Meralco, San Miguel brace for war ahead of Game 5

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San Miguel Beermen vs Meralco Bolts in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

SCHEDULE: PBA Finals San Miguel vs Meralco

MANILA, Philippines—There has been a popular notion in basketball that when a best-of-seven duel is tied at 2-2, whoever wins Game 5 wins the series.

While that may have proven true for several series in the past, players from Meralco and San Miguel don’t see the same thing going down in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

Just ask Chris Newsome and Chris Ross, who will be leading their respective teams in the now-virtual best-of-three series for the All-Filipino trophy.

“I’ve seen a lot of crazy things in series,” said Newsome in jest after their 111-101 loss to the Beermen in Game 4 of the Finals at Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.

READ: PBA Finals: San Miguel gets back at Meralco to tie series at 2-2

“You can never count one team out because the goal is to win two now. [It] doesn’t matter how you win two. You can win the first one, lose the second and win the third or lose the first and win two straight.”

The all-important Finals Game 5 is on Friday.

Newsome and the Bolts could’ve avoided the 2-2 deadlock, but the Beermen found their footing just in time to tie their duel again.

Despite Newsome’s career-best 40 points on a waxing-hot 66 percent shooting clip, Meralco wasn’t able to tame the mammoth of a man in June Mar Fajardo.

Take the ‘Beeracle’

San Miguel Beermen center June Mar Fajardo steers his team in Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts.

San Miguel Beermen center June Mar Fajardo steers his team in Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Fajardo, who minutes before the game was awarded as the Best Player of the Conference, proved that he deserved the plum by dropping 28 points and 13 rebounds, pushing San Miguel to knot the series at two games a piece.

Fajardo is no stranger to pressure in big moments. He was, after all, an important part of PBA history with the “Beeracle,” a moment Newsome acknowledged with the series reaching a crescendo after Game 4.

“I always refer back to the Beeracle where they had to win four straight so it’s definitely not impossible to pull it off if you don’t win that one (Game 5) but it really comes down to who plays great basketball, who hits shots and who’s more focused,” said the Gilas guard.

Moments after Newsome’s exit from the Big Dome, Chris Ross emerged out of San Miguel’s dugout.

READ: PBA Finals: Shackled June Mar Fajardo key to Meralco success

His squad took an important win, sure, but Ross wasn’t displaying much of a happy face.

Like Newsome, he too doesn’t believe that whoever wins the fifth game wins the best-of-seven clash.

“It’s first to four however you can get there, however you get it. We knew this was going to be a long series,” said a focused Ross.

“We know they’re a good team and we’re a good team as well. They’re fighting for their first chip and we’re fighting to keep the trophy,” he added.

Ross didn’t have much of an impact offensively with six points, only one out of his six tries from the field.

It is, however, in the intangibles where Ross affected the game positively for the Beermen. He dropped six assists to his teammates in the statement win, opening up opportunities when needed for San Miguel. He also snagged four steals, stunning the Meralco front on offense.

But Ross means business in the next games and he doesn’t care how long the Beermen takes to get there, as long as his squad wins their second straight PBA title.

“I really don’t care how long it goes, as long as we win. We’re ready for whatever.”

Indonesia ‘closer to dream’ of Fifa World Cup after beating PH

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Indonesia’s players sing their national anthem before start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification football match between Indonesia and Philippines at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on June 11, 2024. (Photo by Bay ISMOYO / AFP)

Indonesian fans and leaders hailed their football team after they booked a place in the third round of the Fifa World Cup qualifiers for the first time after beating the Philippines on Tuesday.

The Indonesian team has only been represented once at a World Cup, in 1938, when it was still under colonial rule and known as the Dutch East Indies.

“Whan an incredible win! With this feat, we are getting closer to our dream to play at the World Cup,” President Joko Widodo wrote on social media platform Instagram after the 2-0 win in capital Jakarta, where he was in attendance.

READ: Philippines crashes out of Fifa World Cup Qualifiers

“Keep fighting Garuda National Team!”

Indonesia joined Iraq in advancing out of Group F, with Thom Haye and Rizky Ridho the goal-scoring heroes in front of a raucous crowd of 64,000.

It means Indonesia is the only Southeast Asian nation with a chance of World Cup qualification.

