MANILA, Philippines – With the Terrafirma Dyip finally breaking an eight-year PBA quarterfinal drought, the team is bent on “changing the narrative” with their playoff run.
The Dyip on Wednesday punched the final quarterfinal ticket after trouncing the NorthPort Batang Pier, 104-96, in the playoff for the eighth spot.
They will be facing the mighty San Miguel Beermen, the top seeds of the PBA Philippine Cup, with Dyip at a twice-to-win disadvantage.
Javi Gomez de Liano, who erupted for 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, said that it has always been a personal goal for him to help the Dyip make the playoffs “and get respect from the league.”
“Hopefully, little-by-little, we can gain the respect by everyone and the organization because I think we deserve it as well,” the forward said.
“We’ve been working hard, and throughout the years, we have been receiving bashing and just not good reviews but I hope with this playoff campaign, that we change the narrative,” he added.
This is the first playoff berth by Terrafirma since the 2016 Governors’ Cup, when they were still called the Mahindra Enforcer.
This is also the first time the Dyip won six games since that conference.
Gomez de Liano underscored that it was the perfect time fo r the squad to make the quarterfinals, especially with its composition.
“Like what you guys said, 16 conference streak of not making the playoffs, and I think this is just bound to happen with the players coming in, like a perfect puzzle. With Coach John leading us, I saw this coming, like way before,” he stressed.
“This year, we w ere all on the same page and we really believe from the beginning of this season that we’re really contenders,” he added.
“Last year we said that we’re just trying to make it to the playoffs. But this time, I think we wanted it, we believed in ourselves more and so I think that mental aspect that we all had to share to be on the same page.”
Terrafirma head coach Johnedel Cardel acknowledged that going into the All-Filipino conference, he was confident of the team’s chances of making the quarterfinals.
“I have the materials like Juami [Tiongson] and [Stephen] Holt together, like Batman and Robin. I have twin big men like Ken [Carino] and Isaac [Go] and I have Javi, who’s improving a lot in his game,” the coach reiterated.
“Dre [Cahilig], Louie Sangalang and some other guys, contributing small things. So, that’s it… We’re here and we got six wins, usually we just win four every conference, so it’s a big morale boost for our team.”
Terrafirma and the defending Philippine Cup champions will be facing each other on Saturday, 3 p.m., at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
MANILA, Philippines — Kinumpirma ng Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) ang pagpapalipad ng Long March 3B/E rocket ng People’s Republic of China, ito habang ilan sa mga labi nito’y posibleng bumagsak aniya sa ilang bahagi ng West Philipppine Sea.
Ito ang ibinahagi ng PhilSA sa isang pahayag ngayong Huwebes matapos i-disclose sa kanila ang posibleng “drop zone” sa pamamagitan ng isang Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) warning kaugnay ng “aerospace flight activity.”
“Expected debris from the rocket launch was projected to have fallen within the identified drop zones approximately 28 NM away from Rozul Reef and 38 NM away from Patag Island,” sabi ng ahensya.
“Long March 3B/E was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan China around 09:50 AM PhST on 09 May 2024.”
Ang Rozul Reef at Patag Island ay nasa loob ng West Philippine Sea, pasok sa 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ng Pilipinas.
Gayunpaman, patuloy na iginigiit ng Tsina ang kanilang “soberanyang karapatan” sa naturang lugar. Ito’y kahit binalewala na ng Permanent Court of Arbitration ang kanilang nine-dash line claim sa halos buong South China Sea.
Ipinagbigay-alam naman na raw ng PhilSA ang kanilang pre-laaunch report sa sari-saring ahensya ng gobyerno bago pa man lumipad ang naturang rocket.
Nagbabala rin ang PhilSA sa peligrong dala ng pagbagsak nito, lalo na’t dinesenyo raw para madispatsa ang unburned debris gaya ng booster at faring oraas na lumabas ng rocket papuntang kalawakan.
“While not projected to fall on land features or inhabited areas, falling debris poses danger and potential risk to ships, aircraft, fishing boats, and other vessels that will pass through the drop zone,” sabi pa ng PhilSA kanina.
“There is also a possibility for the debris to float around the area and wash toward nearby coasts. Additionally, the possibility of an uncontrolled re-entry to the atmosphere of the rocket’s upper stages returning from outer space cannot be ruled out at this time.”
Idiniin ng ahensya sa publiko na ipagbigay-alam sa mga otoridad ang anumang hinihinalang debris mula sa naturang rocket. Binalaan din ng PhilSA ang lahat laban sa pagkuha o paglapit sa mga materyal na ito, lalo na’t posibleng nagdadala ito ng nakalalasong kemikal gaya ng rocket fuel.
Taong 2022 lang nang itanggi ng Tsina na “pwersahan” nilang inagaw ang isa pang rocket debris na natagpuang palutang-lutang sa Pagasa Island sa Palawan.