Category: Uncategorized

Takahashi, Japan seek improvement after loss to Canada

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Japan during the VNL in Manila against Canada.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Ran Takahashi and Yuji Nishida vowed to bounce back after fan favorite Japan fell short against Canada in five sets in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Week 3 opener on Tuesday evening at Mall of Asia Arena. 

Energized by the roaring Philippine crowd, Japan fought back from a 1-2 match deficit but still yielded to Canada, 25-21, 20-25, 25-15, 20-25, 15-10, dropping to a 6-3 record still in sixth place.

Takahashi, who had 13 points to backstop team captain Yuki Ishikawa and Yuji Nishida, admitted they committed a lot of lapses.

READ: VNL 2024: Canada denies fan favorite Japan in five sets

“We have to improve our reception [and] we have our eyes on a solution. Canada has a really nice and higher block. I think we can do much better. We have our eyes on a solution but we have to improve our reception,” Takahashi told reporters.

After a bronze medal in last year’s VNL, Takahashi believes that the Japanese need to work on their chemistry as they seek to return to the Final Eight, which takes place in Poland.

“We joined immediately after three weeks [since the VNL] started. We had just one week or two weeks of practice. I think we are not perfect. Maybe we need more practice and we need more communication with each player. Then we have to create more [opportunities] for the team,” said the fan favorite, who is playing in his third VNL Manila stint.

READ: ‘Great expectations’ ahead for Japan in VNL Manila leg

Nishida, who led the way with 19 points, expressed his “major” respect for Canada, which he believed played at a high level to tighten its grip on seventh place with a 5-4 record. 

“Every single play is important. I think today was not our kind of game. Many times we didn’t have good plays. Kudos to Canada,” Nishida said. “I’m looking for more combinations and try not to make more mistakes and a little bit more [improvement] on the communication. They are points that I can [improve on] next game. Most importantly, on the communication, obviously on the passion.”

The Japanese, though, still accommodated the Filipino fans at the fan zone as they’ve been the most loved squad since the country started hosting the VNL in 2022.

Japan has two days of rest before seeking to regain its winning ways against the Netherlands on Friday.



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‘Yoyong,’ Olympian and PBA great, dies at 77

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Rosalio “Yoyong” Martires, one of the pioneer stars of the PBA and a member of the last Philippine basketball team to play in the Olympics has died at the age of 77. His family announced his passing on Wednesday, reportedly due to complications from pneumonia. Martires had been attending gatherings with fellow legends and was

Alinsunurin crafts draft plan but admits picking preferred name unlikely

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PVL coach Dante Alinsunurin of Choco Mucho receives his award from the Collegiate Press Coprs during its awards night on Monday. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Dante Alinsunurin may not be open as to who he plans to select in the coming Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Rookie Draft. But he was a little bit more forthcoming with his selection strategy, what with his Choco Mucho way down the picking order and with two vital holes to fill.

“We will also be looking at lesser desired players, whoever we can develop or what else we can do to solve the problem that we are having every time at the end of the season,” he said.

The Flying Titans will be missing middle blocker Cherry Nunag and foremost weapon outside hitter Sisi Rondina, who will be lent to Alas Pilipinas and, most probably, will be unavailable in July with the Nationals representing the country again in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Challenger Cup.

The UAAP champion coach knows what he’s losing in both standouts and will be looking to draft players who can supplant their contributions.

“We are hopeful to get a player that can help us in terms of our scoring and blockings to fill in what Sisi and Cherry have been doing inside the court,” Alinsunurin told the Inquirer in Filipino as he was hailed the UAAP men’s volleyball coach of the year by the Collegiate Press Corps on Monday night.

Manpower issues

But he was also realistic.

“Even though we know that the young ones performed well in the collegiate [ranks], it is still different once they are [in the PVL] so the adjustment can still be a problem,” he said.

Alinsunurin has previously said he has an idea who the team will be picking but prefers to keep those names in his back pocket since Choco Mucho will be on the block late in the draft and the chance of selecting highly desirable names remain slim.

The Flying Titans, who have yet to announce their import, finished with the silver in the last conference thus getting to pick a player near the end of round one just before champion team Creamline.

“Right now, we do have players in mind but we don’t know if we will have the chance to pick [them] because you and I know what our needs are and what are the needs of the other teams as well,” Alinsunurin said.

Choco Mucho encountered unfortunate manpower issues in the recent conferences with mainstays Des Cheng (outside hitter), Kat Tolentino (opposite) and Aduke Ogunsanya (middle blocker) suffering injuries.



