Austin relishes second basketball life as part of Gilas
View comments Read Next “Each day is a new day for me to get better somehow, some way.”Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparc Break new ground End of his agony? SC rules in favor of Espinosa, orders promoter heirs to pay boxing legend SEA Games 2019: No surprises as Gilas Pilipinas cruises to basketball gold PLAY LIST 06:27SEA Games 2019: No surprises as Gilas Pilipinas cruises to basketball gold00:50Trending Articles01:45Explosive Gilas Pilipinas not yet at its best, says Tim Cone02:14Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard02:56NCRPO pledges to donate P3.5 million to victims of Taal eruption00:56Heavy rain brings some relief in Australia02:37Calm moments allow Taal folks some respite03:23Negosyo sa Tagaytay City, bagsak sa pag-aalboroto ng Bulkang Taal01:13Christian Standhardinger wins PBA Best Player award Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. LATEST STORIES And if there’s one thing his sickness taught him, it’s to take every single minute with a renewed passion. “I wasn’t even supposed to be playing basketball so it’s a second go around for me,” said Austin Thursday at Meralco gym. “It’s a second go-around for me so I take every day very seriously.”FEATURED STORIESSPORTSRedemption is sweet for Ginebra, Scottie ThompsonSPORTSMayweather beats Pacquiao, Canelo for ‘Fighter of the Decade’SPORTSFederer blasts lack of communication on Australian Open smog“I know what it’s like to have the game of basketball taken away from you so I’m not taking anything for granted.”Austin averaged 12.1 points, 6.9 boards, and 2.4 blocks per game in his time with Baylor and these types of numbers was what attracted the likes of Chot Reyes to take notice of the 7-footer. End of his agony? SC rules in favor of Espinosa, orders promoter heirs to pay boxing legend A costly, catty dispute finally settled ONE: Eustaquio won’t let foe use him as stepping stone MOST READ OSG plea to revoke ABS-CBN franchise ‘a duplicitous move’ – Lacson A costly, catty dispute finally settled Winning start Learning about the ‘Ring of Fire’ Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.netIsaiah Austin had the sad reality of never realizing his NBA dream after Marfan Syndrome sidelined him for two years. More than three years after the NBA selected him as an honorary player, Austin gets to wear the Philippine colors as part of Gilas Pilipinas. ADVERTISEMENT It’s too early to present Duterte’s ‘legacy’ – Lacson
12-year old Reggie Brown of MFA during the official farewell match at the Blue Field (Photo Credit: MFA).Reggie Brown, a 12-year-old player of the Monrovia Football Academy, has become the first player of the academy to depart Liberia for the United States for new academic and football opportunities.Reggie is one of the talented kids at the academy who featured for the MFA in the youth tournament organized by Sackaesamoseh Football Academy at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium.MFA won the U12 category after defeating Lion FC in a penalty shootout, having eliminated Discoveries FC 5-1 in their first match.According to the MFA, Reggie’s father Winston Browne approached the MFA management to explore whether the academy could facilitate Reggie’s transition to the United States. Reggie’s mother Tracy Sims currently lives in Providence, USA.Following a series of negotiations, the Academy, according to a release, has created a major academic and football opportunity for Reggie in Providence. Upon arrival, Reggie will join Bayside FC, the Providence-based affiliate to the New England Revolution, free-of-charge.In addition, Reggie will begin academic tutoring classes and additional football training sessions with Project GOAL, a FIFA Football for Hope Award Recipient in 2018. He will begin his academic work in a public school, but the Academy will help him win a scholarship to a local private school for the next academic calendar.Liberia is not renowned when it comes to youth players from academies being provided opportunities to ply their careers abroad. But this has begun to gain momentum recently, with other academies like Nation One doing the same.On Saturday, it was an emotional and inspiring moment for other kids at the academy after a farewell match was played to mark the official sendoff for Reggie.As a talented kid being provided such opportunity, things look up for Reggie. His performance both academically and on the pitch could create a corridor for bigger opportunities. This will also serve as an inspiration for other aspiring kids.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
…asks PPP, Govt to write sick Chairman first…as inquiries into preparedness for early elections stallEven as political parties try to ascertain the Guyana Elections Commission’s readiness for early elections, efforts have hit a stumbling block with Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield declining to meet with party representatives in the National Assembly.The National Assembly’s two Chief Whips: the Opposition’s Gail Teixeira and the Government’s Amna Ally, were supposed to meet with GECOM officials – a decision made during a meeting between Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and President David Granger on Wednesday.However, Teixeira in an interview with Guyana Times said that a meeting with Lowenfield would probably have been better, since a number of technical matters would have been dealt with. However, she noted that Lowenfield deferred toOn medical leave: GECOM Chairman, retired Justice James PattersonGECOM Chairman, retired Justice James Patterson, himself on an extended medical leave.“Lowenfield thought it appropriate we write the Chairman first and get a meeting set up. That’s what (Chief Whip Amna Ally) did as a result. We haven’t gotten a response yet. My view was that this is a technical issue and (we should) get the technical areas from Lowenfield and his secretariat and the operational preparedness,” Teixeira said.Meanwhile, Ally in an interview with the State media stated that Lowenfield did not have a difficulty in meeting with them. But nevertheless, he still requested that they seek out Patterson.