Ready to Charge at MPBL: The QUEZON CITY BLACK BULLS!

I've seen and heard about the Quezon City Black Bulls at the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League because of the support of Cong. Arjo Atayde (and how proud he is of them in past games). He's not the owner as we met the real one Mr. John Christopher Tan, but he thanked Arjo for his stern support even during pre season games.

With Coach JayV Olea, they led the Quezon City Black Bulls with players Rey Publico, Clark Derige, Patrick Buena, Jake Agoncilio, Kenz Diokno, Kobe Monje, Ryan Costelo, Aeron Bagunu, Aldave Canoy, MJ Joson, Charles Dela Cruz, Jay Gadon, Joe Joven, Kai Espinosa, Bryan Rosalin, Joeben Loria, JR Lastra, Jaydee Del Rosario, Gab Salazar, Joshua Roque and Jeff Morillo. Mind you, some of them have joined the team recently because of the open try outs they held last March. Most of them are from Gardner College and a few are individually chosen because of their experience and talent on the hard court. They also played in the D1 League versus a few teams and did outstanding work with a 4-4 win loss slate. 

They're pretty much ready for what's about to happen during the MPLB regular season. Team owner John Tan and Coach JayV Olea are optimistic that they're going to perform well because they are taking the upcoming games seriously. First one in fact is with Caloocan which did good last season, so even in Holy Week they had to go back and practice early.

Here's what happened at the media conference: 

The testosterone level and height was so high during this event, but I see how much fire they have in their eyes because they're coming in as the new guys, nothing to prove, but just do their best once the games begin. 

Support them by following their FB page and the MPBL league at their games around the Philippines. Games are free to watch so go ahead and fill the gyms to the brim. Stand behind our very own Quezon City Black Bulls as they try their best in getting that Championship crown! 

TV5 and PBA Partners Up with A2Z For More Basketball Action

When they say that they're changing the landscape of television, they sure mean to do it. Recent pronouncements from TV5 indicate huge changes especially about their airing of PBA Games in the channel. They partnered up with A2Z to become their newest free to air avenue especially for locations covered by them.

This certainly was the fruit of the successful staging to the FIBA Basketball World Cup in the country, plus the win of Gilas Pilipinas in both SEA Games and Asian Games (remember that historic Gold?). Now Filipino sports fans will have choice where to watch their home grown professional basketball teams when games start.

This is after all the 48th year of PBA, and the goal is to bring the PBA Games to even MORE homes as possible. This ensures that not only will there be access to games at TV5, but more of the LIVE broadcast of PBA Games in this new free to air channel. After all, they're the Philippines premier basketball league. Zoe Broadcasting VP and GM Rene Gonzales notes of this exciting venture and took delight on the variety they could do with the programming which is now in their court. Having PBA as part of their lineup surely will open up a lot of possibilities for the channel and what they could do in the near future. It will all start on November 5th, and will be broadcasted every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday thereafter. They are also in the workds to do something for the PBA D League and 3x3 where the Philippines is strong.

Meanwhile, you can still enjoy the games on Cignal TV and Cignal Play. You now have options!

Making History, Leaving a Legacy with Gatorade

 

Wasn't the last FIBA game of the Philippines fun? Gilas Pilipinas won against China and it's a whopping 96-75, contrary to early predictions. Dwight Ramos wasn't just eye candy, but really went against some of the big men in the league. He's been training a lot and played in teams from the EU region. He knows how to play, and part of that is hydrating a lot.

He goes through these challenges with a Gatorade in hand. It replenishes his electrolytes, and makes him not experience dehydration. It also helps him with the nutrients he need while playing on the court. With it, he also doesn't experience cramps during warmups.

During the game, heat and exhaustion can really hamper these players performance especially since they've been at the peak of their physical efforts. Some players stop mid game because they lose so much fluids and cramps become a problem. Good thing there's the official electrolyte drink for FIBA to help them in the games. They are making history for their respective countries, that includes the Philippines... and we saw that happen during this week. 

 

That sweet end with the victory against China was the cherry on top.

BALL LIKE A PANDA with foodpanda and NBA!

