Fox Sports PH with exclusive coverage of the 2014 French Open

The second event of the Tennis Grand Slam already started yesterday with the 2014 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris.

Rafael Nadal is looking to maintain his dominance in the men's singles competition, with the King of Clay trying to nab his ninth title in the last ten years. The only man to break Rafa's stranglehold in Roland Garros is Roger Federer, back in 2009. Seeded 4th, the Swiss already booked his seat in the second round, winning his opener.

Other possible challengers to the Spaniard are Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka. Nole won the Italian Open, beating Nadal, while the Australian Open champion Stan won at Monte Carlo.

In the women's singles, Serena Williams is rounding into form after winning the Italian Open, while looming in the horizon is Stuttgart and Madrid Open winner Maria Sharapova.

Filipino fans will also have something to look forward to in this Grand Slam event, with Treat Huey participating in the men's doubles with Dominic Inglot.

The Philippine telecast of the 2014 French Open will be on Fox Sports Philippines and on FOX Sports HD. As a consequence of the coverage that will last until the finals scheduled on June 7 and 8, no PBA games will be shown on May 28 and June 4.

PBA televised schedule for the Governors' Cup elims

PBA six times a week? That's going to be the case with the 2014 PLDT Home TELPAD PBA Governors' Cup.

Basketball will keep your weeknights preoccupied with games on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Doubleheaders will be the case, with the first game to tip off at 5:45 pm. It will be shown on Aksyon TV live, with an 11pm delayed telecast on TV5. The second game will be shown LIVE on TV5 at 8pm.

Saturdays and Sundays will have an earlier time slot, with both games to be shown on TV5. The former will have 2:45pm & 5pm, with the latter having a 3pm and 5pm tip.

The games will also be shown HD at the Cignal Ch. 199, with encore telecasts on HYPER.

Meanwhile, Kuwentong Gilas will now be shown on Thursdays, starting tonight at 9:30pm with the episode featuring TNT forward Ranidel de Ocampo. Entitled "Ang Pamana," it centers on his return to his hometown of Tanza, Cavite.

Taiwan to host first Basketball Without Borders in Asia

The NBA via its global social responsibility program NBA Cares, in conjunction with FIBA and the Chinese-Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA), is bringing its Basketball Without Borders project to Asia for the first time, with its BWB Asia program in Taipei next month.

The program aims to teach its participants of the values of the game, through its grassroots basketball development, community service and life skill seminars. Extensive community outreach efforts will take place in the different venues (i.e. donations of school supplies, clothing, etc. to community-based organizations)

36 BWB camps have been conducted worldwide, with over 150 current/former NBA & WNBA players and almost 140 NBA personnel being involved.

Scheduled to take place in June 13-16 in Taipei, BWB Asia brings together the top fifty players (born in 1996 or 1997) in the Asia-Oceania region.

NBA Taiwan Associate VP and Managing Director Bimal Kapoor says that “Basketball without Borders helps us to grow the game of basketball and bring attention to important social issues that affect communities in Taiwan.” He adds that they are thankful for the CTBA for being the host this program and provide the youth with the opportunity to develop their skills in both basketball and in life.

CTBA President Ting Shou-chung expressed delight to be able to work with the NBA in providing the opportunity for the youth to learn from the best players and coaches in the world. He believes that this project is another step in the broadening the league's relationship with them and reiterates their commitment to continue their basketball development.

Among the participants in the BWB Asia is Jr. NBA Philippines 2011 All-Star (and National University commit) Rendell Senining

Toronto Raptors swingman John Salmons, Minnesota Timberwolves reserve big man (and recent Manila visitor) Ronny Turiaf, and Charlotte Hornets rookie Cody Zeller will headline the program, with assistant coaches Bryan Gates (New Orleans Pelicans), David Vanterpool (Portland Trailblazers) and Bobby Jackson (Minnesota Timberwolves) also on hand to participate.

Also expected to make an appearance is Yao Ming.

Meanwhile, BWB will also have its European camp in Rome and will make a return to Johannesburg this year.

BWB Europe will take place on June 2-5 in Rome, with Brandon Knight and Al Horford joining camp alumni Danilo Gallinari, Andrea Bargnani and Gigi Datome. They will oversee the top 50 European players (born in 1997).

On the other hand, BWB Africa will take place in Johannesburg on August 5-8, with Brooklyn Nets forward Andrei Kirilenko and Oklahoma City guard Thabo Sefolosha joining NBA head coaches Dwayne Casey, Brian Shaw and Jeff Hornacek overseeing the top 60 Africans (born in 1997 or 1998). 

As one of its global partners, Nike will be outfitting the campers and coaches with its apparel and footwear.

