Del Monte aces spice up Binitin leg


Three crack players from Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon will be carrying the fight for the Mindanao region when the second leg of the ICTSI Junior PGT gets off the ground on Monday at Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Binitin, Murcia.

Developing their games at tough Del Monte, Keith Pagalan, Simon Wahing and Coby Langamin will all be playing in the boys’ premier 16-18 division as they shoot for high finishes to qualify for the national match play championship scheduled later in the year at The Country Club in Laguna.

Winners from four age divisions (boys and girls) are all part of the Bacolod roster, vying not just for consecutive victories but also for ranking points for the finals after the 14-leg nationwide circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Bacolod’s John Rey Oro and Iloilo’s Rhiena Sinfuego aim for back-to-back wins in the boys’ and girls’ 16-18 class, respectively. Both divisions will be over 72 holes.

The spotlight, however, will be on Pagalan and his teammates from Manolo Fortich High School in Bukidnon as they also prepare for the Mindanao Series starting next month.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Canada sweeps Manila leg but coach wants more


Stephen Maar and Canada celebrate a point against Netherlands in the VNL.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Canada may have swept four matches in the Manila Leg to book a spot in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Final Eight but it wasn’t perfect for coach Tuomas Sammelvuo as he urges his wards to stay hungry.

Canada turned to Stephen Maar and Eric Loeppky to seal a spot in the Final Eight after overcoming the Netherlands in five sets, 21-25, 25-22, 28-26, 14-25, 15-9, on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.

But coach Sammelvuo said they won’t stop working on their lapses, which were still exploited by the Netherlands, led by the league’s top scorer Nimir Abdel-Aziz.

READ: VNL 2024: As Paris Olympics nears, Canada focused on improvement

“It’s never perfect but of course four wins, huge performance from the players. I’m very happy for them and we qualified for the Final Eight. That’s amazing,” said the Finnish coach of Canada. “I think we got confidence after a few wins and now we finished the end part of VNL with eight wins. That’s very very good. Now we focus on the Final Eight, we’ll keep on practicing and get ready for the quarterfinals.”

Maar powered the Canadians with 18 points off 15 attacks, two blocks, and an ace. Loeppky delivered the goods anew with 14 points, while Xander Ketrzynski and Lucas Van Berkel added nine points each. 

“Fourth game in five days, five-setter, crazy environment, we wanted that win so bad and so did they. They wanted to win for him and we wanted to win for us. It went to be a really tough match mentally and also physically,” said Loeppky. “I think we needed this game. We really needed to be put in a tough situation to be able to come together and win as a team I think that’s huge for us. This one was tough, so it’s really important for us moving forward because all we have left is the Final Eight and the Olympics so all those games are going to be like this.”

READ: VNL 2024: Canada sweeps Germany for back-to-back wins

Sammelvuo was happy for his players’ improvement after finishing the preliminary round as the No.4 seed with an 8-4 record as they will also play in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We have improved I think we’re qualified in the Olympic games and last October was a big step for us in terms of confidence. After that many players had a very good season in their clubs and we have been working, being humble and trying to improve. We’ll never stop,” said the Canada coach, who is also eyeing to return in Manila for the FIVB World Championship next year. 

“Amazing. Good crowd. Next year, the world championship is here. So I hope we’ll come back here,” he added.

 The Netherlands ended up winless in Manila with a 3-9 record despite another 37-point explosion from Abdel-Aziz highlighted by six aces. Maarten Van Garderen had 17 points.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Week 3 Manila, Philippines leg


FILE–Crowd shot during a VNL game at Mall of Asia Arena. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

The Philippines is scheduled to a week of  FIVB Men’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) for the straight year from June 18 to 23 at Mall of Asia Arena.

Reigning Olympic champion France (world No. 7), fan favorites Japan (No. 3) and USA (No. 5) headline the Week 3 cast in Manila with No. 4 Brazil, No. 11 Germany, No. 12 Canada, No. 13 The Netherlands and No. 17 Iran.

READ: Fan favorites USA, Japan arrive for VNL in Manila

All games are at the Mall of Asia Arena.

France, Japan, Brazil) and Canada are all inside Top 8 of the VNL standings after two legs with reigning world champion Italy, Slovenia and Poland leading the race so fa.

Germany, USA, the Netherlands and Team USA take 11th, 12th, 13th, and 16th places respectively as they aim to climb the ladder entering the homestretch of the preliminary phase.

VNL 2024 Schedule Week 3: Manila, Philippines leg

VNL 2024 Schedule Week 3 Manila, Philippines leg

VNL 2024 schedule of games in Manila.

JUNE 18, Tuesday

  • 5pm – Netherlands vs Brazil
  • 8:30pm –  Canada vs  Japan

JUNE 19, Wednesday 

  • 4pm Germany vs France
  • 7pm Iran vs USA

JUNE 20, Thursday

  • 11 am – Germany vs  Canada — 11:00 a.m.
  • 4pm – Iran vs Netherlands
  • 7pm – Brazil vs USA

JUNE 21, Friday

  • 11am – Iran vs  France
  • 4pm – Canada vs Brazil
  • 7pm – Netherlands vs  Japan

JUNE 22, Saturday

  • 11am – Germany vs  USA
  • 4pm – Canada vs  Netherlands
  • 7pm – France vs Japan

JUNE 23, Sunday

  • 11am – Germany vs  Iran
  • 4pm – France vs  Brazil
  • 7pm – Japan vs USA

Paris Olympics slots could be on the line at VNL

The Top 8 teams after the preliminary phase will qualify for the VNL Final Round in Poland from June 27-30.

