Prince Sultan Nursing and Physiotherapy scored inspiring opening day wins in the 2nd PSMMC-Sports Affair Basketball Club (SABC) Inter-Department Basketball tournament at the Prince Sultan Military Medical City Skydome basketball court here.
Nursing of Lino Sabalboro and Amie Sajor brought down Zahran Housekeeping 90-81 in overtime. Both teams played good defense the entire game with a four-point margin to Nursing 18-14 at the end of the first quarter courtesy of Rey Zornosa, Ferdie Ligan, Lorvic Baroma, Dexter Sabidalas and Mark Diaz.
Housekeeping, coached by Moner Camad, and bannered by the trio of rookie Jay Camad, Peter Abante and Randy Abana as well as Oscar Pascua and Nurasid Omar forge a 37-all deadlock at the turn. With four seconds to play, Nursing was leading 79-77 when Ligan fouled Camad who converted the two free-throws to force overtime. In the extra period, the Nurses closed the game out with an 11-2 windup.
Last season’s first runner-up Physiotherapy of Edgar Jimenez and Ariel Dizon whipped defending champion External Maintenance of Reggie Salonga 87-71.
The maintenance team ended the initial period up by three points 18-15, but that was just about it as Physiotherapy never looked back after it swelled a 39-34 halftime lead to 61-52 on the way to victory. Dennis Suare, Lito Manalo, Mitchelle Lacap and Dong Abacial led the winning team.
In other games of the week, Catering-Fire Department anchored by the trio of Joseph Rapsing, Ryann Fabregas and Rommuel Alega routed Portering 83-65; Rehab Nursing of Eric Calubayan trounced Cath Lab of Alfred Rogel 64-57, PSCC Housekeeping beat Prosthetics 74-68 while Zahran Maintenance cruised past Laundry 61-50.
Mobily, Enjaz, Western Union, PAG-IBIG Funds and Systagenix are tournament sponsors.
Selected scores:
Prince Sultan Nursing (90) R. Zornosa 21, L. Baroma 20, F. Ligan 10, M. Diaz 10, D. Sabidalas 8, E. Abanes 8, R. Figueras 6, V. Yabut 3, L. Rafanan 2, M. Vilches 2 Zahran
Housekeeping (81) J. Camad 24, R. Abana 18, N. Omar 14, P. Abante 9, O. Pascua 8, M. Camad 6, E. Ariola 2
Physiotherapy (87) D. Suare 28; Lito Manalo 21, M. Lacap 16, D. Abacial 13, E. Columbres 4, C. Burgos 3, N. Marcial 2 External
Maintenance (71) L. Arpon 24, M. Tinonga 22, B. Abdurahim 12, A. Loremia 11, P. Walid 2
Catering-Fire (83) J. Rapsing 15, R. Fabregas 15, R. Alega 12, J. Camins 9, P. Merquita 7, F. Galido 6, J. Arcos 6, F. Hacob 5, G. Martin 4, O. Abdulwahab 2, N. Bacaraman 2
Portering (65) A. Nakan 29, M. Sales 14, L. Reyes 7, M. Quila 6, R. Javillonar 4, R. Morales 3, Nazir 2
Nursing, Physiotherapy take SABC Basketball openers
Nursing, Physiotherapy take SABC Basketball openers
Messi’s brilliance continues with two goals, two assists in Inter Miami’s 5-1 win over Columbus Crew
Messi’s brilliance continues with two goals, two assists in Inter Miami’s 5-1 win over Columbus Crew
- Lionel Messi scored for the fifth time in three Major League Soccer matches to help Inter Miami rout the Columbus Crew
- That makes it two straight matches that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has recorded at least two goals and an assist
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida: Inter Miami was in a midseason slump just a week ago. Lionel Messi made sure it didn’t last long.
Messi scored for the fifth time in three Major League Soccer matches to help Inter Miami rout the Columbus Crew 5-1 on Saturday night for its second straight win.
Messi played a role each of Miami’s goals. He scored twice – in the 15th and 24th minutes – giving him 10 goals this season, which leads his team and is tied for third in MLS. He set up Tadeo Allende’s goal in the 13th, Fafa Picault’s in the 89th and was also involved in Luis Suarez’s score in the 64th.