Postseason Treats at the NBA Café Manila

The NBA Cafe. The first one of its kind.

With the NBA playoffs already upon us, the NBA Café aims to add some more flavor for its diners.

Since May 10, the cafe has opened at 7am, to coincide with the tip-off of the first game of the postseason doubleheaders, making sure fans can catch the heat of the action LIVE. Since this is earlier than the normal operating hours of the SM Aura in Taguig, a special entrance has been made available that can be accessed from the parking area.

In addition to the special opening time, the NBA Café will also have a specific menu (PhP 800++, also available ala carte) for the entire postseason to commemorate the occasion.

Much like its basketball counterparts, it's subdivided into two counterparts, the Eastern Feast and the Western Delight.

The Eastern Feast is made up of Beer Battered Fish and Chips served with hand-cut triple-cooked Kennebec Fries, Tartar Sauce and Cole Slaw; Creamy Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon-Crusted Crumble; Cheeseburger Topped with Gruyere Cheese, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions, Sliced Dill Pickles and Truffle Aioli plus your choice of assorted sodas or a glass of Draft Beer.

Eastern Feast

On the other hand, the Western Delight, is composed of: Lemon-Brined Roasted Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Succotash and Parsley Gravy; Penne with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Pesto  Sauce and Pine Nuts, Sloppy Joe with Juicy Ground Beef, slow-cooked in a spicy, rich Tomato Sauce, and your choice of assorted sodas or a glass of Draft Beer.

Western Delight

You can call the cafe at 556-1683 for queries or check out their website.

2nd Master Game Face All-Star Challenge to take place

Master launched its Game Face All-Star Challenge last year by bringing a collection of the best collegiate players under the coaching acumen of Chris Tiu and Borgie Hermida, with the latter coming out as the winner at the Arena in San Juan.



For the second edition of the challenge, the country's leading men's skin care and face care brand jiggered things up a bit, as they invited some of the PBA's best players to participate alongside the best collegiate players. They also incorporated one of their new brand ambassadors, Marc Pingris of the SanMig Super Coffee Mixers, into the mix as the new challenger to Chris..


Launched last April 24 in Taguig, the second-ever Master Game Face All-Star Challenge will have Team Chris going up against Team Marc at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum on June 21.

According to Unilever Male Grooming Brand Manager Jonathan Pua, “it is natural for us to come up with an activity featuring the no. 1 sport – basketball." He adds that "It will be a good venue to showcase how top Filipino basketball players put their oil-free game faces on with Master Oil Control Max Facial Wash”


For Team Chris, joining the Rain or Shine guard in the starting lineup are UAAP stalwarts Jeron Teng, Chris Newsome, Kevin Ferrer and Mike Tolomia. Complementing the five are Rome dela Rosa, Mark Cruz and Zach Nichols from the NCAA.

Chris says that “Fans are going to have a great time seeing such powerhouse players in the Master Game Face All-Star Basketball Challenge this year, and I’m especially happy to be able to play with such talented young blood and with other professional basketball players.”

For Team Marc, joining the SanMig Coffee forward in the starting lineup are UAAP stalwarts Andre Paras, Jeoffrey Javillonar, Jericho Cruz and Roi Sumang. Complementing the five are Baser Amer, Kevin Racal and Josan Nimes from the NCAA.

Marc adds. “I’m excited to start playing with my team. We hope to put up a great game against our opponents and to show young athletes how to put their Game Faces on with Master.”

Basketball fans can chime in on their choices for the rest of Team Chris and Team Marc by going to Master's Facebook page and clicking the Master Game Face app. Once the votes have been tabulated, a special draft is scheduled on May 31 (much like their fellow Unilever brand CLEAR and how they did their Dream Match Draft) for a twelve-player pool that both Chris and Marc can make their selections on to complete their rosters.

Fans that can correctly guess the lineups would have the opportunity to win prizes.
  

Master Game Face All-Star Challenge Draft Pool:

Point Guard: Jimmy Alapag, Paul Artadi, Mark Barroca, Mike Cortez, Sol Mercado, Terrence Romeo, Emman Monfort, Jai Reyes, RJ Jazul, Anjo Caram, Bonbon Custodio

Shooting Guard: Ryan Arana, Gary David, Jared Dillinger, Larry Fonacier, Rey Guevara, Jeric Teng, John Wilson, Bonbon Custodio, AJ Mandani

Center: Beau Belga, Nonoy Baclao, Justin Chua

Small Forward: Dylan Ababou, Jeff Chan, Elmer Espiritu, Rey Guevara, Alex Nuyles

Power Forward: Beau Belga, Jervy Cruz, Ranidel de Ocampo, Cliff Hodge, Jon Dan Salvador, Elmer Espiritu


Follow Master on Twitter and Instagram via @MasterGameFace to find out the latest about Master
products and about the Master Game Face Challenge. 