“It was a very important match. We knew what we had to do. I’m very happy I could contribute to that,” said Haye, a 29-year-old midfielder who plays in the Dutch top flight for Heerenveen, after scoring his first international goal.

“I think we deserved the win today. It’s a really special night.”

 ‘Struggle not over’

Indonesia Fifa World Cup qualifiers Philippines

Indonesian fans cheer during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification football match between Indonesia and Philippines at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on June 11, 2024. (Photo by Bay ISMOYO / AFP)

Indonesian coach Shin Tae-yong has called on a policy of using naturalised players — footballers with Indonesian heritage like Haye who was born in the Netherlands — to boost the team’s success.

It has seen the Red and White’s FIFA ranking rise eight places to 134th in the world, the biggest jump in the global body’s last update in April.

“Because of the players’ hard work on the field, we managed to create a new history and we finally got through to the third round of the World Cup qualification,” Shin told reporters.

Fans took to social media to celebrate the win but also to express hope for a berth in the tournament that will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“Thank God, we are still carrying on with our dream of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, the struggle is not over, keep the spirit of Garuda!” wrote one X user, referring to Indonesia’s national symbol.

The third round will see 18 teams — including top Asian seeds Japan, South Korea and Iran — vie for six automatic World Cup spots across three groups, while two more spots will be up for grabs in the fourth round.

The win means Indonesia also booked its place in the AFC Asian Cup finals, to be hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2027.

“I think it’s really important that we believe we can achieve these results, and everything starts with the belief first. In the next round, we want to show who we are,” said Haye.

“It doesn’t stop here.”

Preseason win ‘nothing’ as Maroons focus on real target: UAAP crown

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UP Fighting Maroons’ Francis Lopez in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

University of the Philippines (UP) retained its status as the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup champion, but it didn’t matter too much for the Fighting Maroons even though they hurdled a familiar, bitter foe.

“To be honest, nothing really. This is just the preseason, like I said, and this is nothing for us,” reigning UAAP Rookie of the Year Francis Lopez said after the Maroons put together a second half comeback for a 69-66 triumph over La Salle on Wednesday night in San Juan City.

It is no secret where the Maroons have their eyes on—a drastically bigger target: Another UAAP crown.

“We just tried to win today and go home cause we have a lot of things to work on,” Lopez, the tournament’s Defensive Player of the Year, nonchalantly said. “This is not really our goal, but we just thank God, [because] we worked really hard for this. Our goal is the UAAP, not this one, so it’s just another game for us.”

UP has become a powerhouse team in the UAAP in the last decade or so, clinching its second championship in 2022 and coming close to adding to that in the next two years only to fall short to Katipunan neighbor Ateneo and then to La Salle.

And UP is not making it a secret that those consecutive heartbreaking seasons are the Maroon’s motivation to be better, the wounds still fresh even for the fans who filled the Filoil EcoOil Centre on Independence Day.

“We’re on a roller coaster. We gotta be consistent about what we do, what we plan about and coach Gold (Monteverde) keeps telling us that we just gotta be consistent,” Lopez said. “If the shots are not going in, you just continue, especially on defense.”

While consistency still has to be worked on by UP, its heart and hunger to win games were exuded by the Maroons, who aren’t wasting any time to improve. They are set to start a training camp in Serbia that will last until June 30 before flying again to South Korea.

“I’d say not even 50 percent,” Lopez said when asked about the readiness of UP. “We have a lot of things to work on like consistency, mostly, and like what coach Gold keeps saying, keeps on telling us, to not be complacent as well.

“So whatever team we face, we can’t be complacent. And that’s what we did tonight (Wednesday).”

Anciano nips Rada for premier girls title; Padilla scores

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Rafa Anciano nipped close friend Chloe Rada in the second hole of an exciting playoff for the girls’ premier age category of the Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) Luzon Series 3 at Pinewoods Golf and Country Club in Baguio on Thursday.

In front of the fringe on the par-4 18th, Anciano calmly chipped to within three feet and saved par to claim victory after Rada failed to save her 4 after leaving herself with a long putt off a poor blast from the greenside trap.

Rada caught Anciano with a 356 after regulation after shooting a fourth round 90. Anciano shot a 91.