With top world teams competing in the VNL– the last volleyball tournament before the Paris Olympics–there could be implications for the qualifying points for the upcoming Summer Games in July.

READ:  VNL: A primer on a world-class tournament



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Five spots based on the FIVB World Rankings are still up for grabs with only seven countries – host France, Germany, Brazil, USA, Japan, Poland and Canada – having booked their Olympic seats so far.

‘Great expectations’ ahead for Japan in VNL Manila leg


Team captains and coaches who will be participating in the VNL men’s volleyball
competition that will be held in MOA Arena in Pasay City. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Yuki Ishikawa and Japan are elated to play in Manila for the third time in a row in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2024 Week 3 starting Tuesday at Mall of Asia Arena. 

The Japanese men’s volleyball team, the fan-favorite of Filipinos, resumes its VNL campaign against Canada at 8:30 p.m. after the Netherlands and Brazil’s match at 5 p.m.

“We are so happy to be here again. We played for the last two years and we are doing well. This week is very important for us because, after our pool matches, we have the (VNL) finals and the Olympic Games,” said Ishiwaka, who will play in the Paris Olympics 2024. “Our goal is we’ll take good lessons to the Olympic Games. We’ll do well this weekend.”

READ: Fan favorites USA, Japan arrive in Manila for VNL

The Japan team captain, who will be with Ran Takahashi and Yuji Nishida, is determined to solidify their chances to the Final 8 with a 6-2 record in fifth place.

“Now we are preparing well, everybody here. I had some lapses in the first week and the second. We have to think always (about the) big games and we have to play well,” Ishikawa said.

Playing crucial matches in Manila, Japan’s French coach Philippe Blain vows his wards will play their best in front of the Filipino crowd.

READ: VNL set for Manila leg with Japan, USA headlining

“We know that we have great expectations also here in the Philippines with the fans. So we will do our best to make the best spectacle and the best volleyball possible to come,” Blain said.

Ishikawa agreed with his coach as Japan remains hungry despite being one of the seven countries with host France, Germany, Brazil, USA, Poland, and Canada that qualified for the Olympics.

“We are so excited to play here in front of Filipino fans. We will do our best to really show our best volleyball. I can’t way to play in front of Filipino fans,” said the reigning VNL Best Outside Spiker.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Celtics offer little on Porzingis after leg injury


Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis talks with reporters before basketball practice, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Dallas, in preparation for Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

DALLAS— Kristaps Porzingis didn’t do an encore with reporters two days after Boston’s big man answered questions in the immediate aftermath of the announcement of his rare lower left leg injury.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t offer much insight, either, which means Thursday’s injury report will be the closest thing to any official word on whether Porzingis’ latest ailment will keep him out of Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Dallas on Friday night.

The Celtics listed Porzingis as questionable for Game 4, just as he was before getting ruled out about two hours before Game 3.

READ: NBA Finals: Porzingis’ status uncertain due to rare leg injury

Boston moved within a victory of an 18th championship without Porzingis, beating Dallas 106-99 on Wednesday for a 3-0 series lead. The Celtics are poised to break a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most NBA titles.

The 7-foot-2 Latvian has a dislocated tendon in his left leg, caused by a tear of the tissue that holds tendons in place. The team has called the injury rare, and Mazzulla labeled it “serious.”

Porzingis played the first two games of the finals, with a crucial role in the Game 1 win, after missing the previous 10 playoff games with a strained right calf.

Mazzulla said the commanding series lead would have no bearing on whether Porzingis plays. The medical staff deemed him unfit to play after putting him through drills before Game 3.

READ: NBA Finals: Porzingis a big problem for Mavericks team that cast him off

“Kristaps has gotten better from yesterday to today,” Mazzulla said Thursday. “He’s fighting like hell to play. But it’s going to be up to us to protect him and to make sure that it’s in the best interest for him as a player and as a person.”

Porzingis played beyond the first round of the playoffs for the first time in his career when he had 11 of his 20 points and two of his three blocks in the first quarter of Boston’s 107-89 victory in Game 1.

The injury happened in the third quarter of Game 2, when Porzingis said he knocked knees with Dallas rookie center Dereck Lively II when they went for a rebound on a free throw.

READ: NBA Finals: Celtics land biggest punches again to move closer to title

Al Horford has started all three games in the finals, including the two when Porzingis played, and Xavier Tillman Sr. had a 3-pointer during a 20-5 Boston run while playing for the first time in the title series with Porzingis out.

“We’ve been playing all season and all playoffs without (Porzingis),” star guard Jaylen Brown said. “Obviously, we’d love to have (Porzingis) out there. We are different when he is. But X stepped in that role, and I thought he was great.”

Porzingis signed a $60 million, two-year extension with the Celtics after they acquired him in a trade with Washington last summer. That deal kicks in next season.

Regardless of whether he plays, Porzingis has a chance to win a championship at the home of the Mavericks, who acquired him in a blockbuster 2019 trade with the New York Knicks, hoping to create a dynamic European pairing with Dallas superstar Luka Doncic.

The Mavs branded that deal a failure by sending Porzingis to Washington before the trade deadline in 2022. The 28-year-old has a long history of injuries, including in New York and Dallas, and could be celebrating in street clothes on his old home court.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

“I’ve been through some stuff in my career, and obviously this is a rough patch coming back and having something happen right away again,” Porzingis said Tuesday, when the injury was announced. “It’s very — just a tough moment right now.”