#MasterGameFace

NASCAR All-Star Race on FOX Sports Philippines

This weekend, the NASCAR on FOX Sports (Asia) telecast will broadcast arguably the biggest all-star event in sports, the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

With $1 million on the line for the winner, there is a huge incentive to go all out for the win.

Carl Edwards (2011 winner) says, “We all race very hard for every win. You drive as hard as you possibly can, but I can tell you this: leading that All-Star race the year we won it, for the last few laps, the stress level was through the roof. It is a million dollars! They put that big money on the line."

Kurt Busch (2010 winner) adds, "The All-Star race is very unpredictable and it always creates those big highlight moments. Charlotte challenges us in ways that other tracks don't, and that's why this track has always been deserving of the All-Star atmosphere.

Jimmie Johnson has won this race the last couple of years and is seeking a three-peat.


Nineteen teams have already secured qualification for the race, thanks to the special criteria:

1. Drivers who have won Sprint Cup races last season and so far this season.
2. Former Sprint Cup champions in the last ten years.
3. Past winners of the All-Star Race the last ten years.

Here are the qualified drivers as of the moment:

Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, David Ragan, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Martin Truex, Jr., Brian Vickers, Ryan Newman, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Kurt Busch

In addition, there will be three more entries. Two will come from the NASCAR Sprint Showdown that is to take place on Friday (Saturday here in Manila). The two teams on top after a 40-lap race  (divided into two 20-lap segments), will be rewarded with a chance at the million.

The last entry goes to the winner of the fan vote conducted on the NASCAR website and the mobile app. Last day for voting is scheduled on Friday.

The breakdown of how this 90-lap race goes can be seen on the infographic below.

Regardless of the result, this race helps the teams prepare for the race the following week, the Coca-Cola 600. To be held at the same track, it is the longest race on the NASCAR calendar.

The NASCAR All-Star Race will be shown on May 18, Sunday, 8am on FOX Sports PH, with the initial replay on Monday, May 19, at 5pm.

NASCAR on FOX Sports PH is fueled by Seaoil Philippines, now powered with STP additives.

TV5 series feautres boxing champion Denver Cuello

Last week, the TV5 series Beki Boxer featured a guest appearance from a real-life boxer.

WBC Silver World Champion Denver Cuello had been tabbed to play the role of Marvin "The Hammerhead" Ortega, the first opponent that Alwyn Uytingco (as Rocky "The Tsunami" Ponciano) will face in his ascent to boxing greatness.

The man (33-5-6 with 21 KOs) dubbed as "The Excitement" is on the comeback trail after suffering a loss Xiong Zhao Zhong in his last fight.

Beki Boxer is shown weekdays at 7pm on TV5.

Johnriel Casimero wins, but gets stripped of title

Johnriel Casimero was able to secure the victory in the main event of Pinoy Knockout this past weekend in the Waterfront Hotel & Casino in Cebu, but the win is hollow for the Filipino.

Casimero was stripped of his IBF Junior Light Flyweight title and a portion of his purse was docked after he weighed five pounds over the limit.

In spite of not making the 108-lb weight limit, the fight pushed through and Johnriel managed to beat Mauricio Fuentes in the opening round. He knocked the Colombian down three times, the third one forcing referee George White to end the match at the 2:59 mark.

Casimero ended Fuentes' winning streak and with the victory, is expected now to move up to flyweight and position themselves for a possible title shot against Juan Francisco Estrada.

Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup tinkers groupings, sets opening

The Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup tinkered with its groupings just before the start of competition proper on April 23.

The organizers moved San Beda and Letran from Group A to Group B, with Perpetual and JRU taking their place in what had originally been noted as the "group of death:."

The NCAA Season 89 finals protagonists replace the Altas and EAC in Group B, with the Generals moving over to Group C to replace the Bombers.

Revised Filoil Groupings below:

Group A: La Salle, UE, Perpetual, JRU, UV, SWU, and San Carlos
Group B: San Beda, Letran, FEU, Lyceum, Mapua, St. Clare, and RP Youth U-18
Group C: San Sebastian, NU, CEU, EAC, CSB, UP, and Holy Trinity College

The tournament is scheduled to tip off on April 23 with the first game of the quintipleheader being the juniors matchup of the San Sebastian Staglets and the UST Tiger Cubs at 10:45 am. Following that is the first women's matchup of the day, between CEU and UST, at 12:30pm.

Gamedays are scheduled on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays.

