SMB trips TNT, enter PH Cup semis

San Miguel moved on to the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals after drubbing TNT, 96-86, in the final game of their best-of-three quarterfinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Wednesday night.

The Beermen zapped the KaTropa from the get go, outscoring them, 25-10, in the first quarter and even opening a 26-point lead at halftime en route to the blowout.

Junemar Fajardo made 32 points, going for a perfect 11-of-11 field goals, and 14 rebounds for SMB, which will next face Phoenix in the semifinals starting this weekend.

Chris Standhardinger added 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals off the bench.

RR Pogoy made 16 points, five rebounds, one assist, and one block for TNT.

The scores:

San Miguel 96 - Fajardo 32, Standhardinger 17, Romeo 11, Cabagnot 8, Ross 8, Santos 7, Lassiter 6, Tubid 5, Rosser 2, Pessumal 0, Zamar 0.

TNT 86 - Pogoy 16, Heruela 10, Castro 10,  Taha 10, Rosario 10, Williams 9, Bono 6, Reyes 5, A. Semerad 4, Trollano 2, Washington 2, Casino 2, Carey 0, D. Semerad 0.

Quarters: 25-10, 53-27, 77-55, 96-86.

Obstacle course race back as regular sport in 30th SEA Games

Obstacle course race will debut in the Southeast Asian Games as a regular sport.

This was announced by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Ricky Vargas when he graced the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Hotel Amelie Manila in Malate on Tuesday.

"Laos has agreed so obstacle course race is back in the SEA Games," said Vargas, who was accompanied by POC chairman, Cong. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, and Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) secretary general Ed Picson.

Last week, Philippines SEA Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) executive director Tom Carrasco announced that obstacle course race was dropped from the list of regular sports featured in the 30th SEA Games with only three countries namely Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines competing.

To become a regular sport in the SEA Games, it should have entries from at least four countries.

Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation (POSF) president Atty. Alberto Agra welcomed the re-inclusion of the sport in the SEA Games, which the Philippines will be hosting for the fourth time.

"The entry of Laos will only be official when it submits the entry form by number. We are waiting for that, hopefully, this week," said Agra, who also serves as general counsel of the POC.

Six gold medals are stake in the obstacle course race. The events are individual 100-meter and 5-km races (men and women) and mixed team 400-meter race (team assist and relay).

The POSF national pool is composed of Jeffrey Reginio, Manolito Divina, Nathaniel Sanchez, Vernier John Miranda, Sarah Jane Lim, Chrystalle Joan Omaga, Kaizen dela Cerna, Juvelle Pua, Alex Gabriel Rosario, Mervin Rencel Santiago, Racky Madorable, Kyle Redentor Antolin, Glorien Merisco, Anne Kathleen Santos, Rochelle Suarez, Klymille Keilah Rodriguez, Jose Mari de Castro Jr., Mark Julius Rodelas, Ali Zandra Chongbian, and Milky Mae Tejares.

The national athletes are regularly training at the Pretty Huge Obstacles (PHO), a world-class obstacle course training facility at SM Aura Premier Civic Center, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

Meanwhile, Vargas said the SEA Games Federation will have its last meeting on April 22. The broadcasting rights of the Games is among the topics to be discussed.

Vargas also mentioned the launching of the SEA Games volunteers’ program on Friday (April 12) in Taguig City.

The 30th SEA Games will be the biggest in the tournament's history for having 56 sports and 529 events.

Team Philippines has the most number of athletes at 1,895 followed by Singapore (1,581), Indonesia (1,718), and Thailand (1,462).

A total of 7,806 athletes and 3,444 coaches are taking part in the 30th SEA Games, which will be held from November 30 to December 11 across venues in Clark (Pampanga), Subic (Olongapo), Tagaytay (Cavite), and Metro Manila.

The 11 participating countries in the SEA Games are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Timor Leste, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1066872