Stephen Curry leaves Daniel Padilla speechless, basketball fans roaring at MOA arena in 1-day Manila visit

By: Paolo Manuel C. Fule

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry left the Philippines wanting for more of him, and indeed, he said this will not be his last trip to the country as he finished his one-day only trip to Manila for his Under Armour promotional tour on September 5, Saturday.

He capped the day with a media question and answer at Raffles hotel in Makati followed by an exhibition game with selected high school cagers at the Mall of Asia Arena in the afternoon. Philippine actor and teen heartthrob Daniel Padilla had a meet-and-greet with him in a VIP lounge at Raffles Makati. “That might have been the first time, I’m guessing, he was speechless”, said Curry in the media press conference. It was reported recently that Stephen Curry surprisingly  followed Daniel Padilla on Twitter because the actor posted his collection of the champion layers’ signature shoes and merchandise.

Asked by this reporter if there is pressure going into the regular season being the efending champion and reigning MVP, the baby-faced Curry said “We feel like we’re still the team to beat. It’s going to be a different challenge for us. We’ve never defended an NBA championship before so it will be a new experience for us. All eyes are on our team and every other team is trying to knock us off our throne, so we have to be even better than we were last year to get back to the top.”

Wardell Stephen “Steph” Curry II or popularly known as Stephen Curry was born on March 14, 1988. He is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6’ 3” tall, Curry plays the point guard position and is considered by some to be the one of the greatest shooters in NBA history.  The 2015 NBA Most Valuable Player and a two-time NBA All-Star, is the son of former NBA player Dell Curry. In this year’s NBA finals, Curry carried his team into the championship, something that the Golden State Warriors franchise hasn’t repeated since 1975.

Red Lions, Heavy Bombers quash foes in NCAA cage opener

By: Paolo Manuel C. Fule

Six-peat seeking San Beda Red Lions and last year’s Final Four finalist Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers routed their respective rivals in the opening game of the 91^st National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Mall of Asia Arena, June 27 Saturday.

Sans San Beda big man Ola Adeogun and sharp-shooting guard Baser Amer due to injuries, the San Beda squad still managed to pound the host school Mapua Cardinals with a 102-89 victory. Art dela Cruz led all scorers with 27 points, 17 rebounds and 6 assists while Mapua’s Josan Nimes had 23 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists. Mapua’s Allwell Oraeme also had a good game on the defensive end with 13 points and 16 rebounds, but was haunted with foul troubles in the later part of the second half.        

In the second game of the opener, JRU Heavy Bombers thumped last year’s NCAA finalist Arellano University Chiefs with a 78-61 victory.

Both teams struggled offensively with a 40-28   at the end of the first half, and Arellano with a measly 12-of-39 field goal shooting clip.  JRU finished with 30-of-77 or 39% field goal shooting, while AU had 32 % from 24-of-76 or 32% field goal shooting.

JRU’s Abdoul Poutouochi led all scorers with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 1 block while AU’s Michael Salado scored a team best 15 points. Two-time NCAA MVP and Mapua Alumnus Alvin Patrimonio graced the event and took the stage for his message to the athletes before the start of the opening games.

The Scores:

SBC (102) Dela Cruz 27, Tankou 18, Tongco 18, Koga 16, Solera 11, Sara 6, Mocon 2, Presbitero 2, Sedillo 2, Cabanag 0, Soberano 0, Reyes 0, Bonsubre 0.

MIT (89) Nimes 23, Stevens 13, Oraeme 13, Menina 12, Serrano 10, Villasenor 8, Que 3, Raflores 3, Brana 2, Dela Rosa 2, Biteng 0, Nieles 0, Aguirre 0, Layug 0.

JRU (78) Poutouochi 23, Teodoro 11, AbdulWahab 9, Lasquety 8, Sanchez 7, Dela Paz 6, Grospe 6, Pontejos 4, Cruz 2, Aurin 2, Astilla 0, Balagtas 0, Dela Virgen 0.