The seniors won't start their action until April 26, with San Sebastian facing UP at 9:30am. The first televised matches of the tournament will be later in the afternoon, with the NCAA finals rematch between the Knights and the Red Lions at 2pm, followed by the skirmish of the Green Archers and the Red Warriors at 4pm.

Any televised games (which right now consists of the opening double-header and the seniors' semifinals and finals, which will be on June 6 & 7) will be shown on Sports+Action.

La Salle team manager Raffy Villavicencio views the Premier Cup as an opportunity to discover the strengths and weaknesses of the reigning UAAP champions. They are expected to field a lineup that is to include newcomers like Abu Tratter, Julian Sargent, Prince Rivero and Renzo Subido.

Letran head coach Caloy Garcia sees the tournament as a chance for exposure and to develop team chemistry, as they move forward without last season's MVP (and 3rd overall draft pick) Raymond Almazan. Mark Cruz is expected to lead the charge for the Knights, along with last year's newcomer Rey Nambatac.

UV Lancers head coach Donbel Belano also sees this tournament as an exposure, as the MBA legend believes that facing the best collegiate teams in Manila will help them as they defend their CESAFI title. He adds, “You will learn a lot more from playing the top teams than teams na kayang kaya mo.”

Tournament Format Finalized for 8th Filoil Premier Cup

For the 8th Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup, the tournament will be unveiling a three division set-up to accommodate the 21 teams participating in the seniors division.

Each division will have a single round-robin, with the top two teams of each group and the two best third-place teams advancing to the knockout phase.

The eight teams then will be seeded according to win-loss record and quotient, with the normal bracket matchups to proceed until a champion will be crowned.

Here are the groupings:

Group A: Letran, La Salle, San Beda, SWU, UE, San Carlos, and UV
Group B: EAC, FEU, Lyceum, Mapua, RP Youth U-18, St. Clare, and Perpetual
Group C: CEU, CSB, Holy Trinity College, JRU, NU, San Sebastian, and UP

In the women's division, the ten teams are divided into two groups, with the top two teams advancing to the crossover semifinals, with the group winner facing the other group's runner-up.



Group A: Adamson, CEU, La Salle, RTU, UST
Group B: CSB, FEU, NU, UE, UP


The same format applies to the juniors' division, with the only difference being that it has twelve teams instead of ten for the women's.


Group A: FEU, JRU, LSGH, NU, San Sebastian, UST
Group B: Ateneo, Letran, DLS-Z, Mapua, San Beda, UE

The 2014 Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup tips off on April 23 at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan and is sponsored by Flying V, Filoil, Total, Hanes, San Miguel Corporation, Starmobile, Timex, Silverworks, Gatorade, LGR and in part by Meralco, BDO, Reyes Barbecue, Douwe Egberts, Gerry’s Grill, Brothers Burger, Molten, Bayo, Oxycan, BPI, PBCom, RFM, San Marino, Red Logo, and Bacchus Energy Drink.

*Only NCAA team not participating in the Filoil is Arellano. Ateneo, Adamson and UST are the UAAP schools not participating. This is in context to the seniors' campaign.

Five newcomers highlight 8th Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup

43 teams will be participating in the eighth season of THE preseason tournament for the basketball student-athletes, the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup.

Slated to tip off on April 23 at the San Juan Arena, the Filoil tournament will have six non-NCAA & UAAP schools participating in the 21-team seniors division, four of which are from the provinces.

Southwestern University makes their return after their debut last year, this time bringing the CESAFI champions University of the Visayas and the University of San Carlos for their first Filoil preseason foray. Joining the three Cebuano institutions are Mindanao powerhouse Holy Trinity College from General Santos City.

Completing the cast of newcomers are St. Clare College and NAASCU champions Centro Escolar University.

The addition of the provincial-based schools is, according to tournament director Joey Guillermo, a part of a plan to expand the tournament nationally. Last year, they invited the Cobras, who had been the second-ever Visayan team to crash the Final Four of the PCCL, to participate. This year, not only are they adding participants, but also they are bringing the games to the provinces.

On May 22-25, reigning Filoil champions University of the East and UAAP champions La Salle will play USC, UV and SWU in Cebu. DLSU team manager Raffy Villavicencio quipped that if the Cebuano schools are excited to play in Manila, the other way around is also true.

UV head coach and MBA legend Donbel Belano also expressed excitement in being able to participate in the tournament, acknowledging the idea of being able to gain exposure and gauge their competitiveness both as players and as a team against the other schools will help the team in the long run. He will count on CESAFI Finals MVP John Abad and 2012 CESAFI rookie MVP Wowie Escosio to carry the load for the Lancers.

Agreeing with the sentiment is Holy Trinity head coach Pol Torrijos, whose Wildcats were the PCCL Mindanao champions for the last two editions.

