San Miguel veered away from brand of play in Game 3

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San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo during Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—There was nothing technical as to why San Miguel Beer lost to Meralco in Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

“Coach (Jorge Gallent) told us that we didn’t play San Miguel basketball. We needed to make more extra passes. That’s what he pointed out,” said June Mar Fajardo in Filipino on Sunday after Game 3 slipped away from the Beermen’s fingertips.

True enough, San Miguel had as many turnovers as assists with 15. Those errors led to 20 turnover points for Meralco.

READ: PBA Finals: ‘Still underdogs’ Meralco Bolts keeping their guards up

The Bolts, on the other hand, played with much better flow on the offensive end with 22 assists and only 10 turnovers.

“They’ve been playing really well throughout this series. This is a long series. We’ll do everything to bounce back next game. It is what it is,” said Fajardo.

READ: PBA Finals: Rest vital for SMB heading into Game 4, says CJ Perez

Fajardo finished with a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds but the seven-time MVP only went 2-of-5 from the field and turned the ball over seven times. In Game 1 where the Beermen also lost, Fajardo committed six turnovers.

“They play good defense. They have a lot of bigs and they rotate so quickly that it gets tiring. We also missed shots that we should’ve made. They had a lot of offensive rebounds. We just really have to improve.”

Snubbed by first choice, Lakers resume coaching search

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Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka before an NBA basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Lakers in San Francisco, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers must continue their latest coaching search with the basketball world already knowing their first choice turned them down.

The Lakers have endured their share of embarrassments in recent years, but a snub by a college coach — even the best in the game — is among the roughest setbacks yet.

Dan Hurley met with the Lakers last week and then rejected their very public courtship Monday. The coach probably emerged from his dalliance with the leverage to finish a lucrative new contract at UConn.

READ: NBA: Dan Hurley turns down Lakers offer, will stay at UConn

But what’s next for the Lakers, a franchise with 17 NBA championships, a world-renowned brand, two of the sport’s top players and no head coach?

They must resume a search that has stretched well into its second month since Darvin Ham’s firing May 3 and has yet to produce a slam-dunk choice. Nearly every leaked discussion of the Lakers’ search included three top candidates — each of whom would have arrived on the West Coast with question marks.

Although Hurley is one of the most respected names in the sport after the Huskies’ success over the past two years, he’s never worked in the NBA. Former player J.J. Redick has never coached at all, and James Borrego has been an NBA head coach for 4 1/2 seasons without ever making the playoffs.

Redick and Borrego are still candidates to run the Lakers, which would seem to be one of the most desirable jobs in sports — but the charitable interpretation of this current search is that owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka are struggling to find the right fit for their vision.

READ: NBA: Lakers conduct public coaching search in hopes of pleasing LeBron

Many fans are wondering whether Buss and Pelinka have a vision at all, what with the Lakers’ years of roster upheaval and mediocre supporting casts around LeBron James. They’re also wondering whether each passing week increases the chance that the 39-year-old James will turn down his $51.4 million contract option later this month and become a free agent.

The Lakers last won a championship when James and Anthony Davis raised the trophy in the Florida bubble four years ago, and they’ve tried to maximize their chances in the remaining years of James’ career by changing coaches and/or jettisoning multiple players after nearly every failed season.

This hire might be their final chance to get the right coaching staff for James — and Hurley’s rejection clearly hurts.

Hiring Redick would be a major risk, albeit with a significant potential upside. It’s unclear whether Redick would even want to disrupt his burgeoning career in media for the stress of a head coaching job.

READ: A look at NBA head coaches on LeBron James-led teams

Borrego represents management experience and coaching pedigree, but he has yet to distinguish himself in a top job — and he’s also a candidate for Cleveland’s vacancy.

The Lakers are expected to talk to other candidates in the days ahead, perhaps widening their search to include names not even currently in the discussion. But they probably can’t even default to arguably the most experienced, most successful veteran NBA head coach currently on the free-agent market.

That’s because Frank Vogel won a ring with the Lakers in October 2020 and got fired exactly 18 months later.

Vogel wasn’t even the Lakers’ first choice in 2019: According to multiple reports, the Lakers nearly hired Tyronn Lue before the deal fell apart over money and the front office’s desire to have a say on his staff. Lue ended up with the Clippers, where he remains. That negotiation has remained an embarrassment for the Lakers even after their fallback choice won a championship.