That makes it two straight matches that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has recorded at least two goals and an assist. His 16 goal contributions are the most in the league.
“I see him every game. We see the same thing,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said through an interpreter. “We try to help him as much as we can. … Clearly he is the best player that has ever played this game. And we have to understand that when he is not brilliant, that’s because one of us is failing. That’s the reality.”
Miami was the more aggressive team early. The Herons had seven shots – four on goal – in the first 25 minutes against a Columbus team that does not give up many. The Crew entered Saturday ranked eighth in MLS with just 19 goals allowed.
Allende opened the scoring with a cross-body finish set up by Messi’s long ball over the top. A few minutes later, Messi took advantage of a poor decision by goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen and lofted the ball over despite the keeper getting a hand on it.
On Messi’s second goal, Sergio Busquets set up his former Barcelona teammate for the second straight game, sending a long pass to a streaking Messi for an easy finish over Hagen.
It was an important win for Miami, which entered Saturday with just two wins in its past eight matches and was sixth in the Eastern Conference. Miami beat Montreal 4-2 on Wednesday, and Saturday’s win over Columbus put last year’s Supporters’ Shield winner in a tie for third place with 29 points in their final match before the start of next month’s Club World Cup.
“Winning this way gives us confidence,” Mascherano said. “It shows that we’re brave and calm and can play against anybody, especially in the MLS. The tournament is another story. The rivals are are different level.”
Miami will face Al Ahly of Egypt on June 14 at Hard Rock Stadium, the home stadium of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. Before that, Messi will join the Argentina national team for World Cup qualifiers against Chile on June 5 and Colombia on June 10.
Saturday was the second match of the season between Columbus and Miami, winners of the last two League’s Cup tournaments. Inter Miami also beat Columbus to win the Supporters’ Shield in 2024.
They were the only remaining undefeated teams in MLS when they met in front of a record crowd of 60,614 fans to Huntington Bank Field on April 19. It was a single-game record for a Crew home match and the largest non-NFL event in stadium history. Miami won 1-0.
Columbus made it 3-1 when Dylan Chambost’s corner was headed home by Cesar Ruvalcaba against goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo, who replaced Oscar Ustari in the second half. Mascherano said Ustari was experiencing discomfort in his leg and the team didn’t want to risk an injury.
Suarez restored Miami’s three-goal lead with his second goal in as many matches. And Messi fed a through ball to Picault in the closing minutes, stamping one of Miami’s most dominant wins of the MLS season.
Miami played without veteran left back Jordi Alba, who suffered a lower-body injury against Montreal on Wednesday.
Indiana Pacers beat New York Knicks 125-108 in Game 6 to reach NBA Finals
- Pacers reach NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history
- Game 1 with Western Conference champs OKC begins Thursday night
INDIANAPOLIS: Pascal Siakam scored 31 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 21 points and 13 assists, and the Indiana Pacers pulled away for a 125-108 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 on Saturday night to reach the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history.
Obi Toppin added 18 points and six rebounds against his former team as the gold-clad crowd gave the starters a roaring ovation when they departed with 47.2 seconds left.
Indiana will visit Oklahoma City for Game 1 on Thursday night.
OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 24 points. Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson added 19 points as the Pacers’ relentless ball pressure forced New York into 17 turnovers.
The Knicks still have not reached the Finals since 1999, and they couldn’t extend the series in a game that was tough and physical right from the start.
Whether it was Towns limping after drawing a foul or Haliburton holding his jaw when he took a shot that knocked him to the ground, the tone was set early — and never really changed with so much at stake.
Indiana finally broke open a close game by opening the second half on a 9-0 run to take a 78-63 lead courtesy of three straight 3-pointers — two from Thomas Bryant and one from Andrew Nembhard. The run ignited the crowd, which included everyone from Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson to WNBA star Caitlin Clark to Timothee Chalamet to Kylie Jenner.
But when the Knicks answered with eight straight to cut the deficit to 78-71, the Pacers responded with another 9-0 run to take their biggest lead of the game and the Knicks were forced to play catch-up the rest of the night.