In addition to the 21 teams in the seniors' competition, ten women's and twelve juniors teams will participate in the Premier Cup, which is sponsored by Flying V, Filoil, Total, Hanes, San Miguel Corporation, Starmobile, Timex, Silverworks, Gatorade, LGR and in part by Meralco, BDO, Reyes Barbecue, Douwe Egberts, Gerry’s Grill, Brothers Burger, Molten, Bayo, Oxycan, BPI, PBCom, RFM, San Marino, Red Logo, and Bacchus Energy Drink.

Fox Sports Asia with coverage of The Masters

Hello, Friends. It's a Tradition unlike any other. Even without Tiger.

And this year, Fox Sports Asia will have coverage of the first major of the 2014 golf season. Fox Sports Asia will have over 28 hours of programming devoted to the event.

Kicking off their coverage was showcasing the Legends of the Masters: from yesteryear's greats in Arnie, Jack and Gary on Tuesday, then following that with Nick, Tiger and Phil last night.

They have already shown highlights from last year's edition earlier today, which had been won in dramatic fashion by Adam Scott, as well as the appetizer of the tournament, the Par 3, won by Ryan Moore.

Complementing the coverage will be 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell, Singapore golf pro Tim Low, and veteran PGA Tour commentator and presenter Jay Sajamark.

Not only with the shots and putts be show on Fox Sports and on high-definition via Fox Sports Plus HD, but also highlights from the day will be shown on 24/7 sports news channel Fox Sports News.

Details on the Fox Sports Asia coverage can be seen below:

DATE	TIME	TITLE	CHANNELS
Tue, 8th Apr	10pm	Legends of the Masters: Palmer, Nicklaus & Player	FOX Sports FOX Sports Plus HD
Wed, 9th Apr	10pm	Legends of the Masters: Faldo, Woods & Mickelson
Thur, 10th Apr	3am	Par 3 Contest
	7:30pm	Best of 2013 Masters
Fri, 11th Apr	3am	The Masters: Day 1
	7:30am	The Masters: Day 1 Review
Sat, 12th Apr	3am	The Masters: Day 2
	7:30am	The Masters: Day 2 Review
Sun, 13th Apr	3am	The Masters: Day 3
	7am	The Masters: Day 3 Review
Mon, 14th Apr	2am	The Masters: Day 4
	7am	The Masters: Day 4 Review

Note: Complementing Fox Sports coverage of The Masters is that ABS-CBN Sports will also cover the event on Sports+Action, from Friday to Monday, at the same time as Fox Sports & Fox Sports HD.

Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championships to commence today on TV5

Today marks the opening of the Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championships, presented by PLDT Home Fibr.

To be held at the MOA Arena and the Cuneta Astrodome, the AMCC will commence with the opening ceremonies at 12 noon, followed by the opening match featuring first-time participants and hosts, the Philippines (represented by PLDT Home TVolution) against Mongolia at 2:00 PM.

Originally 18 teams, the field was whittled down to 16 after withdrawals from Kuwait and India. The champions will represent the confederation in the World Championships in Brazil.

TV5 will broadcast the AMCC matches, including all the Filipino matches. TVolution will also stream the matches.

For more details: http://asianmensvball.pldthome.com/

Fox Sports Philippines to show the NASCAR Duck Commander 500

NASCAR heads to Texas this weekend, as the Sprint Cup Series continues with the Duck Commander 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Duck Commander is the company featured in the popular show Duck Dynasty.

Kyle Busch looks to repeat as the champion in Texas, and thus become the first two-time winner this season, having won at Fontana a couple of weeks ago. His brother, Kurt, would like to build on the momentum of winning last week's STP 500 in Martinsville.

The race will be aired on Fox Sports Philippines this Monday at 2:30 am, with replays scheduled at 4:00 pm later that day and 10:00 pm the next day. Highlights from the race will also be shown at different times.

The NASCAR on Fox Sports telecast is presented by Seaoil, now powered with STP additives that remove and control carbon deposits. Take advantage of the racer’s edge with Seaoil Fuels, and break away from the rest.

Fox Sports is seen on channel 31 on Sky and Destiny Cable, channel 48 on Cignal Digital TV and later tin over 200 local cable operators nationwide. Full telecast schedule is available via tv.foxsportsasia.com. 

 

Simplified March Madness schedule for Filipino viewers: Elite Eight

Here is the official schedule of games for the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight.