AU (61)   Salado 15, Jolts 11, Enriquez 10, Cadavis 8, Bangga 5, Gumaru 5, Jalalon 4, Nicholls 3, Meca 0, Ongolo 0, Ortega 0, De Guzman 0, Zamora 0, Tano 0.

Email the author at paolomanuelfule@yahoo.com or text 09184059751.

Austin Rivers runs through it: Doc’s son steals show in Clippers win

By: Paolo Manuel C. Fule

Chris Paul returned, Blake Griffin had another double-double night, JJ Redick had the game best 31 points, but it was Austin Rivers who wrote the story for the Clippers’ emphatic win against the Rockets, 124-99.

At Staples Center where we watch history unfolds as the first NBA player to play for his father, a rare player-coach tandem in NBA history. Austin Rivers scored 12 points at the end of the first half, and coming off the bench substituting for point guard Chris Paul, the son of LA Clippers coach Doc Rivers electrified the crowd in the third quarter with a blast from the three point line and an impressive and-1. The crowd even rose to its feet at some point of the third canto, with chants of Rivers’ name. He finished with 25 points off the bench on a 10-13 field goal shooting.

In game 1 of their best-of-seven series against the Houston Rockets, Austin Rivers fired 17 points, while in game 2, he chipped in 10 points. Chris Paul even told coach Doc Rivers, “This is one time you can be a dad and not just coach.”

 

Austin James Rivers was born on August 1, 1992. He was drafted with the 10th pick in the NBA draft by the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans), playing three seasons there before being traded to the Clippers. On January 16, 2015, Rivers became the first player in NBA history to play for his father, coach Doc Rivers of the Los Angeles Clippers.

If he plays with this kind of grit and aggressiveness on the court, and with the guidance of his father, he definitely has the potential to curve a niche in the sports’ pantheon of greatness. Well, the playoffs can really be a good start.

email the author at paolomanuelfule@yahoo.com or text 09184059751

‘Leader of the band’ serves as inspiration for cager Sean Andrew “The Captain” Neri

By: Paolo Manuel C. Fule

For a father, there would be no higher compliment than the one which came from a son. And that act of gratitude shown by the son will always leave a mark every step of the way.

Born on July 27, 1997 in Dipolog City to Mr. Wilbourne Neri and Ms. Shella Marie Neri, Sean Andrew Neri, the 5’11 shooting guard who hails from Cagayan De Oro City, is currently playing for UPSHD Las Pinas Campus. Let us take a peek in this interview and how this young cager showed his emulation for his dad.

Paolo: When did you start playing basketball?

Sean Andrew: I started playing basketball when I was in grade 3.

Paolo: Who taught you to play the game?

Sean Andrew: Of course it was my dad. When I was starting to play basketball, he was training me the basic skills like dribbling and shooting.  I used to cry before because of the ten pushups I have to do early in the morning. I have to dribble the ball on the wall before I go to school. It was a hard training but only now that I knew that those trainings would lead me to become a better athlete. I have also seen how my father, together with my uncles, play basketball. I was watching them then, and from then on, I also started to like the game. That’s why I told my father that I want to play basketball. My father startedto teach me the ways of the game. I was inspired to play because of my father.

Paolo: Do you have other sports aside from basketball?

Sean Andrew: Nothing more. Only basketball. The first love of my life is basketball.

Paolo: What are your goals when it comes to playing basketball?

Sean Andrew: To be a professional basketball player so that I can help my parents and also to give back their unwavering support in my young basketball career.

Paolo: For you, who is the greatest basketball player of all time and why?

Sean Andrew: For me, it would be my dad simply because I learned how to play the game because of him. He also motivated me and he became my inspiration. That’s why for me, the greatest player of all time would be my father.

With determination and perseverance, this young athlete can achieve greater heights and carve a niche in the world of professional basketball in the near future.

Email the author at: paolomanuelfule@yahoo.com or text 09184059751.

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