In the boys’ category, Tristan Padilla dominated with an emphatic 11-shot victory. Leading Charles Serdenia by nine strokes after 54 holes, Padilla extended his lead with a frontside 36.

Despite Serdenia’s rally featuring three birdies in the first four holes on the backside, the 15-year-old Padilla, who finished second at Pradera Verde, maintained his lead, finishing with a three-under 285 total after a 68 spiked by a solid backside 32.Serdenia, aiming for a second win after the Splendido Taal leg, fired a 70. He, however, earned crucial points for the upcoming JPGT Match Play Championship in October.

‘Fun’ key to Mavs’ bid for unprecedented NBA Finals comeback

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Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks reacts after fouling out in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Three of the 2024 NBA Finals at American Airlines Center on June 12, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.   (Getty Images via AFP)

LOS ANGELES – Dallas superstar Luka Doncic says the Mavericks must set aside the enormity of the task facing them in the NBA Finals and get back to having fun if they are to mount an unprecedented comeback against Boston.
The Slovenian fouled out with just over four minutes remaining in game three on Wednesday and could only watch from the bench as the Celtics thwarted the Mavs’ late rally for a 106-99 victory and a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series.
Dallas head into game four on Friday knowing no team has come back from 0-3 down to win an NBA playoff series.
If they are to become the first, Doncic said, they must forget their frustrations with the officiating, forget history and play the freewheeling game that saw them cut a 21-point deficit to one in the fourth quarter in game three.
“Go back to playing fun,” Doncic said of the message after Dallas studied the game three film on Thursday.
“We talk about how we come back from (21) points in the fourth quarter in the Finals. We were having fun. We were defending. We were running. Our pace was great. Just taking good shots.”
Doncic fouled out for just the third time in his career and for the first time in the post-season, but he’s made a habit of appealing to and arguing with game officials throughout his NBA career.
He’s said before it’s a habit he should break, and he admitted again on Thursday that complaining to game officials — sometimes to the detriment of his attention on the game in progress — was counter-productive since officials will always “have the last word”.
“I just really want to win,” Doncic said. “Sometimes I don’t show it the right way, but at the end of the day, I really want to win. I’ve got to do a better job showing it a different way.”
Doncic has been outstanding offensively in the Finals, averaging 29.7 points, nine rebounds and six assists over three games despite playing with a longstanding right knee sprain and sore left ankle and a painful chest injury sustained in game one that reportedly required pain-killing injections to allow him to play.
In the fourth quarter, however, he’s averaging 2.7 points and shooting just 20 percent from the field.
But Doncic has been ineffective on the defensive end, his weaknesses showcased in his sixth, disqualifying foul on Wednesday when he was whistled for a blocking foul as he tried to defend Jaylen Brown.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said Doncic needs to play smarter defensively and “understand that we’re there to protect him and help him if he does get beat.”
Star teammate Kyrie Irving — who won a title with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 — had the same message for first-time finalist Doncic.
“He’s not alone in this,” said Irving, whose shooting struggles in games one and two in Boston increased the load on Doncic. “He’s played as best as he can despite the circumstances, just injuries and stuff.
“He’s been giving it his all. It’s not all on him.”

PBA Finals: With tiebreaker looming, Meralco tries to dig out more points

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Meralco Bolts’ Chris Newsome during Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beermen. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Producing the best scoring game of his PBA career with 40 points provided little silver lining for Meralco’s Chris Newsome after San Miguel Beer evened things up at 2-2 in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

“It’s great that I scored 40, but the win is definitely more important,” Newsome said after the Game 4 defeat on Wednesday night.

Newsome and the Bolts have another crack at getting a third win, and closer to their first-ever PBA title, in Friday’s pivotal fifth game of the series at Smart Araneta Coliseum. But not only will the Bolts face the pressure of a tied series, they will enter the 7:30 p.m. contest in urgent need of a plan to figure out how to counter the adjustments San Miguel made in getting a 111-101 win two nights earlier.

The scoreline already offers a clue to how the Beermen succeeded in solving the Bolts defensive schemes. For the first time in the series, a team won by scoring at least 100 points.

A grindout, defensive affair has often favored the Bolts throughout their playoff run, and that was the reason Meralco won two of the first three games of the Finals.

But the Beermen finally showed their offensive juggernaut that they have been known for throughout the two-conference season.