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Bolts will now know feeling of playing as the hunted

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Meralco Bolts. Photo: PBA Images

Now that the long chase for a first-ever PBA championship has finally been fulfilled, the Meralco Bolts will come into the next season with a different role.

From hunters, the Bolts acknowledged that they’ll go into the league’s 49th season as the hunted.

“The next conference will test us as we will have a bull’s-eye on our chest,” coach Luigi Trillo said when asked by the Inquirer of the Bolts’ outlook going into the season-opening Governors’ Cup in August.

Meralco pulled off one of the most memorable title runs in recent history, defying previous heartbreaks to defeat San Miguel Beer and win the prestigious Philippine Cup title with Sunday’s 80-78 Game 6 win at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Under the combined stewardship of Trillo and active consultant Nenad Vucinic, the Bolts overcame the danger of missing a playoff berth to becoming just the third team outside of the Beermen, Barangay Ginebra and TNT Tropang Giga to win a title since the 2014-15 season.

During that span, San Miguel won 10 titles, Ginebra claimed seven and TNT bagged three. Two teams had one each in Rain or Shine (2016 Commissioner’s Cup) and Magnolia (2018 Governors’ Cup).

San Miguel, Ginebra and Magnolia, which in the same period has appeared in five Finals only to fall short four times, are seen as among those figuring prominently in the title picture next season, while TNT will be aiming to get itself in the discussion after an otherwise underwhelming 2023-24 campaign that saw two quarterfinal exits.

Meanwhile, the Bolts have started savoring their well-deserved break, though the offseason is also a time to address the need to pick well in the July Rookie Draft and getting a dependable import.

The 2024-25 season will open in August with the Governors’ Cup, which will see teams tap imports that are 6-foot-6 and below coupled with a format that divides the 12 teams into two groups.

Return of AD?

Trillo bared that Meralco is looking at bringing back Allen Durham, who won three Best Imports awards after powering the Bolts to Finals appearances in the 2016, 2018 and 2019 Governors’ Cup but has been playing the past few seasons in Japan’s B.League.

Initial talks have been “good,” said Trillo, but Durham, who last played for the Ryukyu Golden Kings, is also attracting offers from other B.League teams.

“I’ve spoken with coach Nenad and [Meralco team manager and brother Paolo Trillo] and [we] would love to have AD join us. We have to come to terms with his agent,” said Trillo.

If negotiations with Durham don’t pan out, the Bolts may look at potential reinforcements elsewhere like in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Regardless of who they eventually sign, the Bolts hope that he turns out to be the guy who could put them in a position to once again march back into center court and lift another trophy.



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“We have to really lock in and have a good two weeks of preseason training before we get on the court again,” Trillo said.

Jia De Guzman ‘grateful’ as Alas Pilipinas adds more firepower

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Jia De Guzman and Alas Pilipinas during a VNL meet and greet at Mall of Asia Arena.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas team captain Jia De Guzman welcomed new additions Jema Galanza, Bella Belen, and Alyssa Solomon ahead of the FIVB Challenge Cup on July 4 at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

De Guzman is elated to have more talented wing spikers, as well as Tots Carlos, who wasn’t in the Alas meet and greet on Wednesday, as they play a do-or-die game against AVC Challenge Cup champion Vietnam in the qualifier for the Volleyball Nations League (VNL).

“We’re grateful that we were reinforced with Jema, Bella, and Alyssa because we had a very good line-up in the AVC and we’re welcoming every help that we can get,” said De Guzman in Filipino after their meet and greet in the VNL on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

READ: NU stars, Jema Galanza join Alas Pilipinas training

“They are also bringing a great experience and we’re hoping for more additions to have a deeper bench in the long run.”

Also part of Alas coach Jorge Souza De Brito’s pool are Challenge Cup bronze medalists Angel Canino as well as Sisi Rondina, Eya Laure, Fifi Sharma, Thea Gagate, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, Cherry Nunag, Dell Palomata, Faith Nisperos, Jennifer Nierva, Arah Panique, Julia Coronel, and Vanie Gandler.

University of the East rookie Casiey Dongallo is also part of the training pool but she’s still recovering from a hand injury.

READ: Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza added to Alas Pilipinas pool

The Philippines and Vietnam collide in a knockout match with the winner advancing to the next round against the winner between Argentina and the Czech Republic.