After firing Vogel in 2022 when Pelinka’s veteran-laden, injury-plagued roster missed the playoffs with a humiliating 33-49 record, the Lakers went through another six-week search before settling on Ham. The once-and-future Milwaukee Bucks assistant clearly didn’t impress the front office or his players enough to keep his job even after two winning seasons, two playoff berths and a Western Conference finals appearance.

‘Still underdogs’ Meralco Bolts keeping guards up

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Meralco Bolts during Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Holding a 2-1 series edge over San Miguel Beer doesn’t change the fact that Meralco is still the underdog in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

Bolts rookie Brandon Bates made it clear: No lead is safe, especially against the mighty Beermen.

“We’re not excited. Even though we’re up 2-1, Ginebra was up 3-2 against us, I remember, and look what happened there. At any given moment, it could be taken away,” said Bates after Meralco pulled off a 93-89 Houdini act in Game 3 on Sunday.

READ: PBA Finals: Meralco countering San Miguel depth with defense

“We’re not taking this for granted. We’re not satisfied. Until we get the fourth win, it’s all nothing.”

Bates knows that the worst thing Meralco could do at this point is to let its guard down.

Brandon Bates Meralco Bolts PBA Philippine Cup Finals

Meralco Bolts rookie Brandon Bates during Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

“Our coaching staff is big on us not being complacent and not having some swagger coming into the games and things like that. We’re still the underdogs,” said Bates, who scored two points and grabbed five rebounds but had a hand in forcing June Mar Fajardo to turn the ball over seven times.

READ: PBA Finals: Brandon Bates not letting the spotlight get to him

“Regardless of whether we’re up 2-1, we’re still the underdogs so we have to have that chip on that shoulder. We have to understand that.”

Bates and the Bolts go for a commanding 3-1 advantage on Wednesday.

Alas Pilipinas girls bounce back, stay in title hunt

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Alas Pilipinas girls and Australia in the Princess Cup Southeast Asian U-18 Volleyball Championship in Thailand.–Photo from SMM Volleyball

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas girls stayed in championship contention after bouncing back with a 25-16, 25-23, 21-25, 25-19 victory over Australia in the 22nd Princess Cup Southeast Asian Under-18 Women’s Volleyball Championship on Tuesday at Nakhon Pathom Gymnasium in Thailand.

Licking the wounds of their tough first defeat to Thailand less than 24 hours ago, the national youth team regained the share of second place tied with Indonesia with 3-1 records.

The Philippines and Indonesia clash for a Final berth on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. (Manila time).

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

The top two teams clash in a winner-take-all final on Thursday. Thailand leads the league with a 3-0 card, eyeing its fourth sin against Singapore as of posting time.

Kimberly Rubin continued to shine bright for Alas, while Lianne Penuliar and Harlyn Serneche backstopped Rubin as the Nationals recovered from a 15-25, 12-25, 11-25 loss to Thailand on Monday evening.

READ: Alas Pilipinas girls rip Singapore to open Thailand U18 tilt

The Aussies tried to orchestrate a comeback after winning the third and put up a gallant stand in the fourth but their errors allowed the Filipino Spikers to escape behind the finishing touches of Rubin, Serneche, and Avril Bron.

Alas pulled off a comeback in the second set, crawling its way back from a 19-23 deficit as Serneche scored three points in a row before Bron’s set-tying ace.

Anni Tang committed a crucial attack error followed by Denesse Daylisan’s set-clinching kill for a two-set lead.

Lassiter rues blown chance for SMB in Game 3

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San Miguel Beer swingman Marcio Lassiter gestures during Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—San Miguel swingman Marcio Lassiter lamented what could’ve been another Beermen game for the taking.

Instead of gaining the upper hand in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco, it was the Beermen who were back to playing catchup down 2-1 in the title series.

The worst part about losing Game 3 for Lassiter and San Miguel was the fact that the game could’ve gone either way.

READ: PBA Finals: Chris Newsome, Meralco deliver own dagger in Game 3

“Obviously it’s a tough loss like Game 2 was a tough loss on them. It’s going to be a long series but we got our heads up. We could’ve won that game too with breaks of the game,” said Lassiter, who scored 12 points and five rebounds on Sunday.

“We didn’t capitalize on a few things, obviously rebounding and some late-game shots but all in all, we know we could do better.”

But despite playing hard-nosed defense late in the game, the Bolts just knew how to respond down the stretch with Chris Newsome hitting a clutch 3-pointer reminiscent of Lassiter’s triple in the waning seconds of Game 2.

