Isports ATBP.

Ronnie Magsanoc wants to cherish every moment of his San Beda Red Lions’ recent victory in the 88th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament unmindful of next season’s cage wars, even if his team will lose three key players that were instrumental in their successful run in the last seven years. Magsanoc and his Red Lions are still on a high after a 67-39 demolition of the Letran Knights in the deciding Game Three of the 88th NCAA men’s basketball finals last Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. "I know we’ll be losing three players, but we’re not yet thinking of what will happen next season. All we know is that we ended this season as champions,” said Magsanoc after the rookie coach guided San Beda to its sixth title in seven years and 17th overall men’s basketball crown to earn the bragging rights of being the league’s most successful program. Anjo Caram, who scored 17 points for San Beda, along with Jake Pascual and Melo Li...

Sorry, this piece took some time to finish. Been busy with a lot of things. My mind was cluttered and disoriented for a while. We went to Baguio last May and it was Ate Macky's first time to see the country's Summer Capital. Unlike Nathan, who seems to be enjoying the view, Macky was already getting impatient because of the  long, six-hour trip. We arrived in Baguio City at around 5 p.m. and went straight to our temporary home a good 30 minutes away from the city proper.  While the kids watched cable TV, my wife took care of putting our clothes inside the wardrobe while I went out to go buy some food. It was my first time seeing Baguio after 12 years. The country's Summer Capital went through a lot of changes. There's still Burnham Park but you can see a huge mall just a few blocks away. Mines View Park still has its charm, but the place was crawling  with vendors and other people who are trying to make a living from the tourists that...

I decided to post some of my published stories in the Business Mirror , the daily newspaper where I am currently employed. It has been months, seven to be exact since I wrote something on my blog. I'll try to write more often during my free time.

A new-look Azkals side will try to inject a new formula to match—or surpass—its historic run in 2010 in the Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup where it squares off with powerhouse Thailand on November 24 at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok. Thailand is co-hosting the November 24-to-December 22 Suzuki Cup with Malaysia. The SCG Stadium in Nontaburi, Thailand, the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur, and the Shah Alam Stadium in Selangor are the other venues. Team Manager Dan Palami said most of the players who joined the Middle East camp would likely be included in the final 30-man roster of the national team for the Suzuki Cup. He added the veterans and new members—plus the available local materials—have strengthened their chances this year. “Coming from 2010, we had difficulty in forming the team. I have seen their progress and we are a much stronger team now. We now have a lot of offensive options. Unlike in 2010 where we need to focus more on defense and counte...

Letran head coach Louie Alas has apologized for his slit-throat gesture to referees in Game Two of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) seniors basketball finals on Saturday, which the Knights won over the San Beda Red Lions at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. And because of that, Alas has escaped suspension and will be on the Letran bench when they play the “three-peat-seeking” Red Lions in the do-or-die Game Three at 1 p.m. on Friday also at the Big Dome. “I am sorry about it, I don’t mean any harm. That gesture was not directed to anyone in particular. I’m always after the welfare of the team,” said Alas after he met with Letran officials in an Intramuros Hotel on Monday night. Irked by Alas’s behavior, basketball commissioner Joe Lipa demanded Alas’s public apology. If he won’t do one, he will be banned from Game Two. Alas made the gesture in the heat of Game Two, which they won, 64-55, and force the winner-take-all game. San Beda took Game One, 62-60. Head of r...

Manny Pacquiao's fans should not be worried about the eight-division world champion’s condition because he prefers to hold training camp in General Santos City much longer than usual. Team Pacquiao adviser Wakee Salud said Buboy Fernandez, the boxing icon’s assistant trainer, and close friend, is quietly training in General Santos City as part of Pacquiao’s buildup for his fourth meeting with Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1, 39 knockouts) of Mexico on December 8 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs) delayed his flight to the US to file his certificate of candidacy. He is seeking a second term as Sarangani province’s lone congressman in next year’s elections. He has been training since the last week of September under Fernandez. “Pacquiao is continuously training in GenSan. Everything is under coach Freddie Roach’s fight plan and designed to keep him in fighting shape,” said Salud in Filipino. “By the time he arrives in LA, he will start with his sparring s...

It's back to square one in the 88th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball finals between defending champion San Beda and Letran. The Knights, who like the Red Lions have won 16 men’s basketball crowns, forced the you-or-me showdown via a 64-55 win in Game Two on Saturday night. Game Three is scheduled either on Wednesday or Friday at a still undetermined venue. Letran used a balanced scoring attack and a choking defense to silence San Beda’s starters in the crucial stages of the match. Knights coach Louie Alas finally defeated the Red Lions for the first time since his 70-69 triumph over the Mendiola-based squad on July 25, 2007, in the first round of the 83rd season. Seldom-used forward Jonathan Belorio scattered 15 points, going three-of-three from three-point range, to pace Letran and also grabbed 10 rebounds. He had plenty of help from usual starters Kevin Alas, Jam Cortez, and Mark Cruz, who combined for 32 points.  Dan Carlo Lituania, ano...

AJ “Bazooka” Banal, crying and all, was left pondering what went wrong with his game plan against Thailand’s Pungluang Sor Singyu in Saturday night’s  Pinoy Pride XVII: the Philippines vs The World  at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The more than three months of training and 130 rounds of sparring went down the drain after his first shot at a world title ended in a disappointing ninth-round technical knockout (TKO) loss to the durable Thai in their scheduled 12-round bout for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title, previously held by Filipino-American Nonito Donaire Jr. The Thai used a four-punch barrage he capped with a left jab to floor Banal, who went down on all fours for a standing eight-count by referee Tony Weeks. Banal stood up and Weeks signaled both fighters to continue but Sor Singyu, like a shark smelling blood, used that knockdown as momentum and quickly went to work to finish off his opponent with an impressive left-right co...