“We’re doing our best to prepare well because we’re facing Vietnam so we’ve seen them play in person in AVC,” the eight-time PVL Best Setter said. “We’re taking it a day at a time, preparing, taking advantage of the longer preparation this time compared before in the AVC. So hopefully, we can get better results.”

Also vying for the lone VNL spot are Belgium, Sweden, Puerto Rico, and Kenya.

De Guzman was happy to meet their fans before the game between France and Germany at MOA Arena/

“We didn’t expect that many people and we wanted to meet more but we lack time. We’re grateful for their support to Alas Pilipinas both men’s and women’s teams,” she said.



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Returning Jema Galanza ready for challenge with Alas Pilipinas

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Alas Pilipinas’ Jema Galanza during a VNL meet and greet at Mall of Asia Arena.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Jema Galanza embraces the challenge of helping the young guns of Alas Pilipinas as one of the reinforcements ahead of the squad’s campaign in the FIVB Challenger Cup from July 4 to 7 at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

“Super excited kasi ngayon na lang ulit ako makakabalik for the national team and makaka-experience ulit ng international games,” said Galanza, who played for the Philippine women’s volleyball team in the past two Southeast Asian Games.

Galanza, the reigning PVL Finals MVP of the Creamline Cool Smashers, is delighted to join a new-look national team composed of the AVC Challenge Cup bronze medalist team, led by tournament’s Best Setter and captain Jia De Guzman and Best Opposite Spiker Angel Canino as well as Sisi Rondina, Eya Laure, Fifi Sharma, Thea Gagate, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, Cherry Nunag, Dell Palomata, Faith Nisperos, Jennifer Nierva, Arah Panique, Julia Coronel, and Vanie Gandler.

READ: Jia De Guzman ‘grateful’ as Alas Pilipinas adds more firepower

The Creamline star was added with her teammate Tots Carlos and National University tandem Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon to the training pool led by coach Jorge Souza De Brito after missing the Challenge Cup due to the Cool Smashers’ long-awaited Spain trip.

“Marami naman talagang nagbago and super happy na mga bata ‘yung kasama ko kasi nacha-challenge ako at marami rin akong natututunan sa kanila. Masaya rin kasi mas relax din kasi ‘yung mga bata ngayon,” said Galanza.

“Marami na rin naman akong laro sa national team na hindi Creamline ‘yung kasama ko so wala namang bago. Maganda siyang challenge for me na iba ‘yung kasama ko so kailangan ko talagang mag-adjust sa sistema ni coach Jorge.”

The do-it-all spiker is grateful to reunite with longtime teammate De Guzman, who has been leading the charge for Alas. 

READ: NU stars, Jema Galanza join Alas Pilipinas training

“Kaming dalawa, hindi na mahirap sa amin ‘yung adjustment. Alam na namin agad ‘yung mga galawan namin sa loob ng court pero super happy kasi alam ko naman din kung paano siya mag-lead sa Creamline pa lang,” Galanza said. “Hindi naman ako mahihirapan gumalaw kasi alam ko na kung paano si ate Jia mag-lead.”

Galanza is also thankful for the warm support she received during the short Alas Pilipinas men’s and women’s teams meet and greet in the VNL on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

“Kahit saan naman tayo maglaro, laging nakasuporta ‘yung mga Filipino fans ng volleyball. I think ganito na talaga kalaki ‘yung volleyball community at tumataas na ‘yung level of competition kaya grabe na rin talaga ‘yung suporta na natatanggap namin,” she said.



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Swimmers in doping scandal named in China Paris Olympics team

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(FILES) Gold medallist China’s Qin Haiyang celebrates on the podium during the medals ceremony for the men’s 50m breaststroke swimming event during the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. (Photo by Manan VATSYAYANA / AFP)

China will send 11 swimmers implicated in a major doping scandal to next month’s Paris Olympics, after the country named its squad for the Games.

Twenty-three Chinese swimmers tested positive for the prescription heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ) — which can enhance performance — ahead of the pandemic-delayed 2021 Tokyo Games, it emerged in April.

They were not sanctioned after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted the argument of Chinese authorities that the positive tests were caused by contaminated food.

Several of the swimmers went on to win medals, including gold, in Tokyo months later.

READ: Chinese star swimmer Sun Yang’s 8-year doping ban overturned

China named its swimming squad for Paris on Tuesday. Among them were 11 of the 23 who were named in news reports in April that broke the story about the mass positive tests.

