BUZZER BEATER

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ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Sunday, January 8, 2017
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IS IT true that a collegiate basketball team – currently on a winning run in its league – is bound to lose some of its players due to lack of playing time on the court?

A source told Buzzer Beater that some of the reserve players of the said collegiate squad are thinking of jumping to other schools since chances of playing in their current team is close to nil.

“Hirap naman kasi diyan sa school na ‘yan lahat ng malalakas na players binibili para bang gusto nila lahat ng prospects from high school kanila para walang makuha ‘yung iba,” said the source.

“Kaso ang problema naman tambak tambak na players nila. Kunwari sa guard siguro mga lima lima maglalaban para sa final roster ganun din sa mga ibang posisyon,” he added.

“Ang masakit pa dun sa big man position, nanguha na sila ng prospect sa probinsya, nanguha pa ng mga negro sa ibang school. So anu ilalaban nung homegrown na big man? Team B ang bagsak nila,” he said.

“Eh alam mo naman ‘yung collegiate leagues ang first step ng mga players na magpakitang gilas para makaangat sa pros. Eh panu nila magagawa ‘yun kung palagi silang nakaupo or mas masakit nasa Team B,” he added.

“Kaya ngayon meron mga iba pasikreto nang nakikipag negosasyon sa ibang schools kasi hindi lang naman championship ang gusto nila kundi playing time. Kaya di ako magugulat kung ‘yung iba nilang players maglipatan ngayong off-season.”

“Palibhasa masyadong swapang ‘yung sponsor nila lahat ng malalakas na players sa high school tinatapalan agad ng pera kaya ngayon nagkaipon ipon na sila dun ang gulo gulo na. Mayhem na mayhem,” the source concluded.

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George Oconer continued his impressive showing as he ruled the second and final qualifying leg of the 2017 LBC Ronda Pilipinas recently in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

The 24-year-old Oconer, who plays for the Go for Gold team, finished the 117-kilometer stage that started in Bacolod City and ended in Don Salvador Benedicto in Negros Occidental in three hours, 39 minutes and 18.691 seconds.

Oconer, who also topped the first leg of the qualifier held in Subic last month, underscored his seriousness to finally win it all in the next year’s edition after several failed attempts.

“I’m just focused right now on preparing for the main event next year. I don’t want to settle for another runner-up,” said Oconer, who finished as high as second last year from 13th four years ago.

Jaybop Pagnanawon, son of 1986 Marlboro Tour champion Rolando, finished second in the race at 3:40:09.663. Oconer’s Go for Gold team captain Ronnel Hualda wound up third in 3:41:25.098.

Rounding up the top 10 were Jaybop’s brother Jhundie (3:43:04.477), Elmer Navarro (3:42:54.930), Ismael Grospe, Jr. (3:43:04.622), Ronnilan Quita (3:50:11.981), Jigo Mendoza (3:50:12.912), James Ferfas (3:56:20.738) and Edwin Nacario (3:57:32.784).

Sixty riders, 30 each from the first qualifier in Subic and in Bacolod, will advance to the main race of the biggest cycling race in the Philippines, which is slated to start in Ilocos region on Feb. 4 and end in Iloilo City on March 4 next year.

“The top 30 cyclists in the two leg LBC Ronda Pilipinas qualifying race will make it to the main Ronda event in February next year,” said Jingo Hervas, who is on his second year as LBC Ronda Pilipinas race director.

Hervas added that the 60 qualifiers will then join the more or less 50-man pool that has already automatically qualified for joining last year’s race. The outright qualifiers, however, still need to register to secure their spots.

On its seventh edition, the 12-stage main event will give a whopping P1 million to the champion. The stakes were raised to engage more promising young riders from the provinces to join the event./PN
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