they dictate their postseason fate. A year ago at Ocampo Field, they were witnesses to Karla Pacificador's free kick goal against UP that sent La Salle to the finals.

Remaining eliminations schedule (all games at FEU-Diliman):

February 8: 3PM: UST vs Ateneo
February 9: 10AM: UP vs DLSU

The year in American Football

Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks for finishing the season on top of the NFL food chain. They were definitely all about dat action, boss.

See if you can discern everything about the just concluded season on this photo from Fox Sports.

TV5 to air Super Bowl XLVIII

The biggest one-game sporting spectacle in the world will be shown LIVE to Filipino viewers this Monday morning.

TV5 will be showing Super Bowl XLVIII between the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the first time the event will be outdoors in a cold-climate location. Coverage begins at 7:30am.

The Broncos are seeking to replicate their success in the late 90s, with the newly-minted Offensive Player of the Year in Peyton Manning. Manning is seeking a second Super Bowl ring after winning one in Indianapolis.

The Seahawks are the top-ranked defensive team in football, anchored by their "Legion of Boom" secondary. Most Filipino fans, however, will recognize the team based on this photo.

c/o Seahawks team site

That is Doug Baldwin, Jr.. The wide receiver from Stanford has a grandmother who is a Tacloban native, and in the aftermath of the events of Haiyan / Yolanda, he provided us with an indelible image.

In addition to the game, at halftime, Bruno Mars will be headlining the festivities. The 2014 Grammy winner for Best Pop Vocal album and 2013 Billboard Artist of the Year will collaborate with soon-to-be Manila visitors Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Trequartista Sweeper - The Quest for UAAP Season 76 postseason action

In a couple of weeks, the UAAP eliminations portion of the season will end. Time to bring up the different scenarios that will come into to play.

RANK	TEAMS	GP	W	D	L	PT	GF	GA	GD
1	FEU	10	9	0	1	27	22	8	14
2	UP	10	6	1	3	19	20	8	12
3	DLSU	10	4	2	4	14	12	15	-3
4	UST	11	4	2	5	14	15	19	-4
5	UE	10	3	3	4	12	11	10	1
6	NU	11	3	1	7	10	12	22	-10
7	Ateneo	10	1	3	6	6	4	14	-10

NU's loss to FEU last Sunday eliminated them from Final Four contention. Ateneo's loss to NU on Thursday eliminated them from Final Four contention.

FEU has already clinched first place in the Final Four.
UP is assured of finishing second if they win one game or DLSU does not win one more game.
DLSU needs a win to assure themselves at least of a chance to play for a Final Four spot.
UST needs to win to assure themselves of a Final Four spot.
UE needs to win at least one game AND hope either DLSU or UST at most, secure one point to assure themselves at least of a chance to play for a Final Four spot.

On the women's side:

RANK	TEAMS	GP	W	D	L	PT	GF	GA	GD
1	UST	7	3	3	1	12	6	3	3
2	Ateneo	6	2	4	0	10	6	4	2
3	FEU	7	2	3	2	9	7	3	4
4	UP	6	1	2	3	5	5	8	-3
5	DLSU	6	1	2	3	5	5	11	-6

No teams have been eliminated officially, but UP and La Salle need to win out their respective matches to be in contention and that Ateneo needs to lose its last two games or at best, just snag a point.

UST just needs at least a draw to confirm its seat in the Finals.
Ateneo needs just one win to confirm its seat in the Finals or draw and hope FEU does not win its game.
FEU needs to win to assure themselves of a seat in the Finals, or draw and hope Ateneo loses its last two games.