MANILA, Philippines – Binan joined the leaders while Pampanga stayed right behind in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season on Monday at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.
With 12 players scoring, Binan Tatak Gel Beast Motorcycle Game X subdued Muntinlupa, 71-60, while the Pampanga Giant Lanterns brushed aside the challenge of the Bataan Risers to prevail, 86-75, in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
Binan, led by Robbie Manalang and Jimboy Estrada, extended its win-run to five and caught up wi th fellow unscathed teams San Juan, Quezon Province and Nueva Ecija at the top spot.
Defending champion Pampanga finally pulled away late in the fourth quarter, 83-66, to tally its sixth straight victory after dropping its initial game.
Justine Baltazar, the reigning Most Valuable Player, again powered the Giant Lanterns with 19 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, three assists and two blocks; followed by gunner Archie Concepcion with 15 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Filling up the void left by the injured Encho Serrano, homegrown icon Garcia fired 12 points, the same as fellow homegrown Raymond Binuya, who dished off six assists, and Allen Liwag, who also snagged five rebounds.
Bataan, which even led at 34-29, suffered its fourth loss in seven starts and fell to the bottom half of the standings despite the 11-point, 10-rebound effort of Rhaffy Octobre, the 15 points of Yves Sazon and the 10-point, five-rebound, five-assist effort of Rey Acuno.
Manalang chalked 12 points, four assists and two rebounds; while Estrada posted 11 points and four rebounds for Binan, which also drew nine points and six rebounds from Jaymar Gimpayan; eight points and seven rebounds from Kenny Roger Rocacurva; and seven points plus seven rebounds from Alvin Baetiong.
Meanwhile, Valenzuela trounced Imus, 107-88, in the opener.
Trailing, 7-18, the Valenzuela Classics struck back through Fil-AM CJ Payawal, who poured 15 points, Dennis Santos and Allan Richard Martin to take control at the half, 50-41, en route to a 5-3 card.
Payawal wou nd up with 20 points and four rebounds; while Santos, who sparked a 14-point cluster that pushed Valenzuela beyond reach, 95-69, finished with 18 points, four rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks.
Martin notched 14 points; Mike Delos Santos pooled 10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals plus three blocks; and Jameson Hiro chipped in 10 points for the Classics, who drew 12 assists and two points from Valandre Chauca.
Imus Agimat VA Drones suffered its seventh straight defeat despite the 17-point, 12-rebound effort of Luis Tapenio; the 16-point, eight-rebound output of Filipino-American Richard Popovic, and the 15-point, five-rebound contribution of John Rey Sumido.
The MPBL goes to the Cuneta Astrodome on Tuesday, May 14, with a triple bill pitting Quezon City against Rizal at 4 p.m., South Cotabato against Negros at 6 p.m. and Iloilo against Pasay at 8 p.m.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Tyson Fury’s father John was seen with blood gushing from his forehead on Monday after a video seemed to show him butting a member of Oleksandr Usyk’s camp in the build-up to Saturday’s undisputed world heavyweight clash in Riyadh.
The incident took place at the hotel hosting Monday’s pre-fight media day and was quickly broken up by security.
Footage shared on X appeared to show John Fury go eyeball-to-eyeball with a man wearing an Usyk team tracksuit before lashing out at him with his head.
The 59-year-old was later seen with a cut forehead and two streams of blood pouring down his face, either side of his nose.
Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, John Fury said: “They were disrespecting my son, the best ever heavyweight to wear a pair of boxing gloves.
“Coming out with all that rubbish, in my face, trying to be clever.
“Coming into my space, ‘Usyk, Usyk’, nobody is bothering with them, I was only chanting my own son’s name.
“So they stepped closer and stepped closer and at the end of it I am a warrior, that is what we do.
“If you come in the space, you are going to get what is coming.”
His son, Tyson Fury, was not present when the incident occurred.
“I didn’t see anything, I was in the room doing interviews, but I’m not here for all that, I’m here to get the job done and go home and rest,” said the World Boxing Council heavyweight titleholder.
Saudi authorities said that no charges have been filed regarding the incident at present.
But Alexander Krassyuk, the promoter of Tyson Fury’s Ukrainian opponent Usyk, told Sky that John Fury should apologise for his actions.
“It would be nice if we hear some apologies from John because it was his behavior,” said Krassyuk.
“We are the example for the world, the whole world is watching us and new generations, kids, are taking us as examples.
“What will they see from this? What will they make of this?
“Of course there is going to be some rush on the internet but it is up to him if he wants to apologize, it is up to him.”
Fury and Usyk face off in the Saudi capital on Saturday with the winner able to become the first unified champion of boxing’s four-belt era.