March 30:

6:09 a.m. (11) Dayton vs (1) Florida

8:49 a.m. (2) Wisconsin vs (1) Arizona

March 31: 

2:20 a.m. (4) Michigan State vs (7) Connecticut

5:05 a.m. (2) Michigan vs (8) Kentucky

Sports5 has acquired the rights to telecast the games here in the Philippines, and here is their schedule of games as of the moment. If game is italicized, game is to be shown LIVE here.

March 30 (Sunday)

6am-8:30am – Dayton vs Florida (TV5 & HYPER)

8:30am-10:30am – Wisconsin vs Arizona (TV5 & HYPER)

7:30pm-11:30pm – Dayton vs Florida & Wisconsin vs Arizona (Aksyon TV)

March 31 (Monday)

2:10am: Connecticut vs Michigan St. (HYPER)

4:55am - Michigan vs Kentucky (HYPER)

9:30am – Michigan vs Kentucky (TV5)

3:30pm: Connecticut vs Michigan St. (Aksyon TV)

8pm: Michigan vs Kentucky (Aksyon TV)

Simplified March Madness schedule for Filipino viewers: Sweet 16 edition

Here is the official schedule of games for the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.

March 28 (in Memphis and Anaheim)

7:15 a.m (11) Dayton vs (10) Stanford
7:47 a.m. (6) Baylor vs (2) Wisconsin
9:45 a.m. (4) UCLA vs (1) Florida
10:17 a.m. (4) San Diego State vs (1) Arizona

March 29 (in New York and Indianapolis)

7:15 a.m. (11) Tennessee vs (2) Michigan
7:27 a.m. (7) Connecticut vs (3) Iowa State
9:45 a.m. (8) Kentucky vs (4) Louisville
9:57 a.m. (4) Michigan State vs (1) Virginia

Sports5 has acquired the rights to telecast the games here in the Philippines, and here is their schedule of games as of the moment. If game is italicized, game is to be shown LIVE here.

March 28

7:00 a.m. — (11) Dayton vs (10) Stanford (HYPER)
9:30 a.m. — (4) UCLA vs (1) Florida (HYPER & TV5)
12 noon — (6) Baylor vs (2) Wisconsin (HYPER)
2:00 p.m. — (4) San Diego St. vs (1) Arizona (HYPER)
4:00 p.m. — (11) Dayton vs (10) Stanford (Aksyon TV)
6:00 p.m. — (4) UCLA vs (1) Florida (Aksyon TV)

March 29

7:00 a.m. — (11) Tennessee vs  (2) Michigan (HYPER)
9:30 a.m. — (8) Kentucky vs (4) Louisville (HYPER & TV5)
12 noon — (7) Connecticut vs (3) Iowa St. (HYPER)
2:00 p.m. — (4) Michigan St. vs (1) Virginia (HYPER)
7:30 p.m. — (11) Tennessee vs (2) Michigan (Aksyon TV)
10:30 p.m. — (8) Kentucky vs (4) Louisville (Aksyon TV)

Simplified March Madness schedule for Filipino viewers: Round of 32 edition

Here is the official schedule of games for the NCAA Tournament's Third Round. (Although the diehards maintain that this is really the second round, due to their belief that the First Four does not constitute as the First Round, as what the NCAA insists)

March 23 (in Buffalo, Milwaukee, Orlando and Spokane)

12:15 a.m. (9) Pittsburgh vs (1) Florida
2:45 a.m. (5) Saint Louis vs (4) Louisville
5:15 a.m. (7) Texas vs (2) Michigan
6:10 a.m. (12) North Dakota St. vs (4) San Diego State
7:10 a.m. (11) Dayton vs (3) Syracuse
7:45 a.m. (7) Oregon vs (2) Wisconsin
8:40 a.m. (12) Harvard vs (4) Michigan State
9:40 a.m. (7) Connecticut vs (2) Villanova

March 24 (in Raleigh, San Antonio, San Diego and St. Louis)

12:15 a.m (2) Kansas vs (10) Stanford

2:45 a.m (1) Wichita State vs (8) Kentucky

5:15 a.m (3) Iowa State vs (6) North Carolina

6:10 a.m (11) Tennessee vs (14) Mercer

7:10 a.m (4) UCLA vs (12) Stephen F. Austin

7:40 a.m (3) Creighton vs (6) Baylor

8:40 a.m (1) Virginia vs (8) Memphis

9:40 a.m (1) Arizona vs (8) Gonzaga

Sports5 has acquired the rights to telecast the games here in the Philippines, and here is their schedule of games as of the moment. If game is italicized, game is to be shown LIVE here.

