Bleacher Talk

Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu hosts the All Ateneo Invitational Games that kicks off today and lasts until Sunday. The games were organized to promote fellowship and camaraderie among Jesuit-run schools in the Visayas and Mindanao. The visiting teams are Ateneo de Davao (ADDU), Ateneo de Zamboanga (ADZU), Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan (XU) and Ateneo de Iloilo-Sta. Maria Catholic School (AdI). Games on tap are basketball for boys and volleyball for girls. Basketball will have two age groups: Under 12 and 13, while volleyball will be for the Under 12 age group. Participating in Under 12 Basketball are six teams. There are two teams each from ADDU, XU and SHS-AdC and one from ADZU. Under 13 basketball will have four teams in ADDU, XU, AdI and the hosts. Under 12 girls volleyball has four teams in ADDU, XU, AdI and the Magis Eagles. This is the second edition of the games that started at last year’s All Ateneo Under 12 basketball tournament in Davao. The s...

The sports world has become such a powerful venue to shape lives of people, entertain people and even unite people. More importantly, sports is in a great position to form people, especially the youth. This has now become the bigger picture and noble approach towards sports over the “win at all cost” mindset. While this is already well-known among sports leaders, it is also often forgotten, ignored and pushed aside. At a recent workshop called “Ignatian Sports Leadership Workshop” held at the Xavier School in San Juan, a group of sports directors, coaches and teachers of Jesuit schools from across the country got together to review once more why these schools give sports the attention it has been getting. The Jesuit schools represented were the host Xavier School San Juan, Xavier School-Nuvali, Ateneo de Manila, Ateneo de Naga, Ateneo de Iloilo, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, Loyola College of Culion, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, Ateneo de Davao an...

What is going to happen to/in Cebu Boxing in 2020? Ironically, my headline might have answered the question. The reply is one big question mark. Sad but so true. After having a relatively quiet scene in 2019, there’s nowhere to go but up in terms of boxing action, but will anything happen? After being hailed as the hotbed of Pinoy boxing at one time, we are ice cold. Don’t get me wrong. We still have a bunch of world class boxers. Donnie Nietes, Cebu’s most decorated active boxer is a multiple division world champion, is the Pinoy boxer with the longest reign as world champion, and is Cebu Boxing’s poster boy. But what is he doing these days? He is inactive and has been waiting (forever?) for another big fight before he calls it a day. Jhack Tepora, a product of the Omega Boxing Gym, now makes the U.S. his base. He recently lost in his last fight, but will bounce back for sure. Johnriel Casimero, who once made Cebu his base (at Omega), is a brand new world champion, but I’m not...

Make mine gin and tonic. That can be our drink for every game of the ongoing PBA Finals series between Barangay Ginebra and Meralco. The gin courtesy of the country’s most popular basketball team; the tonic thanks to the sparks coming from the voltage of Meralco. It’s Ginebra-Meralco Part 3, and while it may not match up with the Crispa-Toyota rivalry, it has its own share of unique selling points that should bring in good-size crowds and a fair TV audience. For the record, Ginebra is 2-0 in the trilogy and is naturally the favorite in the series. But the series is now tied 1-all and anything can still happen. Both won their respective games in different fashion. Ginebra won Game 1, 91-87, through better end-game composure-cum-breaks and defense. Justin Brownlee was unstoppable with a game-high 38 points including five triples, shooting 48% from the field. And that was with hardly any rest. His minutes? 47:03. Ginebra also had eight blocks, four from Greg Slaug...