ISAA games begin today


THE Inter Scholastic Athletic Asso- ciation (ISAA) sports league, which consists of seven Metro Manila col- leges and universities will be launched today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate, Manila. Basketball legend and now Ten- der Juicy Giants team manager Alvin Patrimonio will grace the opening ceremonies.


Games will commence at 10:30 a.m. with host FEATI University fac- ing Manila Doctor’s College in the men’s basketball event. Lyceum of the Philippines University, on the other hand, will face Philippine Women’s University (PWU) at 12 p.m. while the battle between Southville Colleges and Manila Ad- ventist Colleges starts at 1:30 p.m. of the same day.


The ISSA is composed of the


Lyceum, FEATI, Manila Advent- ist Medical Center and Colleges, Southville International School and Colleges, PWU, Manila Doc- tor’s College and La Conso- lacion College. “We would like to build athletes who will become legends in the near future,” said lawyer Jose Yayen, ISAA president on the league’s goal. The first semester of the ISSA games includes men’s basketball and volleyball as well as women’s basketball. Meanwhile, women’s volleyball, swimming, table tennis and badminton events will be held in the second semester.


JUSTIN RONALD IRONS


San Miguel, Alaska face contenders in Game 2


DEFENDING champion San Miguel Beer and the Alaska Aces seek for a 2-0 lead when they face separate rivals Friday in Game 2 of the best-of-seven semifinal series of the 35th Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum. The Beermen and the Aces gained


headway after coming up with contrasting devastating victory on Wednesday, which may be enough to seize momentum in the long series. Alaska manhandled top seed Talk


‘N Text, 104-88, while San Miguel Beer played true to form to thrash B-Meg Derby Ace, 101-88 in the opening game. Despite the victory, however,


coach Tim Cone of Alaska cautioned his players not to be overconfident when they face the Tropang Texters at 5 p.m., while coach Siot Tan- quingcen of the Beermen hopes for another win over the Llamados in their 7:30 p.m. encounter. “We played almost a picture-perfect in the second half of the first game. And we must continue to do that to beat this team [Talk ‘N Text] in this series,” said Cone. Alaska out-rebounded Talk ‘N Text,


53-47 and shoot better in the field with 54.7 percent compared to 46.5 percent and converted five-for-15 in the three-point zone to 5-for-23 by coach Chot Reyes’ team. “I don’t think they have the real


answer for Reynel Hugnatam because they focused much on Diamon Simpson. They forgot some of our players,” added Cone. For the Beermen at least their long


18-day rest worked well for them as they showed up with a renewed energy led by Jay Washington, Gabe Freeman, Dondon Hontiveros and Arwind Santos, who combined for 81 points. “Our number of assists tonight will


tell how we will play in this series,” said Tanquingcen referring to their 28 assists to only 10 for the Llamados. But Tanquingcen warned his players


not to take Derby Ace lightly in the second game, saying it’s suicidal. “This team [Derby Ace] can not be taken lightly. A slight lapse on defense will cost us the game. Any of their players can light up the scoreboard with the slightest opening,” added Tanquing- cen, who is on his ninth semifinal appearance as a coach of San Miguel Beer since 2002. FRANK CALAPRE


Hip to be scared L


EAVE it to Floyd Mayweather Jr. to concoct another preposter- ous excuse to derail the negotia- tions for a showdown with pound- for-pound king Manny Pacquiao. After the deadline imposed by promoter Bob Arum expired with- out any contract being signed, Mayweather tried to justify his nonchalance by claiming that no actual negotiation took place. In a wink of an eye, sports network gi- ant ESPN, which had earlier be- stowed on Mayweather its 2009 Fighter of the Year award, was call- ing the American fighter a coward. Going by the history of the sport, Mayweather is just follow- ing in the footsteps of boxing champions who dodged, or tried to dodge, opponents who were viewed as direct threats to their title reigns. The first world heavyweight boxing champion, John Sullivan, was heavily criticized for his re- fusal to fight black fighters. To cushion allegations that he had drawn the color line, Sullivan agreed to meet veteran black fighter George “Old Chocolate” Godfrey in September 1881. Ac- cording to the record books, the men were stripped naked in the dressing room when Sullivan an- nounced that he would not fight. During his seven-year reign as


heavyweight champion (1885 to 1892), Sullivan avoided colored fighters like a plague. One contender he repeatedly ducked was the famed “Black Prince,” Peter Jackson. Jackson became the top challenger for


Sullivan’s title when he


knocked out Peter Maher in De- cember 1889. A fight with Jackson never materialized, although Sulli- van later insisted that he was more


son was knocked out at 2:05 of the first round. A rematch with Liston a year later saw Patterson lasting four more seconds but getting knocked out in one round just the same.


BOXER SHORTS


than willing to meet Jackson “in private.” To this day, Sullivan’s ex- planation still baffles historians. In June 1960, Floyd Patterson


won the heavyweight crown for the second time by stopping Ingemar Johansson. Immediately after the bout, fight fans called for a showdown between Patterson and Sonny Liston. The clean-cut Patterson had been avoiding Liston as early as 1956, when he first won the title. The burly Liston, a former convict, alleg- edly had ties with the Mob and was looked upon as boxing’s ul- timate bad guy.


