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Sebastian, Lavalle padel champions

MANILA, Philippines — The San Juan Knights trounced the Abra Weavers, 95-82, Thursday to grab the solo lead in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Powered by Zach Huang and Arvin Gamboa, the Knights pulled away, 85-60, and cruised to their fifth straight win in as many starts in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

Huang fired 17 points, while Gamboa, a former star of the Mapua Cardinals, posted 16 points plus three rebounds to earn best player honors.

The Knights, the MPBL Datu Cup cham pion now being coached by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, also got the push from Orlan Wamar, who tallied 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds, AC Soberano with 12 points and Michael Calisaan with 10.

The Weavers showed up with top gun Mark Tallo, but still couldn’t match the Knights’ firepower and fell to the lo wer half of the standings at 3-4.

Other games saw Iloilo edge Bacolod, 75-73, and Quezon City subdue Mindoro, 78-71.

Los Angeles — Cleveland and Dallas turned the tables on their top-seeded opponents on Thursday, the Cavaliers shocking the Boston Celtics and the Mavericks silencing the Thunder to level their NBA playoff series at one game apiece.

Donovan Mitchell led a comprehensive Cleveland effort as the Cavaliers powered past the Celtics 118-94 in Boston to make it 1-1 in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Dallas star Luka Doncic scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and teammate P.J. Washington poured in another 29 points for the Mavericks, who beat the Thunder 119-110 in Oklahoma City to knot their Western Conference semifinal at one-all.

Mitchell scored 23 of his 29 points in the second half and received plenty of support from “attack-minded” teammates as the Cavs bounced back from a Game 1 rout.

Evan Mobley, 22, got Cleveland going early, scoring 15 of his playoff career-high 21 points.

MANILA, Philippines — Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses proved prophetic when he told his players before Game 1 of their best-of-three PVL All-Filipino Conference title showdown with Choco Mucho that their bench depth would spell the difference.

True enough, the Cool Smashers’ second-string ers responded and delivered in the clutch in a dramatic, come-from-behind 24-26, 25-20, 25-21, 25-16 victory over the Flying Titans last Thursday to move on the cusp of extending their dynastic reign.

“Bago mag-start game, sabi ko talaga bench ang magpapanalo. Nagkakatotoo nga,” said Meneses, whose charges could wrap it all up in Game 2 tomorrow at the same venue.

A decider, if necessary, is Tuesday at the Big Dome.

After blowing a 12-5 lead in a stinging opening-set defeat, Meneses explored and went to his bench mob.

It started with Bea de Leon. Then Michele Gumabao and rookie setter sensation Mafe Galanza came in. Bernadeth Pons followed.

They all embraced their new roles as reserves even though they could start for other teams, and helped the proud franchise rally from huge deficits — from 5-12 in the second set, 3-10 in the third and 3-7 in the fourth — for a shot at a glorious and league record eighth championship.

“Laking bagay ng tiwala ng team at ni coach. Given na maipasok kami ng crucial moments, gagawin lang namin ang best namin,” said Gumabao.

MANILA, Philippines — Nadine Sebastian and Jaric Lavalle topped the mixed beginners category while Dale Montealto and Hamda Buamin ruled the intermediate division of the Padel Pilipinas Philippine Open’s culminating tournament recently in Mandaluyong.

Headlining the second half of the Philippine Padel Open 2024 was the Mixed Open Finals where Tao Yee Tan and Bryan Saarenas won the mixed open division, with Lance Cañizares and Catrine Torp-Bjerrehus finishing second in the event held in partnership with Play Padel and Le Garde.

Nigel Rimando and Vinz Toribio topped the men’s intermediate class followed by the pair of Lemon Cruz and Bryan Saarenas in the first phase and Sen. Pia Cayetano and Tao Yee Tan claimed the women’s open.

Mayumi Toribio and Violeta Volodkeviciute topped the women’s intermediate category.

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