Spent the whole afternoon participating in one of many foodpanda and NBA activities last week, and it was nice to see how a lot of people were able to join in the fun whether on the court or on the sidelines. This is what they call Ball Like a Panda.

Since foodpanda is the official online food delivery platform of the NBA in the Philippines, they hosted several NBA tentpole events and promos where folks win NBA prizes and promos. This includes a trip to the US to watch an actual NBA game (this was last May) wherein JP Alejandro won. Aside from that, several NBA watch Pau-rties to enjoy food and fun with other ka-Pandas.

The Ball Like a Panda 3x3 Basketball tournament on the other hand was really the cherry on top. With celerities like Eric Eraption Tai, Juancho Trivino, Rayver Cruz, Prince Clemente, Wilbert Ross, Kuya Mikee Reyes joined real deal foodpanda riders John Alcanzo, Leonnel Baldo, Jeffrey Diaz, Jason Baldo in severa 3x3 games in Pasig. It was so much fun, especially with the UE Pep Squad cheering us all til the awarding ceremonies. Here's some highlights of the event on video, please enjoy!

MUST WATCH: Hit Korean Movie REBOUND in PH Theaters May 3

Just got off the advanced screening of hit Korean movie REBOUND starring Ahn Jae-Hong (who also appeared in Reply 1988), Jeong Jinwoon (who's in Dream High 1 and 2), Jung Gun-Joo (who's in TV drama True Beauty in 2021), Kim Taek (who was a Prince in TV drama The King's Affection), Kim Min, and Lee Sin-Young (who also was in Crash Landing on You and several dramas). This film is based on a true story about a high school basketball team who used to win championships but had a long stretch of losses and almost didn't continue to their basketball program. They had to resort to getting an inexperienced coach (an alumnus of the same school) with a skeleton team that had no interest in the sport. Some eventually quit, for multitude reasons, and the coach had to scout a few players to exist and join tournaments versus other schools. 

They ended up with 6 players, and this starts the grueling task of making the impossible, possible. I definitely liked the story. It's also the personalities of the different players that will get you hooked. Aside from that, it's a journey, and really... this is the first time that I saw a cinema where people who were watching were clapping and rooting for Busan Jungang High School. I'm sure it's the innate Filipino love for basketball, that story of the underdog who's trying to win on the court and in life. Will they win in the end and make their dreams come true?

This is being released in the Philippines by 888 Films. For me, this scores a well deserved 8/10 for the story and entertainment value. It's something you should DEFINITELY watch if you're a fan of KDrama and Korean TV shows. Plus points too because it is based on a TRUE STORY. Make sure you stay to see the ending because it'll surely pull heartstrings. I hope Filipinos troop to cinemas, because even as a skeptic going inside the theater, I really appreciated it! Again, it shows in cinemas on May 3!

Thank you to Ms. Sylvia Sanchez and Sir Art for inviting us to this screening! I'm telling my friends!

foodpanda Forges Patnership with NBA

Went to Mall of Asia Entertainment Hall pretty early for the recent announcement of foodpanda and their partnership with the biggest league in the world, the NBA. Present during the occasion was their fun lovin' mascot Paupau, their executives  Amer Bakshi, Lorelie Olalia and NBA's Hubert Ling and Mae Dichupa. 

They also brought in UAAP and PBA players to make sure games would be extra fun for participating foodpanda customers that morning. 

This means that from now on, foodpanda will be the official food delivery partner of the NBA. Each time you watch the NBA games especially this coming NBA All Star Weekend, it'll be super convenient to order up at your foodpanda app and get your food delivered fast.

150K dollars will be given for two charity organizations, and it's been a while since Lebron lost one so who knows?! 

I'm watching the games now at Tipsy Pig in QC where they are doing a Livestream together with Cignal. I hope he still wins because the draft was good.

Everyone plays at "Batang Pilipino Basketball League"

Just got off from the Batang Pilipino Basketball League press conference this afternoon. By any standard, I am so excited about what's going to happen this January 27-28 at 4 different courts in the city of San Juan namely Ronac Art Center, FilOil EcoOil Centre, the San Juan Gymnasium and the Greenhills West Basketball Court in the same area. 

