Tenorio hits game-winner, seals Ginebra upset vs SMB
LA Tenorio’s game-winning floater capped a furious finish and completed
Ginebra’s 32-31 upset against sister team San Miguel Beer yesterday in the
elimination round of the PBA All-Filipino Cup at the Big Dome.
The win secured Ginebra the final slot in the semifinal round with a 10-4 slate.
Ginebra trailed 31-30 in the final 4.9 seconds when Tenorio immediately went
for the game-winner off the inbound and gave the Gin Kings their first lead with
only 0.4 left. SMB drew a final play but Alex Cabagnot didn’t even manage to
attempt a shot as time expired.
SMB led 27-17 before Sol Mercado’s triple with 1:49 left triggered a thrilling 15-
4 Ginebra run, sustained by Chris Ellis’ back-to-back 3s and capped by Tenorio’s
clutch performance.
“I’m proud of the guys,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “They were resilient and
they never gave in to pressure.”
Ellis scored 9 points to lead the Kings. Tenorio, who scored the game’s last five
points, finished with 8.
SMB capitalized on Ginebra’s series of miscues to take a commanding 20-10 lead
at halftime, highlighted by Ryan Arana’s buzzer-beating triple from halfcourt.
By the end of the third quarter, SMB’s lead was 12, 26-14, after Arwind Santos
completed a three-point play.
The Beermen were seemingly cruising to an easy win thereafter, until the Gin
Kings made their unexpected run.
“We became complacent in the final quarter. It was a painful loss to take,” said
Arana, who topscored for SMB with six points.
Reigning MVP Junmar Fajardo chipped in five points and four rebounds.
Game 1 of the semifinal round series between the Gin Kings and topseed Alaska
Aces is scheduled on Sunday at the MOA Arena. SMB will square off with TnT
Tropang Texters in the other series.
———————————————————
HEADLINE:
Lebron stars, Cavs spank Warriors
Lebron nanguna, Cavs nakabawi kontra sa Warriors
LEAD:
Lebron James scored 10 points, 8 in the second half, to lead Cleveland to an
opening-night victory against Golden State, 28-22, yesterday at the Oracle Arena
in Oakland, California.
BRIDGE:
The win avenged James’ Cavaliers’ loss to the Warriors in last June’s NBA Finals,
when Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala led Golden State to a 4-2 series win.
BODY:
After coughing measly 2 points in the first two quarters, James went on a
scoring rampage in the next two quarters, scoring 8 points on 3-of-6 from the
field and 2-for-2 from the line.
When he wasn’t scoring, he was making the right plays and finding other Cavs.
His two assists to Timofey Mozgov started a crucial 6-0 run that gave the Cavs a
24-18 lead. James capped the run with an unmolested layup after eluding the
Warriors’ defense.
Harrison Barnes’ layup inched the Warriors closer, 26-22, with 40 ticks left. But
Iman Shumpert’s offensive putback off several misses gave the Cavs a safe 28-
22 lead heading into the final 20 seconds of the game.
“I had to play a notch higher against the Warriors. We need this win badly, “
said James.
While James was struggling in the first half, JR Smith carried the cudgels for the
Cavs, scoring all the Cavs’ 8 points in the second quarter and converting all of his
three attempts. The first half ended in a deadlock, 12-12.
In contrast, Stephen Curry, last year’s MVP, had an off-night for the Warriors,
scoring only 5 points on 1-of-5 shooting.
“I haven’t found my shooting tonight. It’s the first game of the season. I’ll be
fine next time,” quipped Curry.
Mozgov had a solid game for the Cavs with 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
Barnes led the Warriors with 6 points.
ENDING:
The Cavs will meet the Miami Heat — James’ former team —
in Cleveland on Thursday.
——————————————————
Pacquiao bucks knockdown, stuns Mayweather in 2
Eight-time champion Manny Pacquiao called out Floyd Mayweather Jr. to stop
running and fight tit-for-tat throughout their first bout.
His call fell on deaf ears.
This time, Pacquiao was caught surprised by an unusually fiery Mayweather,
who came out on attack mode right from the opening bell and floored the
Filipino midway in Round 1.
But it was the surprise Pacquiao had always hoped for from Mayweather.
Pacquiao bucked an early knockdown to dethrone Mayweather via a vicious
knockout in Round 2 of the rematch between the world’s finest pound-for-
pound boxers yesterday at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (LEAD)
Pacquiao, 35, avenged his controversial loss against the cocky Mayweather last
year in a fight that he thought he won despite suffering a torn labrum. (BRIDGE)
Picking up from a dazing Round 1 where a Mayweather uppercut dropped him
to the ropes, Pacquiao gamely mixed it up and exchanged blows with
Mayweather in Round 2. After successfully cornering the American, Pacquiao
squarely landed a right hook that dropped Mayweather.
Mayweather beat the early 8-count but instead of resorting to his usual
defensive stance, he opted to meet Pacquiao’s challenge and fought him blow-
for-blow in the middle of the ring. A straight right that caught his chin and a left
follow-through ended the night for the previously undefeated Mayweather.
(KEY MOMENT)
“It was wrong for him to try to fight me that way,” said Pacquiao.
The fight started with a big surprise as Mayweather opted to discard the
cautious and calculated fight plan he’s known for throughout his career and
came out with flurry of punches, including the uppercut that almost ended the
fight early. The new strategy’s success was short-lived, though, as it became
evident eventually that it catered more to Pacquiao’s strengths and liking.
Pacquiao shrugged the effect of the early knockdown and worked his way to
unsettling Mayweather’s not-so-solid defense with jabs and rapid combos. An
uppercut in the early stage of Round 2 rocked the defending champion, forcing
him to dock in a corner to cover from Pacquiao’s ensuing onslaught. (OTHERS)
Mayweather, as always, had a ready explanation for his debacle.
“You guys don’t know this but i'm nursing injuries in both arms and I ain’t my
old self. You just saw a shadow of the real Floyd tonight. This means nothing to
my legacy,” said the 39-year old Mayweather, who relinguished his WBC junior
middleweight title.
Pacquiao’s latest belt is the ninth in his stellar career, the most by any boxer in
history. He improved his record to 57 wins, 6 losses, and 3 draws. The knockout
win is his 39th, but it his first after a long while.
Mayweather, who will earn at least 150 million dollars from the fight, suffered
his first defeat after matching Rocky Marciano for the longest unbeaten streak
at 49 wins. (STATS)
Pacquiao and Mayweather, as revealed by Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum, will
be in a discussion again soon for a third fight, possibly on December 2016.
(ENDING)