March 23

2:45 a.m. (5) Saint Louis vs (4) Louisville (HYPER)

5:15 a.m. (7) Texas vs (2) Michigan (HYPER)

7:45 a.m. (7) Oregon vs (2) Wisconsin (HYPER)

9:40 a.m. (7) Connecticut vs (2) Villanova (TV5 & HYPER)

Starting 7:30 pm Texas vs Michigan & Connecticut vs Villanova (Aksyon TV)

March 24

2:30am: Kentucky vs Wichita St. (HYPER)

5:00 a.m. North Carolina vs Iowa St. (HYPER)

7:30am: Baylor vs Creighton (HYPER)

10:00 a.m: Gonzaga vs Arizona (TV5 & HYPER)

12:00 nn: Mercer vs Tennessee (HYPER)

2pm: Memphis vs Virginia (HYPER)

4pm: SF Austin vs UCLA (HYPER)

Starting 4:00 p.m. North Carolina vs Iowa St & Gonzaga vs Arizona (Aksyon TV)

Simplified March Madness schedule for Filipino viewers: Round of 64 edition

Here is the official schedule of games for the NCAA Tournament's Second Round. (Although the diehards maintain that this is really the first round, due to their belief that the First Four does not constitute as the First Round, as what the NCAA insists)

March 21 (in Buffalo, Milwaukee, Orlando and Spokane)

12 a.m. - (11) Dayton vs (6) Ohio State
12:30 a.m - (15) American vs (2) Wisconsin
1:30 a.m. - (9) Pittsburgh vs (8) Colorado
2:00 a.m. - (12) Harvard vs (5) Cincinnati
2:45 a.m. - (14) Western Michigan vs (3) Syracuse
3:10 a.m. - (10) BYU vs (7) Oregon
4:10 a.m - (16) Albany vs (1) Florida
4:40 a.m. - (13) Delaware vs (4) Michigan State
6:55 a.m. - (10) Saint Joseph's vs Connecticut
7:10 a.m. - (15) Wofford vs (2) Michigan
7:20 a.m. - (12) NC State vs (5) Saint Louis
7:27 a.m - (12) North Dakota St. vs (5) Oklahoma
9:25 a.m. - (15) Milwaukee vs (2) Villanova
9:40 a.m. - (10) Arizona State vs (7) Texas
9:50 a.m. - (13) Manhattan vs (4) Louisville
9:57 a.m. - (13) New Mexico St. vs (4) San Diego State

March 22 (in Raleigh, San Antonio, San Diego and St. Louis)

12 a.m. - (14) Mercer vs (3) Duke
12:30 a.m. - (11) Nebraska vs (6) Baylor
1:30 a.m. - (10) Stanford vs (7) New Mexico
2:00 a.m. - (16) Weber State vs (1) Arizona
2:45 a.m. - (11) Tennessee vs (6) Massachusetts
3:10 a.m. - (14) La.-Lafayette vs (3) Creighton
4:10 a.m. - (15) Eastern Kentucky vs (2) Kansas
4:40 a.m. - (9) Oklahoma State vs (8) Gonzaga
6:55 a.m. - (9) Geo. Washington vs (8) Memphis
7:10 a.m. - (16) Cal Poly vs (1) Wichita State
7:20 a.m. - (11) Providence vs (6) North Carolina
7:27 a.m. - (12) Steph.F. Austin vs (5) VCU
9:25 a.m. - (16) Coastal Caro. vs (1) Virginia
9:40 a.m. - (9) Kansas State vs (8) Kentucky
9:50 a.m. - (14) N.C. Central vs (3) Iowa State
9:57 a.m. - (13) Tulsa vs (4) UCLA

Sports5 has acquired the rights to telecast the games here in the Philippines, and here is their schedule of games as of late last night. If game is italicized, game is to be shown LIVE here.

March 21 7 a.m. — (15) Wofford vs (2) Michigan (HYPER)
March 21 9:30 a.m. — (10) Arizona St. vs (7) Texas (TV5 & HYPER)
March 21 12 noon — (15) American vs (2) Wisconsin (HYPER)
March 21 2 p.m. — (10) BYU vs (7) Oregon (HYPER)
March 21 4 p.m. — (9) Pittsburgh vs (8) Colorado (Aksyon TV)
March 21 6 p.m. — (16) Albany vs (1) Florida (Aksyon TV)

March 22 3 a.m. — (14) Mercer vs (3) Duke (HYPER)
March 22 5 a.m. — (11) Tennessee vs (6) Massachusetts (HYPER)
March 22 7 a.m. — (16) Cal Poly vs (1)Wichita St. (HYPER)
March 22 9:30 a.m. — (9) Kansas St. vs (8) Kentucky (TV5 & HYPER)
March 22 7:30 p.m. — (9) Kansas St. vs (8) Kentucky (Aksyon TV)
March 22 10:30 p.m. — (16) Cal Poly vs (1) Wichita St. (Aksyon TV)