READ: PBA Finals: Meralco escapes San Miguel for 2-1 series edge

“Breaks of the game,” as Lassiter would say but Newsome’s clutch bucket also made Lassiter realize what this series has become for them and Meralco.

“It seems like it’s [always] all coming down to one possession. Each possession’s crucial.”

The Beermen look to equalize in Game 4 on Wednesday still at the Big Dome.

De Brito embraces higher expectations for Alas Pilipinas

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Alas Pilipinas coach Jorge Souza de Brito during the AVC Challenge Cup in Manila.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Inspired by his contract extension as the Alas Pilipinas women’s coach, Jorge Souza De Brito kicks off the team’s preparation for the FIVB Challenger Cup from July 4 to 7 at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Brazilian coach, whose contract will expire at the end of the month, got his wish to continue serving the Philippine women’s volleyball team after the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), led by Tats Suzara, asked the FIVB to extend his stay for the program’s continuity until next year’s Southeast Asian Games following a historic bronze medal finish in the AVC Challenge Cup.

“I am very, very happy because I worked for three years here and our goal is always to win. But that’s a process that you have to go through and when you get these goals,” De Brito told reporters during an intimate lunch on Tuesday.

READ: Jorge Souza de Brito stays on as Alas Pilipinas coach

“I’m very proud of the players who did that and helped us coaching staff to achieve this. Also, I’m really because I will be handling them again for the next (tournaments). I’m sure, we are really, really close to getting better. I’m very happy,” he added.

After winning bronze in the Challenge Cup and a friendly in South Korea, De Brito knows that expectations are higher this time as they play a do-or-die game against Challenge Cup champion Vietnam in the Challenger Cup — a qualifier for the Volleyball Nations League.

But the third-year national team coach said his current players remain hungry for more and committed to playing for the Philippines.

“The expectations right now are getting higher, but also you have to remain grounded and understand that there’s still a lot of things to do. But you see, we have some vitamins already for winning. Also, with all the support from the fans, they are really excited to join. The guys can’t even wait for the time to start training again, De Brito said. “Imagine, with little training [for the Challenge Cup] we already did what we did. So what if we had more time to train, imagine what we can get. So the players are really, really excited to join the training starting next week and our tuneup tomorrow. It’s really amazing what a win can do.”

READ: Jorge de Brito happy to help deliver Alas Pilipinas medal at home

De Brito will keep the same core of the Challenge Cup, led by Jia De Guzman and Angel Canino, including additions Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon and Creamline’s Jema Galanza and Tots Carlos.

De Brito thanked all the stakeholders, who have been supportive of the national program, including the PVL, UAAP, and NCAA, and coach Ramil De Jesus of La Salle and National University team manager Bing See Diet.

He is seeking to add more players to the pool for future tournaments, which he believes will continue to help Philippine volleyball reach greater heights.

“We’re also working with the PVL teams, UAAP and NCAA teams, because we have to balance this. We’re trying to keep the same (core) because I think it’s important. We also need to add more players. Philippine volleyball is much more than these players. I have to congrats them because we got the goals, but also I told them already that we’re gonna add some good players also because you know, every time you get more talented players, it’s better for us,” De Brito said. “International competitions are always good so we’ll try to bring other guys, but we’re gonna try to keep the same core because the competition is too close.”

Sisi Rondina apologizes after SB19 remark

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Sisi Rondina during the AVC Challenge Cup.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas star Sisi Rondina apologized to the fans of Filipino boy band, SB19, after her comment during the Independence Day celebration in South Korea on Sunday drew the ire of the group’s supporters.

During the event, Rondina and other Alas Pilipinas members were interviewed on stage and asked about which performance they were looking forward to.

Rondina said some of her teammates were looking forward to SB19 but admitted she’s not familiar with the group.

READ: Sisi Rondina pushes away self doubts to help Alas Pilipinas to bronze

“Personally, hindi ko talaga sila (SB19) kilala. I mean, hindi ko alam ba. I’m really sorry,” Rondina said.

Rondina’s remark did not sit well with SB19 supporters including a fan base called A’tin, which went on a social media tirade against the volleyball star.

“Kaya sa lahat po ng na-offend ko, sorry po. Sorry po talaga. Inaatake na po ako ng mga SB19 fans kaya sorry po. Hindi ko po intensyon yun.”

The volleyball community defended Rondina after receiving hateful comments from SB19 supporters.

Two of SB19’s members, Stell and Pablo also urged their fans to stop the hate toward Rondina.

Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza added to Alas Pilipinas pool

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Creamline’s Tots Carlos, left, Jema Galanza and Alyssa Valdez during the PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas coach Jorge Souza De Brito has added Creamline champion players Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza to the national training pool, expecting the pair along with National University MVPs Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon to join the preparation for the FIVB Challenger Cup.

De Brito bared he has tapped Galanza and Carlos to join the current Alas team, which won a historic bronze medal in the AVC Challenge Cup, after missing the previous tournament in Manila due to Creamline’s long-awaited Spain trip.

“We invited them again. Hopefully, tomorrow they can join. We’re always hoping for talented players,” De Brito told reporters.  “It depends on the target we want. If it’s a short one, take the best one now. If the target is long-term, [you get] someone that you can develop. It’s a vision. It’s a kind of vision. But often, [we take] all the good ones. Always.”

READ: De Brito embraces higher expectations for Alas Pilipinas

The Brazilian coach is also expecting Belen and Solomon, who are part of the original pool, to report to practice on Wednesday morning at Philsports Arena. University of the East rising star Casiey Dongallo is still recovering from an arm injury but she’s part of the long-term plan.

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation, which extended De Brito’s contract, vowed to keep the bronze medal team’s core for the long haul with Challenge Cup Best Setter 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, who also played a friendly in South Korea last week.

But De Brito seeks to add more players to the pool with his wishlist including Choco Mucho’s Mars Alba and Maddie Madayag, Ivy Lacsina of Akari, Tin Ubaldo of Far Eastern University, Gayle Pascual of College of Saint Benilde, and even Jolina Dela Cruz of Farm Fresh once she recovers from her ACL injury. 

“There are many players. They’re developing themselves and every time you do that, you have a chance in the national team. It’s important to know that if you’re performing good, the door is always open. It’s always been like this,” he said.

De Brito said he’s not limiting his options to young players as he is also open to adding veterans.

READ: Jorge Souza de Brito stays on as Alas Pilipinas coach

“Talented players will always come. There will always be. The last time that Brazil played in the Olympics, we had a player in the first six that was 41 years old. So, age is not a limit. Age will not be a limit if you’re healthy if you’re competitive. And also, it’s a decision from the coaches,” he said. “I never talk about specific names or players [because] if you’re playing good, if you’re needed in the national team, for sure you’re gonna be there or you’re gonna be invited.”

Alas plays a do-or-die game against Challenge Cup champion Vietnam in the Challenger Cup — a qualifier for the Volleyball Nations League — set from July 4 to 7 at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

De Brito is just proud to see the determination and commitment of his current players to represent the flag after their unexpected bronze in the Challenge Cup.

“They want much more, to keep that winning feeling when they’re inside. All the time, they’re excited to play and it’s always good because it’s international exposure. The team there is good. But also, we have to consider, the ball is different, the environment is different, we don’t have time to practice, but we’re not complaining,” he said. “They’re enjoying a lot because they feel that it is something that they can take as an experience. That’s why every training for them now is something good.”

Dan Hurley turns down Lakers offer, will stay at UConn

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FILE – UConn head coach Dan Hurley calls towards his players during the first half of the Elite 8 college basketball game against Illinois in the men’s NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

LOS ANGELES–Dan Hurley has rejected a six-year offer reportedly worth a total of $70 million from the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and is remaining men’s basketball coach at the University of Connecticut, a statement said Monday.
The Lakers would have made the 51-year-old American, who guided the Huskies to US college crowns in 2023 and 2024, among the half dozen best-paid coaches in the NBA.
But Hurley turned down the deal after meeting on Friday with the Lakers.

READ: Lakers conduct public coaching search in hopes of pleasing LeBron

In a statement released by the University of Connecticut on Monday, Hurley said he would remain in college basketball.
“I am humbled by this entire experience,” Hurley said. “At the end of the day, I am extremely proud of the championship culture we have built at Connecticut.
“We met as a team before today’s workout and our focus right now is getting better this summer and connecting as a team as we continue to pursue championships.”
Hurley is 141-58 over six seasons with Connecticut and has an overall college head-coaching record of 292-163. He signed a six-year, $32.1 million deal with the Huskies last year.