Believing that the prestige of the


heavyweight crown would be tar- nished if Liston gets his hands on it, civic-oriented groups even launched a campaign to call off the bout. In April 1962, the New York State Athletic Commission denied Liston a license to fight in New York on the grounds that his past “pro- vided a pattern of suspicion” that could be “detrimental to the best interests of professional boxing.” Patterson ended up facing his


demons.“One night in bed, I made up my mind,” he told the New York Times. “I knew if I’d want to sleep comfortably, I’d have to take on Liston.” Patterson ended up counting sheep against Liston. In their September 1962 meeting, Patter-


Muhammad Ali had his share of fright nights when he met Liston in February 1964. During the weigh- in, Ali started ranting and raving. A local boxing commission doctor reported that Ali’s pulse was an ab- normally high 120 because the challenger was “scared to death.” Ali conquered his fears and stopped Liston in seven rounds for the world heavyweight diadem. In November 1992, Riddick


Bowe won the combined WBA- WBC-IBF world heavyweight title with a pulsating decision over Evander Holyfield. When the WBC started pressuring Bowe to defend the crown against Lennox Lewis, the American freaked out and literally dumped the WBC belt in the trash can. Lewis had knocked out Bowe in two rounds in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, which explains why Bowe did not want a piece of the Briton. It is a given fact that every boxer who enters the ring is a scared fighter, considering the dangers involved in boxing. A truly great fighter, however, conquers his fear and does not allow it to consume him. Thus far, Mayweather is running scared. Unless Mayweather deals with his demons and signs the con- tract, Pacquiao may have to file an- other case in court that may bring about Pretty Boy’s incarceration. The charge? Impersonating a


fighter. ❋ ❋ ❋


For comments, the writer can be reached at atty_eduardo@ yahoo.com.


■ Wesley So


A 8


sports The ˜Manila Times FRIDAY July 23, 2010


Wesley takes solo lead in Biel chess tourney


BY EMIL C. NOGUERA REPORTER


lead in the 2010 Biel Young Grandmasters chess championship at the Center of Biel in Switzerland.


G


The 16-year-old So outclassed GM Maxim Rodshtein of Israel in 39 moves of the Gruenfeld in the third phase of the nine-round tournament. So improved his record to 2.5 points on two wins and one draw while GMs Evgeny Tomashevsky of Russia and Fabiano Caruana of Italy are sharing the second to third places with identical two points. Tomashevsky, seeded second be- hind GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, split the point with com- patriot GM Dmitry Anddreikin while Caruana defeated GM Parimarjan Negi of India.


Five other players, led by Vachier-


Lagrave and GM Anish Giri of The Netherlands, are tied for fourth to eighths places with 1.5 points. “Wesley is again making us proud with his remarkable performance in Biel. Let’s hope he will continue to do so,” said National Chess Federation of the Philippines Chief Prospero Pichay. So will be up against winless Negi in the fourth round.


Negi defeated So in the 2003


World Youth Chess Championships in Halkidi, Greece but the Filipino wood pusher is expected to come out firing this time to even the record.


ROMASANTA SEEKS ASIAD TASK FORCE RESTORATION


JOEY ROMASANTA, Asian Games chief of mission and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) spokesman said the first order of business after Richie Garcia has been formally appointed the chair- man of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is to bring back the Asiad task force. Romasanta said he would set up a meeting with the new PSC officers headed by Garcia and four commissioners regarding the country’s participation in the


Asian Games. “Our first priority is to find out


whoever is our counterpart in the PSC. We also talked about the revival partnership of POC-PSC to create a task force that would oversee the ath- letes for the Asiad,” said Romasanta In the previous Asian Games in- cluding last Doha Games in 2006, the POC and PSC had formed a task force committee that supervised the needs of the athletes and the sports under previous PSC Chairman William Ramirez and the Olympic body.


But in the last 2009 Laos South- east Asian Games (SEAG), the POC and the PSC failed to form a task force committee for SEAG because of the animosity between POC Presi- dent Jose Cojuangco and former PSC Chairman Harry Angping. Romasanta though said he


hasn’t yet submitted a budget pro- posal to the PSC for the Philippine delegation to the Guangzhou Games since they will name the final composition of the athletes and coaches after the August 11


deadline. Two-hundred thirty- three athletes are expected to be named for the Asian Games roster that would compete in at least 42 sports where 473 gold medals at stake. The quadrennial meet is set to begin on November 12 to 27. Romasanta said the formation of the Asian Games task force is very crucial to the campaign of the Phil- ippine delegation. “We should create that commit- tee the soonest,” he said.