The squad includes butterfly specialist Zhang Yufei, who won two golds in Japan, as well as another gold medalist in Wang Shun.

Breaststroke multiple world champion and 200m record-holder Qin Haiyang is another who was named in the reports and will go to Paris.

In April, The New York Times and German broadcaster ARD reported that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for TMZ at a domestic competition in late 2020 and early 2021.

It was determined by Chinese anti-doping authorities that they ingested the substance unwittingly from tainted food at their hotel and no action against them was warranted.

READ: Chinese swimmer Sun Yang handed Tokyo Olympics lifeline

WADA’s decision not to punish the swimmers and allow them to carry on competing provoked intense criticism, particularly from the United States.

There was also anger at how the case emerged, via media reports rather than official channels.

The head of the US national anti-doping agency Travis Tygart called it a “potential cover-up”, an allegation WADA and China have strongly denied.

WADA has said it will send a compliance audit team to China to “assess the current state of the country’s anti-doping program”, an investigation that China has said it will cooperate with.

Asked Wednesday about when that compliance team might go to China, Beijing said only that it “consistently adhered to the firm stance of zero tolerance for doping”.

China has “resolutely safeguarded the physical and mental health of athletes, safeguarded fair competition in sports competitions, and has made positive contributions to the unified global fight against doping”, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

 Scrutiny in Paris

This month The New York Times reported that Qin, Wang and another swimmer among the 23 had also tested positive for a different banned substance in separate cases years earlier.

The Times said the three tested positive for clenbuterol in 2016 and 2017.

Chinese authorities argued they had ingested the substance inadvertently through contaminated meat and no disciplinary action was taken.

WADA said the trio were found to have levels of clenbuterol which were between “six and 50 times lower” than the minimum reporting level currently used by the agency.

In a statement to AFP, China’s anti-doping body hit back this week, calling the latest Times story a violation of “media ethics and morals”.

Along with powerhouses the United States and Australia, China will expect to be among the swimming medals when the Paris Olympics begin on July 26.

China’s swimmers will however be under intense added scrutiny.

Speaking on the eve of the US Olympic trials, which started Saturday, the 100m breaststroke world record-holder Lilly King called the most recent revelations involving Chinese swimmers “disappointing and frustrating”.

“You know, when we put everything on the line… everything that we do to compete with a level playing field, it’s extremely frustrating to not have faith that others are doing the same thing,” she said.

Australia’s head swimming coach Rohan Taylor urged his team to focus on themselves.



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“We have to trust that WADA and (governing body) World Aquatics are going to continue to investigate and that we are aligned with a clean sport,” he said.

Clint Escamis braces for tougher challenge in Season 100

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Mapua Cardinals’ Clint Escamis during the Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Clint Escamis will have to represent Mapua in the NCAA Season 100 without his usual partner-in-crime, Paolo Hernandez.

Before the centennial season of the NCAA, Cardinal sniper Hernandez announced that he would be forgoing his final playing for Mapua, leaving Season 99 MVP Escamis alone in the driver’s seat.

“Before Season 99, he already told me it’s his last playing season,” said Escamis at the 2024 Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night at Discovery Suites in Ortigas on Monday.

READ: NCAA: Clint Escamis, Paolo Hernandez show brotherhood amid finals loss

“I got sad, of course, but that’s his decision. I told him good luck and wished him all the best. There’s pressure and at the same time, it’s an opportunity to rise to the occasion, especially with our loss last year.”

The tandem of Hernandez and Escamis brought the Cardinals to greater heights last year.

After missing out on the Final Four in Season 98, Mapua got the biggest shot in the arm with the resurgence of Hernandez and Escamis; a duo that already materialized during their high school days with the Red Robins.

However, Mapua faltered to San Beda in three games in the Finals, prematurely ending the stellar stint of Escamis and Hernandez together.

READ: NCAA: Mapua’s Clint Escamis wins Rookie of the Year, MVP

Now with a younger core and improved swingmen in tow, Escamis is excited to run it back and hope for a greater outcome with the new Cardinals.

“We can bounce back now especially since we have recruits who underwent residency last year. We also have improving sophomores from last season who didn’t play much last year. They’ll have bigger roles this season and I can count on them.”

Another thing that Escamis is also looking forward to, other than bouncing back, is defending his MVP award.

Escamis won not just the MVP award but also the Rookie of the Year plum for Season 99 after posting norms of 16.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.6 steals per game.

Now with his second season loading, he hopes to achieve the same feat and more.