READ: Lakers fire head coach Darvin Ham after NBA playoff ouster

The Lakers had a coaching vacancy after firing Darvin Ham last month.
Ham went 90-74 over two seasons in which the Lakers reached the playoffs. But after battling into the Western Conference finals last year before losing to eventual NBA champion Denver, the Lakers were ousted in the first round this time by Denver.
There was some success for the Lakers this past season as they won the first edition of the NBA In-Season Tournament, now called the NBA Cup.
The Lakers last won the NBA Finals in 2020 and hope to rebuild with Anthony Davis and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, who turns 40 in December.

Celtics traded for Jrue Holiday, now two wins away from NBA title

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Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday takes a shot over Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Sunday, June 9, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

BOSTON — This moment is exactly why the Boston Celtics went out and got Jrue Holiday.

When president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and the rest of the front office sat down after last season to piece together their next steps following Boston’s NBA Eastern Conference finals loss to Miami, a question hovered over them.

How much were they willing to shake up the core of a team that had lost in the NBA Finals in 2022 and then came up a game short of returning the following season?

In the end they opted to swing big, trading longtime point guard Marcus Smart as part of the deal that netted 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis. Then, after Milwaukee traded Holiday to Portland to get Damian Lillard, the Celtics pounced, dealing former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon and big man Robert Williams III to get Holiday.

The bold moves have proven to be exactly what the Celtics needed, helping produce a 64-win regular season, a romp through the first three rounds of the playoffs and a 2-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

READ: NBA Finals: Celtics call Pritchard triple ‘play of the game’ in Game 2

For the defensive-minded Holiday, whose defense limited Kyrie Irving, combined with a 26-point,11-rebound effort helped Boston salvage its 105-98 Game 2 victory, it’s the latest example that Holiday is where he is meant to be.

“I think that this is what was supposed to happen. And I’m glad that I’m here and I’m glad that I’m in this moment,” Holiday said prior to the start of the Finals.

“(Celtics coach) Joe Mazzulla has talked about that a lot, especially this season is being in the moment, and that’s what I’ve tried to do.”

Part of what’s made Holiday so effective for the Celtics is the 33-year-old’s willingness to adapt his game to fill whatever his team has needed this season.

A No. 3 scoring option in Milwaukee behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton during the Bucks’ 2020-21 championship season, Holiday has accepted being the fourth or fifth option in Boston. His 12.5 points per game average this regular season was the lowest since his rookie season.

READ: NBA Finals: Celtics hold off Mavericks for 2-0 lead

But there have been times, such as in Game 2, when Dallas doubled up on All-Star Jayson Tatum, put more pressure on Jaylen Brown or Porzingis struggled, when Holiday had to increase his output.

He’s done it, while maintaining intensity on the defensive end this season. He was selected to the NBA All-Defensive second team. It was the sixth time he was picked for the first or second team in his career.

Holiday believes it’s a byproduct of the collective unity the team has been building throughout the season.

“I think when you sacrifice together and you do something together, it brings you closer,” he said. “I think being able to go through wins and losses and to build something, it means a lot. … From (roster spots) 1 to 15, somebody’s sacrificed something.”

Part of what’s helped ease Holiday’s transition to Boston has been the familiarity he already had with Tatum, with whom he played alongside on the 2020 U.S. Olympic basketball team that captured the gold medal during the Olympics in Tokyo.

READ: NBA: Jrue Holiday signs 4-year extension with Celtics

Tatum said that relationship made periodic check-ins he had at times this season with Holiday easier.

“I would just check in or always remind him to be yourself and, we’re going to need you in big moments, obviously like (Game 2),” Tatum said.

It’s allowed Holiday to play to his strengths, most notably his ability to bring a measure of calm to the court in Mazzulla’s controlled chaos.

Holiday’s also been able to provide stability in crunch time for a team that in recent playoff runs sometimes wilted in those moments, often trying to lean on one-on-one play or committing turnovers.

And while a player such as Smart was a dominant alpha on the court, Holiday knows what it’s like to play alongside a star such as Antetokounmpo, and coax the best out of them.

Asked to imagine what position the Celtics might be in without Holiday on the roster, Tatum didn’t want to entertain the thought.

“Good thing we don’t have to find out,” he said.

No matter what happens over the remainder of the Finals, this won’t be a one season-and-done stop for Holiday, who signed a four-year extension in April.

“From here on it’s like — I’m supposed to be here,” Holiday said. “And I’m supposed to be with my teammates. And we’re supposed to do this together.”

But there’s only one way he’ll feel as if his arrival in Boston can be deemed a success.

“It’s been great and the journey’s been awesome, but at the end of the day, the job is not done,” he said.