JOSEF T. RAMOS Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’ Donaire Jr. wants Montiel


WHILE Manny Pacquiao stays undecided whether to fight Antonio Margarito, or consider a rematch against Miguel Cotto fellow Filipino boxer Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. has one next opponent in mind: Mexican cham- pion Fernando Montiel. Donaire, who arrived Thursday at the Ninoy


Aquino International Airport, told reporters that he plans to return to training soon to pre- pare for his biggest bout against Montiel (43- 2-2 win-loss-draw with 33 knockouts). “This time, I will continue my training,” said Donaire Jr., who successfully retained his World Boxing Association interim super flyweight title on July 10 against Hernan ‘Tyson’ Marquez in an eighth-round technical knockout in Puerto Rico. “Montiel is an elite fighter, a world cham- pion. He is the best among the fighters that I ever fought before,” he said. “He is also the best


in his division. I want to face him but need to focus. I need to better and stronger.” Montiel is the reigning World Boxing Council


and World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion, but Donaire is confident he can beat the Mexican warrior. “I have the edge to beat him.” He confirmed his bout against Montiel is


now under negotiation. It could be held in November and there is a possibility that it may be lined-up among Pacquiao’s under card bouts. “It’s under nego- tiation. I want my fight to be included in the Pacquiao mega bout in November this year.” A fight against Montiel though would auto- matically put his weight up from 115 to 118 pounds. But that’s okay with Donaire (24-1 card with 16 knockouts). “I’ll climb up from 115 to 118 pounds if the bout JOSEF T. RAMOS


would materialize,” he said.


RANDMASTER (GM) Wesley So of the Philippines nailed his second victory to grab the solo


LADY BULLDOGS SMOTHER ALTAS, GAIN 3RD NATIONAL University used its power game and tough net defense to demolish Perpetual Help, 25-14, 25-20, 25-22, in a duel of newcomers to move up to solo third in the Shakey’s V-League Season 7 second conference at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.


■ Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. with wife Rachel. PHOTO BY JAR MARYANOL


SCOOP talks about softball, boxing


THE chances of the Philippine Blu Girls in their bid for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Women’s Softball Championship and the country’s offer to host next year’s Asian Men’s Boxing Champi- onship will the main topic of dis- cussion in today’s SCOOP Sa Kamayan weekly session at the Kamayan Restaurant along Padre Faura in Malate, Manila.


Amateur Softball of the Philip- pines Secretary General Danny Francisco, Administrative Officer Jun Veloso and the Asian Cham- pionship-bound Blu Girls, hea- ded by coach Ana Santiago will talk to members of the Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines on how the team would fare in the tournament set next week in Jakarta.


How important is the Philip- pines’ domination of the recent Manuel V. Pangilinan International Boxing Cup in connection with the Filipino fighters’ campaign in the coming Asian Games and the coun- try’s quest for its first Olympic gold medal will be discussed by Amateur Boxing Association of the Philip- pines Executive Director Ed Picson. ED ALINEA


Growling Tigers survives UP in overtime


UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) halted the late comeback of University of the Philippines (UP) to post an 87-81 overtime win in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 73 men’s basketball tourna- ment at the Araneta Coliseum. Prolific guard Jeric Fortuna sizzled with 29 points including a remarkable 24 points from beyond the arc. He also had 6 rebounds and 5 steals as the Growling Tigers registered their second win in three games.


sports inbrief


■ TIGER Woods’ estimated endorse- ments for 2010 are worth $22 million less than in 2009, Sports Illustrated reported in its yearly analysis of the top- earning US sports figures. Woods is still number one on the list, as he has been for the rankings’ seven years. But his estimated total earnings of more than $90 million are down 30 percent from nearly $128 million two years ago. AFP


Aljon Mariano backed him up with 18


points while Jeric Teng added 13 markers. UST is in a four-way tie with defending champion Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University and Adamson University. “They played as a team today. That’s the spirit that we are lacking in our previous game against Ateneo. We’re looking to come up with a good game like this in our next matches,” said UST coach Pido Jarencio. The Fighting Maroons, on the


■ MIA PICCIO edged Suzie Lee of New York, 2&1, to become the only survivors among fellow Filipino golfers in the first round of the match play event in the 108th North and South Amateur Championship at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina on Wednesday. Piccio, ranked 25th in a field of 64, pounced on Lee’s double bogey mishaps on Nos. 4 and 5 to seize control but had to lean on birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 to turn back her rival, who drew level after No. 12. JOSEF T. RAMOS


other hand, absorbed their third straight setbacks.


Magi King Sison and Martin Reyes led UP with 19 points each while rookie Mike Silungan chipped in 16 points. Meanwhile, Leilani Gonzalo, UP’s


UAAP Board representative, said UP head coach Castro filed a leave of absence to settle some personal matters. Assistant coach Potit de Vera along


with Jerry Codinera and consultant Boyet Fernandez took over the coaching chores for the meantime. EMIL C. NOGUERA


■ DEFENDING titlist San Sebastian Stags take on the Mapua Cardinals, while Jose Rizal Bombers meet Saint Benilde Blazers Friday in the 86th National Collegiate Athletic Association basket- ball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City. The Stags, who will be seeking their fourth straight win, collide against the Cardinals a 4 p.m. following the Heavy Bombers and the Blazers game at 2 p.m.


FRANK CALAPRE


ED C. TOLENTINO


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