June Mar Fajardo’s 28 points epitomized why there are now cracks in the vaunted Meralco defense that centered on making life miserable for the newly crowned Best Player of the Conference, while CJ Perez and Marcio Lassiter continued their consistent form in the series.

Balanced offense is key

And then the minutes provided by Vic Manuel and Terrence Romeo, who both played for the first time in the Finals, also proved vital.

“[San Miguel scoring 111 points] is definitely more than what we’re used to giving up,” Newsome said. “We have to go back and play Meralco basketball which is defensive-minded and I think we lost a bit of that [in Game 4].”Balanced offense will also be key for the Bolts as Newsome’s scoring output overshadowed a lack of support from some of the team’s key sources for baskets.

Allein Maliksi and Bong Quinto could only combine for 15 points on 5-of-19 shooting in Game 4. Both had scoring averages of at least 10 in the first three games.

Beermen coach Jorge Gallent wouldn’t mind making that a trend.

“As long as the rest don’t score, we’re fine,” said Gallent, who will also be wary of other Meralco players picking up the slack like Cliff Hodge.

Aside from being a pest on defense, Hodge has put up 14.8 points a game in the Finals, third on the team behind Newsome and guard Chris Banchero (16.3).

Alas Pilipinas girls lose chance to reach final of Thailand tilt

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Alas Pilipinas girls during a game against Indonesia in the Princess Cup Women’s U18 Volleyball Championship in Thailand.–Photo from SMM Volleyball

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas girls missed a chance to reach the 22nd Princess Cup Southeast Asian Under-18 Women’s Volleyball final after getting swept by Indonesia, 22-25, 18-25, 19-25, on Wednesday at Nakhon Pathom Gymnasium in Thailand.

The Indonesians were too much for the Filipino Spikers as they finished second in the preliminary round with a 4-1 record, forging a winner-take-all duel against host Thailand on Thursday.

The national youth team kept it close late in the opening set behind the efforts of Harlyn Serneche, Denesse Daylisan, and Avril Bron to cut it down to 22-24 but Azzahra Dwi Febyane delivered the set-clinching hit off the Filipino blockers to draw first blood.

READ: Alas Pilipinas girls bounce back, stay in title hunt

The Indonesians dominated the last two sets to book a trip to the final.

Alas, led by Kimberly Rubin, finished the preliminary with a 3-2 record in third place, battling the No.4 seed for the bronze medal on Thursday at 3 p.m. (Manila time).

Australia and Malaysia, tied at 3-1, were still disputing the fourth seed as of posting time, facing Singapore and unbeaten Thailand, respectively.

READ: Alas Pilipinas girls off to 2-0 start in Thailand tournament

The Philippines beat both squads in the prelims, following a 25-16, 25-23, 21-25, 25-19 win over Australia less than 24 hours ago.

Japanese coach Taka Minowa still has a chance to reach the podium in his debut stint as a national youth tactician for Alas.

Alas girls will also compete in the Asian Women’s U18 Volleyball Championship from June 16 to 23 at the same venue.

San Miguel gets back at Meralco to tie series at 2-2

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San Miguel Beermen center June Mar Fajardo steers his team in Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

SCHEDULE: PBA Finals San Miguel vs Meralco

MANILA, Philippines–San Miguel Beer put the PBA Philippine Cup Finals back on level terms with a collective effort that defeated Meralco, 111-101, Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

June Mar Fajardo had 28 points and 13 rebounds on the night he was hailed the Best Player of the Conference, but there were many players who stepped up in putting the series at two games apiece.

“Credit to Meralco, not only for the way it’s defending me, but the whole team,” Fajardo said.

CJ Perez produced 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Marcio Lassiter knocked down 18 points on four threes, but among the vital reasons for San Miguel’s triumph was the decision to insert Terrence Romeo and Vic Manuel.

San Miguel Beermen guard Terrence Romeo suits up in PBA Finals Game 4.

San Miguel Beermen guard Terrence Romeo suits up in PBA Finals Game 4. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Manuel scored eight points in seven minutes while Romeo had seven points. Both players saw action for the first time in the PBA Finals.

Game 5 is set Friday at the same venue, with the winner gaining a 3-2 lead and closer to ending Season 48 with a championship.