March 25 2 a.m. — (13) Delaware vs (4) Michigan St. (HYPER)
March 25 4 a.m. — (12) NC State vs (5) St. Louis (HYPER)
March 25 6 a.m. — (12) North Dakota St. vs (5) Oklahoma (HYPER)
March 25 10 a.m. — (13) Manhattan vs (4) Louisville (HYPER)
March 25 10 a.m. — (13) Delaware vs (4) Michigan St. (TV5)
March 25 12 noon — (13) New Mexico St. vs (4) San Diego St. (HYPER)
March 25 2 p.m. — (12) Harvard vs (4) Cincinnati (HYPER)
March 25 3 p.m. — (13) Delaware vs (4) Michigan St. (Aksyon TV)
March 25 10 p.m. — (12) North Dakota St. vs (5) Oklahoma (Aksyon TV)

March 26 6 a.m. — (16) Weber St vs (1) Arizona (HYPER)
March 26 8 a.m. — (9) Oklahoma St. vs (8) Gonzaga (HYPER)
March 26 10 a.m. — (11) Providence vs (6) North Carolina (TV5 & HYPER)
March 26 12 noon — (12) SF Austin vs (5) VCU (HYPER)
March 26 4 p.m. — (9) Oklahoma St. vs (8) Gonzaga (Aksyon TV)
March 26 6 p.m. — (11) Providence vs (6) North Carolina (Aksyon TV)

March 27 10 a.m. — (13) Tulsa vs (4) UCLA (TV5)
March 27 3 p.m. — (16) Weber St. vs (1) Arizona (Aksyon TV)
March 27 10 p.m. — (13) Tulsa vs (4) UCLA (Aksyon TV)

Clear Dream Match 3 now official

A few days ago, we got this on our emails.

March 10 turned out to be the date of the press conference for the third CLEAR Dream Match.

Now with both #TeamPhil and #TeamJames each with a win already under their belts, the third match aims to be the one to determine the supremacy of which Younghusband is better.

This time, the stakes get higher. No more celebrity cameos. All participants will be coming from the United Football League. The Top 50 players based on their statistics were placed in a pool from which fans can select the players from which both sides will pick from. All the fans need to do is to visit www.cleardreammatch.com.ph and register. By May, the pool will be finalized and the draft will be set.

Just like a year ago, a couple of legends will be joining Phil and James on the field, and thanks to CLEAR's tie-up with Manchester United in the region, a couple of iconic Red Devils will be coming in to participate.

Paul Scholes and Andy Cole has been enlisted to be a part of #TeamPhil & #TeamJames in the festivities.

As always, the Tuloy Sa Don Bosco Foundation will be the beneficiary of the event.

The Madness is Coming... to TV5

The greatest knockout tournament in American sports is coming to free tv.

The past few years, we have witnessed it on BTV. Now, TV5 wants in, after bringing in the Super Bowl (and getting Good Morning Club to cut an hour from its normal sked), we have the NCAA Tournament. Sports5 will air 44 of the 67 games in the Tournament on either TV5, Aksyon TV or HYPER, as well as streamed live and on-demand to PLDT Home Fibr subscribers via TVolution..

Selection Sunday just took place this past Monday morning here in Manila. From here, the road to Cowboys Stadium is set.

The tournament officially begins on Tuesday (Wednesday morning in Manila) at Dayton, Ohio with the First Four, or officially known as the First Round. The latest additions to the current NCAA format, the First Four are the play-in matches spread over two days, that whittles the 68-team field into 64, setting up the bracket. It used to be one game, but now evolved into four, with two games involving the lowest-ranked teams, and the other two teams being the "last four" teams that got in the tournament. Normally, this involves the 11th or 12th seed.

Here are the First Four games on Wednesday morning:

South 16th seeds: Mount St. Mary's (16-16) against Albany (18-14) - 6:40 am tip off LIVE on HYPER, 4pm replay on Aksyon TV. Winner plays overall top seed Florida.

Midwest 12th seeds: North Carolina State (21-13) against Xavier (21-12) - 9:10 am tip off LIVE on TV5 & HYPER, 6:30pm replay on Aksyon TV. Winner plays 5th seed Saint Louis.

Here are the First Four games on Thursday morning:

Midwest 16th seeds: Cal Poly (13-19) against Texas Southern (19-14) - 6:40 am tip off LIVE on HYPER, 3pm replay on Aksyon TV. Winner plays undefeated Wichita State.

Midwest 11th seeds: Iowa (20-12) against Tennessee (21-12) - 9:10 am tip off LIVE on TV5 & HYPER, 10pm replay on Aksyon TV. Winner plays 6th seed UMass.