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“Of course, we can only go up from here. Hopefully I go back-to-back and get my first title this year. That’s the goal.”

Iran upsets powerhouse USA for first win

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MANILA, Philippines — Iran turned to Poriya Hossein and Milad Ebadipour to stun the powerhouse USA, in five sets, 26-28, 25-23, 25-18, 26-28, 15-13, and earn its first win in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Although they are no longer in contention for the Final Eight, the Iranians played their hearts out to overcome the runner-up and Olympic-bound USA and snap an eight-game skid.

Hossein drilled 23 points including the game-winning kill to end a thrilling two-hour and 21-minute duel, while Ebadipour delivered 20 points off 16 kills, three blocks, and an ace to overcome TJ Defalco’s 33-point explosion.

VNL 2024 SCHEDULE: Week 3 Manila, Philippines leg

“It was a great game. We had tough weeks in the past and we lost eight games from eight. This is the most difficult team to play in the third week, to start (the week) against USA, one of the biggest teams in the world,” said Ebadipour.

“I think we have to start to win games and today was our first game in the third week. I’m so happy to win against the biggest team like USA.”

The Iranians couldn’t close out the game in the fourth, allowing the Americans to force a decider, where the former squandered a 13-11 lead before Defalco trimmed it down to one before Micah Ma’a’s crucial service error that sent Iran to matchpoint, 14-12.

Defalco saved a point but Poriya ended the game for Iran to improve to a 1-8 record and sent USA to a 3-6 record in 12th place.

READ: Team USA has ‘mountain to climb’ as VNL unfolds in Manila

Amin Esmaeilnezhad also stepped up for Iran with 14 points including three blocks, while Alireza Moslehabadi added nine points.

Ebadipour is proud of his young teammates for holding their ground against the World No.6 USA.

“I would say I’m proud of them (Iran team). We have a really young generation as I’ve said many times. They have a really good and nice future. I’m happy for this because today, they showed in the future that they can show the best performance and they can improve a lot,” he said.

“All of them are almost under 25 years old. This is great for our national team. This is really good and today, they showed the best quality, especially in the fifth set because it is not easy to play a fifth set against USA or these kinds of teams but they showed the best quality and I’m happy.”



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Iran seeks to carry its momentum heading ito Thursday’s game against the Netherlands at 3 p.m.

Defalco poured in 30 kills, two blocks, and an ace. Setter Micah Christenson ran the plays for the USA, as Matthew Anderson had 13 points including three aces. Jordan Ewert added 10 points. 

USA has less than 24 hours before facing Brazil on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Micah Christenson, USA grateful for fans’ support in loss

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Micah Christenson and Team USA during a VNL Week 3 game against Iran. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

VNL 2024 SCHEDULE: Week 3 Manila, Philippines leg

MANILA, Philippines — Team USA setter Micah Christenson wanted to win it for their Filipino fans, but their Manila debut was spoiled by Iran in five sets in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Week 3 on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Christenson and the fan-favorite USA, cheered by the Filipino crowd, couldn’t complete a comeback as Iran pulled off a 26-28, 25-23, 25-18, 26-28, 15-13 stunner to end a winless eight-game skid.

“I wish it could’ve gone differently, you know? But nonetheless, we really, really appreciate all of the support and love from the Filipino fans. We feel it every day all the time. It’s great to finally be here and try to put on some good performances for them in person,” said the American captain.

READ: VNL 2024: Iran upsets powerhouse USA for first win

TJ Defalco unleashed 33 points but it wasn’t enough as the Olympic-bound USA dropped to a 3-6 record in 12th place.

Christenson and some of his teammates still accommodated their supporters at the fan zone to show their appreciation after their post-game interviews. 

With USA’s final eight chances in limbo, the veteran setter seeks to keep on improving before heading to the Paris Olympics next month.

“We have a long way to go from where we wanna be, in the Olympics, so we’re gonna continue to work on that,” Christenson said.

The USA star praised Iran for pulling off a big win to improve to a 1-8 record despite their valiant effort to force a fifth set. 

“I think we have to first give credit to Iran. They played great. Everybody was making good defensive plays, even the middle blockers. They put a lot of pressure on us in certain situations. We have to give a lot of credit there, but we also have a lot to work on. We know that and we’re going to face it head-on,” he said.

“They’re always a dangerous team and they showed it tonight.”



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Christenson and USA have less than 24 hours before facing Brazil on Thursday at 7 p.m. as they hope to deliver a win for their country and Filipino fans.