Pacers star and Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who was on the 1999-2000 Pacers team that made The Finals, served as the color analyst for TNT’s final broadcast.
New York was trying to become the 14th team in league history to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a series. It hasn’t won a title since 1973.
Scottie Scheffler has flawless card and surges into lead at the Memorial
- Scheffler birdied four of his last five holes, finishing with a birdie from just inside 15 feet
DUBLIN, Ohio: Scottie Scheffler was at his best on a tough day at Muirfield Village, opening with 13 straight pars and then pouring it on at the end for a 4-under 68 that gave him a one-shot lead Saturday over Ben Griffin at the Memorial.
Scheffler birdied four of his last five holes, finishing with a birdie from just inside 15 feet. He took the lead when Griffin missed a 3-foot par putt on the final hole.
At stake for Scheffler is a chance to win for the third time in his last four tournaments and join Tiger Woods as the only back-to-back winners at the Memorial.
“I don’t know what the scoring average was today, but I was definitely proud of the way I finished and it was really challenging,” Scheffler said. “Through 13 holes, I felt like I was playing really good and I was only even par. Just a hard course.”
The scoring average for the 57 players who made the cut was 73.9, and three players failed to break 80. Scheffler, the only player to break par all three rounds, was at 8-under 208.
Griffin, who won last week at Colonial, made five birdies and five bogeys over his last 13 holes.
Scheffler was six shots behind Griffin at one point in the cool, blustery weather. And then it all changed so quickly.
Griffin, who became the only player this week to reach 10-under par when he ran off three straight birdies, gave it all back with four straight bogeys. He was in the fairway or on the tee when he made three of those bogeys.
Scheffler was lurking, as always. The world’s No. 1 player has an uncanny knack of hanging around and winding up with the low score by the end of the day. This was no exception.
“I did see that Ben got to 10 under, but it’s not going to change my play in the middle of a Saturday,” Scheffler said. “This golf course is really challenging and no lead’s safe around this place. I knew if I kept going and played a decent round, I would be in somewhat of a position to chase him down tomorrow.”
He holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 14th — his first of the day — followed getting on the collar of the green at the par-5 15th for a simple birdie. He hit 7-iron into the wind to 8 feet for birdie and closed with the last one that gave him the lead.
He’s no longer chasing, and he’s a tough customer to track down. Scheffler has won the last eight times when he held the 54-hole lead.
Jordan Spieth also was in the chase, tied with Scheffler in second place at one point, until he failed to save par from a bunker on the 17th and drove into the creek on the 18th for a closing bogey and a 72. He was five shots behind, feeling better about his game.
There was just one problem. Spieth talked about the fun of being in the mix, of making six birdies on a tough course, of needing to keep moving in that direction. And then he paused.
“The bummer for me is Scottie’s at 7 or 8 (under) and he just ... you can’t count on him shooting even tomorrow,” Spieth said. “So it would take something special. But all in all, just trying to shoot a few under each day out here.”
Nick Taylor of Canada wound up three shots behind after a 74, and for that he was thankful at the end. Taylor went into the water and made double bogey on the diabolical par-3 12th, followed that with a bogey and was sliding out of contention. And then he holed out from fairway for eagle at the 14th, birdied the next hole and played that four-stretch in even par.
The best round belonged to Sepp Straka, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour this year. He posted a 66 as the leaders were just getting started and was in the group at 3-under 213 that included Spieth and Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley (68).
Patrick Cantlay and Rickie Fowler each shot 69 and joined Shane Lowry (73) at 214. It’s a long way off, and it can feel even longer with Scheffler the one they are chasing.
“It’s a tough golf course. I’ll be trying to chase him down,” Taylor said. “He’s obviously playing phenomenal, so I’ll have to play some of my best golf to be in the hunt there with the last few holes to go. But it is playing so difficult that being a few under early will get me back in there.”
Paris erupts in euphoria before skirmishes as PSG win Champions League
- Some 5,400 police were deployed across Paris in anticipation of raucous celebrations
- Police had made more than 130 arrests by shortly after midnight
PARIS: Wild celebrations erupted across the French capital on Saturday after Paris St. Germain crushed Italian opponents Inter Milan to win the Champions League for the first time, although skirmishes with police later threatened to spoil the party.