It's a grassroots program initiated by its founders Jun Ebdane and Coach Ron Camara which started October 2020. There's a huge potential in the pool of Filipino youth that still remains untapped and with this program, it'll be an avenue to showcase their talent on the hard court especially in the NCAA, UAAP, PBA and others. They've already held 2 rounds of local games and became champs of their respective regions in order to qualify for this national event. They also have done tryouts for young men and women because they've got separate games for them too. There's also a stark difference with how their version of Basketball is done, because teams must have their players all play once on the court, coaches then can use their best ones in latter quarters hence their tagline "Lahat ng Player Makakalaro, Walang Mababangko!" which means all players will have the chance to have playing time on the court, nobody will be left on the bench.

From a total of 194 different teams composed of 2910 individuals from all over the country, only 500 of them will get the chance to participate in the Finals on January 29 at 4pm. Tickets will be sold at the venue so if you're looking for a place to start for your basketball career, you might just be looking at it.

Aside from that, the league also allows local businesses market their products around venues so they too can earn from the events. Aside from that, they are partnering with the different provinces, local government agencies that help boost tourism in their respective communities to help then grow as a destination. This is just the tip of the iceberg, because they also announced the coming second season which will start around May. So stay tuned for that! 

Meanwhile, here's our interview with them this afternoon as they discussed the challenges they had mounting this league and the upcoming finals where 500 of these athletes will all be flown in to Manila and compete here.

See you on these dates and support your favorite teams! You can also watch it on ABSCBN Sports Youtube Channel and will be streamed live as it happens. See you on the sidelines!

Basketball "ENDING" Game Now Online

If you're a big fan of basketball (especially in the Philippines) you've probably had the chance to bet on the well loved Filipino "Ending" game in your respective neighborhood right? These days, it's going to be doubly hard to do that with the pandemic still lingering. If you're in the mood to play, there's a new online version of it ran by GameX Sports under the auspices of Las Casas Gaming, Inc.

Your favorite PBA, NBA and NBL games are turned into a game of chance every quarter and would get you the opportunity to win cash by registering through https://gamexsports.com.ph.

This is strictly for adults 21yo and above, and is only encouraged to be done responsibly as they are duly recognized by PAGCOR (The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation).

Several celebrities, PBA Players and influencers were also there to support them:

Parts of their earnings will go to several organizations including those involved in restoring homes that tells a tale, of Filipino design and architecture.  The site also accepts GCash and Maya payments and cash-ins so it's easy to manage if you decide to play. You can also pay for as low as 10 pesos,  and do it from the comforts of your own home.

CATRIONA GRAY, Gilas Pilipinas Players, Announced As FIBA Local Ambassadors

Hearing that the FIBA Basketball World Cup is happening in the Philippines is already a huge deal for me. Filipinos are the biggest fans of it in the world, you can tell why as much of the streets are lined with basketball courts, big or small, just so we could have somewhere to play they game we absolutely love.

Yesterday was also extra special as SBP (Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas), FIBA and various affiliates introduced the local FIBA Ambassadors consisting of former Gilas Pilipinas players and the one and only Miss Universe Catriona Gray.

Here's what happened that morning

 

 During the event, they also announced the simultaneous start of the Tissot Time in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan.  This means there's only "one year to go" before FIBA matches starts. They also have hinted that there will be a FIBA Global Ambassador later this year. This is also the first time in FIBA's history to see three countries hosting the games, with the Philippines heading the pack. They also mentioned that the local ambassadors wouldn't be the only ones to help disseminate information about the games, because YOU can be part of that too. You may start joining the community by registering here https://register.worldcup.basketball so you could get early bird rates on tickets and Superfan packages. 

What's also touching is that they plan to identify several basketball courts around the country that they will adopt so they could fix, restore and make them a project for the ambassadors together with the FIBA players, making sure they also get to see the culture and what Filipinos are known for, the heart filled hospitality.

Stay tuned for more updates about the games, plus the time they're raffling off the countries battling it out in the FIBA Basketball World Cup!