The Beermen won despite allowing Bolts leader Chris Newsome to score a career-high 40 points.

Chris Banchero, Cliff Hodge and Brandon Bates also stepped up, but the lack of supporting cast hounded Meralco, which spent the Independence Day clash trying to catch up after trailing 23-9 at the start.

Allein Maliksi, Bong Quinto and Raymond Almazan struggled from the field.

Meralco’s closest gap was two during the third, but San Miguel had every answer to the Bolts’ resistance.

The scores:

SAN MIGUEL 111—Fajardo 28, Perez 22, Lassiter 18, Tautuaa 9, Trollano 8, Manuel 8, Romeo 7, Ross 6, Cruz 5, Brondial 0, Teng 0.

MERALCO 101—Newsome 40, Banchero 21, Hodge 17, Maliksi 9, Quinto 6, Bates 4, Almazan 2, Rios 2, Caram 0, Torres 0.

Quarters: 29-22, 51-40, 82-74, 111-101.

Luka Doncic fouls out, Mavericks fall into 3-0 hole

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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) looks on as referee John Conley (79) gives a review on a play against the Boston Celtics during the second half in Game 3 of the NBA basketball finals, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Dallas. Doncic fouled out in the fourth quarter. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)

SCHEDULE: NBA Finals 2024 Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks

DALLAS— Luka Doncic tried to set his feet just beyond the 3-point line as the Dallas Mavericks were making a furious comeback attempt.

The superstar in his first NBA Finals was defending Jaylen Brown when the Boston guard dribbled between his legs, ducked his shoulder and made contact that sent both players hard to the ground with 4:12 left in the game. The foul was called against Doncic, who sat on the floor in disbelief with both of his arms stretched up into the air.

It was Doncic’s sixth foul of the game, his fourth in the fourth quarter, and his night was done after coach Jason Kidd’s unsuccessful challenge of the call. The Mavericks also were pretty much done for the game — and maybe the series as well — after the Boston Celtics won 106-99 on Wednesday night to go up 3-0 in the series.

“Yeah, we had a good chance. We were close. Just didn’t get it,” Doncic said. “I wish I was out there.”

READ: Celtics hold off Mavericks for commanding 3-0 NBA Finals lead

The Mavericks are now in a maybe impossible hole in these NBA Finals, after almost crawling all the way out of a big one before Doncic fouled out. They had a 22-2 run that began not long after his first foul of the quarter, and ended soon after he was sitting on the bench.

This is the 157th time a team has lost the first three games in a best-of-seven NBA playoff series. None of them has ever come back to win the series and only four have even forced a Game 7 — and the only time that happened in the NBA Finals was in 1951 by the New York Knicks.

Doncic had 27 points despite going only 1 of 7 on 3-pointers before he fouled out for only the third time in his six NBA seasons — 400 regular-season games and 51 more in the playoffs. He had never had four fouls in the same quarter before his whistle-plagued 7 1/2-minute span.

“I mean, I don’t know. We couldn’t play physical. I don’t know. I don’t want to say nothing,” Doncic said.

“You know, six fouls in the NBA Finals, basically I’m like this,” he said, motioning with his palms held out. “C’mon, man. Better than that.”

READ: NBA Finals: Luka Doncic triple-double not enough for Mavericks

Brown missed a 13-foot shot after the replay challenge, and the Mavericks — who had charged out to a 22-9 lead in the first 6:12 of the game — got a 17-foot jumper from Kyrie Irving to get within 93-92 with 3:37 left. That was the closest they got before Brown tipped in a miss by Jayson Tatum.

Doncic’s sixth foul came only 26 seconds after his fifth, also a play involving Brown when it appeared the Celtics guard may have hooked Doncic.

“Yeah, it looked … looks can be deceiving,” Kidd said.

There was no challenge then, but Kidd certainly had to try on the next one in an effort to keep Doncic in the game.

“I was stuck. I had to challenge it,” Kidd said. “Had to challenge because it was a close call. But the referee called it a foul. Got to move on, move forward.”

Game 4 is Friday night, and the Mavericks have to win just to send the series back to Boston.

“It’s not over till it’s over. We just got to believe. Like I always say, it’s first to four,” Doncic said. “We’re going to stay together. We lose together, we win together. So we got to stay together.”