On the Champs Elysees, bus shelters were smashed up and projectiles hurled at riot police, who fired tear gas and water canons to push back surging crowds as thousands of supporters descended on the boutique-lined boulevard.
There were also clashes with police on the Paris ring road and at least two cars were torched near PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium.
Inside the stadium, transformed into a giant fan zone for the night, 48,000 people let out a roar of ecstasy at the final whistle in Munich.
“Total euphoria, crazy atmosphere,” said Gilles Gailliot who had been watching the game in the Paris stadium. “It made up for the wait and the years of disappointment. Finally Paris and its supporters have been rewarded,” Gailliot added.
Parisians set off fireworks and hung out of moving cars waving PSG scarves, delighting in their side’s first victory in European soccer’s top competition.
Nearby, the Eiffel Tower lit up in PSG’s blue and red colors.
“I couldn’t dream of a better night,” said 18-year-old Amine. “Let’s spare a thought for Mbappe.”
France striker Kylian Mbappe left PSG for Spanish club Real Madrid last year in pursuit of Champions League glory.
Arrests
Some 5,400 police were deployed across Paris in anticipation of raucous celebrations.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau urged a zero-tolerance approach to maintaining order amid the celebrations.
“True PSG supporters are enjoying their team’s magnificent match. Meanwhile, barbarians have taken to the streets of Paris to commit crimes and provoke the police,” the minister tweeted.
Police had made more than 130 arrests by shortly after midnight.
PSG playmaker Ousmane Dembele urged supporters to keep the party festive.
“Let’s celebrate this but not tear everything up in Paris,” Dembele told Canal+.
French President Emmanuel Macron, an ardent supporter of Olympique de Marseille, tweeted: “A glorious day for PSG! Bravo, we are all proud. Paris, the capital of Europe this evening.”
Macron’s office said the president would receive the players at the Elysee Palace on Sunday. The team are also expected to parade down the Champs Elysees.
PSG lost the final to Bayern Munich in 2020 and had teetered on the brink of elimination in the league phase this season before claiming the trophy their deep-pocketed Qatari owners had craved.
On the streets, fans lauded the exploits of Desire Doue, who scored twice, and manager Luis Enrique.
“What (Doue) did tonight is crazy but it is all thanks to Luis Enrique. The guy came and he changed everything,” supporter Francis Delert said.
PSG’s Champions League hero Doue says ‘dream becomes reality’
- The 19-year-old lit up scored twice and provided an assist as PSG routed Inter Milan 5-0
- German police have to hold back PSG fans as they tried to rush the field
MUNICH, Germany: Paris Saint-Germain’s double goal-scoring hero Desire Doue said “a dream has become reality” after Saturday’s Champions League triumph.
The 19-year-old lit up Munich’s Allianz Arena, scoring twice and providing an assist as PSG routed Inter Milan 5-0.
“I don’t have the words,” said the French teenager.
“Thanks to the Parc (des Princes, PSG’s home stadium), thanks Paris.
“A dream has become reality. It’s just magnificent. It’s crazy, I’m so happy.
“It’s just the beginning.”
PSG have been guided to the continental crown for the first time in their history by Spanish coach Luis Enrique.
“It’s time to have a big party,” said Luis Enrique, who also won the Champions League with Barcelona 10 years ago.
“We have to make the most of this moment,” added the 55-year-old.
“I feel this connection with the players and the supporters, it’s very strong. It’s a great moment, we deserve it. We managed to control the tension.”
Unruly fans held back
Thousands of euphoric PSG fans had to be held back by a line of police they tried to rush the field in jubilation.
Police lined up in front of the PSG end of the Allianz Arena stadium at the final whistle but struggled to contain the fans for several minutes when they came down from the stands following the trophy presentation.
They did eventually manage to force them back into the stands, and PSG players had already headed back to the locker room, appearing to cut short celebrations in front of their supporters.
Players eventually made their way back to the field with the trophy after order was restored.
PSG fans dominated the occasion, drowning out Inter supporters, many of whom had left long before the final whistle after seeing their team blown away by the French champion.