PBA Starts LIVE Audience and Broadcast on TV5

After a little heartbreak hearing Alaska being on the verge of leaving the league, hearing the crowd will be back in games was big news. This will all happen on PBA Governors Cup as the metro stays on Alert Level 2 and the league willing to go have 50% venue capacity, all happening this week. The theme this time is "Tayo ang Bida, Tuloy ang Laban".

For those who love the games, they'll be having double shows on Wednesday to Sunday and it will all be covered by TV5 and One Sports where you can watch it from the comforts of your home. If you prefer the live games, you can start getting tickets over at the Araneta Coliseum ticket office when the games happen live.

Magnolia Hotshots is still the team to beat since they haven't had any losses. Meralco Bolts and NLEX Road Warriors follow closely with some of their players dishing out the best plays in the league coming from the national pool veterans and good rookies. The transfers of Arwind Santos to Northport, Alex Cabagnot to Terrafirma  and Chris Banchero to Meralco Bolts might affect the standings soon, plus the new imports... so don't get your hopes up yet even if you've got a comfy lead, it can change anytime soon.

There's more to watch out for in the coming weeks, so if you don't have the time to go there live, go get your basketball fix from TV5 as the official broadcaster of the league promises thorough coverage every game day. You can watch it too on One Sports and PBA Rush on Cignal. Follow their social channels too for blow by blow accounts of the games when it happens on the PBA.

The 2019 GINEBRA Jersey Collection

Once you saw the headline, I knew you would read this. Now I don’t want to disappoint you, so we’ll show you what happened during the launch of new edition of the 2019 Jersey Collection to celebrate #40YearsofGinebraNSD. The letters NSD refers to the NEVER SAY DIE spirit of fans across the nation and Ginebra simply would just want to acknowledge it.

Drink up and keep the caps because you need it to redeem your new jerseys!

Ginebra Angels

Rizza Diaz and the Dean Quinito Henson hosted the event

This is worth 40 years of Barangay Ginebra, 1979-2019 of Never Say Die spirit so they will be getting that inspiration to the shirts.

Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand

Scottie Thompson

Justin Brownlee

The Living Legend Robert Jaworski Sr.

Senator Robert Jaworski says "Life gives you hardships, you need to be "Ganado" to face them and it is natural. I left my team mates working to win, when I met an accident, I wanted to get back and play a very good game. It was wanting to do something I started and wanting to do it well. For those who are starting, give it well but study if you are still studying. Make it a habit to do the right thing, the good habits, you can never be bigger than the word discipline. It's like a family, a basketball team, we all help each other, we share, we do what we do. In basketball, you only have one ball and we just do the fundamentals very well, listen and pick up the good ones and live doing your best for the game."

Ronald Molina the Marketing Manager of Ginebra says "This is our third year of the Ginebra Jersey launch, but this year marks the 40th year of Barangay Ginebra in the PBA. We won 11 championships, won and forced ties in some games, tons of stories, and Ginebra is still the most popular team in the game. I get strangers telling me and wishing us to win games every time we have a match, we have more to celebrate. It's that Never Say Die spirit of players and fans alike!"

Well first, let’s see the previous collection first!

Then here’s the memorabilia displayed at the event

Check out the whole new collection here!

Jaworski Sr. (7)

The Fast and the Furious duo Jayjay Helterbrand (13) and Mark Caguioa (47)

Well loved import Justin Brownlee (32)

Rising star Scottie Thompson (6)

You need 6 seals of Ginebra San Miguel or any 5 caps of GSM Blue, GSM Blue Flavors, Primera Light Brandy and Ginebra San Miguel Premium Gin. You then can get it for Php 100 only. Go rush to your favorite participating supermarket, convenience stores, outlets nationwide as it only will be available until June 30, 2019. Visit Ginebra.com.ph or BarangayGinebra on Facebook. It’s all there!

The new GINEBRA AKO NEVER SAY DIE LIMITED EDITION Jersey for 2019

This is for those who are "GANADO SA BUHAY"

Jerseys that will be given away are those like what they are wearing now and framed 🐮❤️

PS They are wearing these jerseys in the coming conference so make sure you have them before it's too late!