“This, I did, speedily yesterday (Thursday) afternoon and the letter has been dispatched to the Chairman of the Elections Commission as well as the Chief Elections Officer, requesting a meeting to have us briefed on the matter of GECOM’s preparedness for elections,” Ally was quoted saying.“Whether we are to have elections within 90 days (or) whether we are going toGECOM CEO Keith Lowenfieldhave elections after. I cannot anticipate them. Whatever the Commission tells us, then we are going to be in a position to brief our principal on the status quo of GECOM in terms of preparedness for the elections,” the Social Protection Minister added.It was announced recently that Patterson had had his medical leave extended, even as the three-month deadline mandated by the Constitution for elections after a successful no-confidence vote approaches and preparations are at a standstill.Patterson, who was recovering after being hospitalised last month, was expected to return to GECOM on Tuesday to host a statutory meeting. On Tuesday, the Commission revealed that Patterson did not return as scheduled and in fact, it had received an extension of his medical leave.According to a statement, Patterson is recovering but has been advised by his doctors to take additional rest to ensure full recovery. The statement added that “the Chairman will provide further updates on his resumption”.Contacted on Tuesday last, GECOM Public Relations Officer (PRO)Yolanda Warde revealed that the statutory meeting would be postponed until Patterson returned. She also said that GECOM has to wait on the executive before beginningGovernment Chief Whip Amna Allyits election preparations.The no-confidence motion brought by the parliamentary Opposition – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – against the Government succeeded when Charrandas Persaud, a former Alliance For Change (AFC) parliamentarian, broke ranks and made a conscience vote in favour of the motion.With the Government’s defeat, the next steps are spelt out in the Constitution of Guyana. Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states: “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.” Meanwhile, clause 7 goes on to state that “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported byOpposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeiranot less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.” Government has gone from promising to respect the vote to denying the vote’s validity on grounds that include an argument that 34 should have been a majority vote in the 65-seat Parliament. A court case has been filed seeking, among other things, a stay of the elections pending a ruling. The Opposition Leader has already warned that if elections are not facilitated within 90 days and there is no parliamentary agreement to extend this time, Guyana will have in place an unconstitutional government.
Listen again to everyone’s favourite part of the talkSPORT week.
2 Right-backs:Rumours have been quiet bar a link to USA defender DeAndre Yedlin, who shone at the World Cup. Speculation has indicated he will link up with the Reds for a trial during their pre-season tour of the States. But with more pressing concerns in other positions it appears Rodgers may put his faith in Johnson and Flanagan despite the reservations of supporters.ATTACKIt’s no secret why Liverpool need to seek immediate reinforcements here. Last season they thrilled fans up and down the country with their gung-ho attitude led by the devastatng Luis Suarez. But with the main man gone and the replacements brought in so far lacking his level of stardust, there remains work to be done. Current options:There is certainly no lack of options up front and many believe that Daniel Sturridge will now relish taking on extra responsibility in the wake of Suarez’s departure.In support he will have the likes of Loic Remy, who is set to sign for £8.5m and Rickie Lambert as ‘out-and-out’ strikers. Raheem Sterling and Lazar Markovic will offer support out wide, while Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho can offer creativity behind the front three.None of them possess the world class talent of Suarez, though. There is a feeling that while the Uruguay star is irreplaceable, Liverpool need a marquee signing.The targets:They missed out on Alexis Sanchez, but Borussia Dortmund’s brilliant forward Marco Reus has been linked with a move to Anfield and that will certainly get supporters eagerly awaiting the new season.Despite operating mainly from the flanks, Reus has netted 42 goals in 90 appearances for Dortmund and boasts seven goals in 21 Germany caps. The 25-year-old was a key part of Joachim Low’s squad in the build up to the World Cup but was cruelly denied a spot in Brazil by injury. He might not be Suarez but Reus certainly has world class talent and would bolster Liverpool’s frontline immeasurably. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers 2 2 Transfer window verdict: 7/10 Had Liverpool kept Luis Suarez many would be singing the club’s praises for a pro-active approach to the transfer market. They have brought in well established Premier League players such as Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert, while the imminent arrivals of Loic Remy and Dejan Lovren also boast experience on these shores. New boy Emre Can looked classy on his debut against Preston in pre-season despite picking up an injury and another arrival Lazar Markovic starred for Benfica last year. However, all of this pales in comparison to Suarez’s importance and his exit combined with a lack of defensive additions means Brendan Rodgers needs to continue scouting the market for more recruits. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has been attempting to build a big enough squad to handle Champions League football and challenge for the title again.Here, talkSPORT looks at the transfer business so far and assesses where there is still room for improvement.Who they’ve signed:Adam LallanaRickie LambertLazar MarkovicEmre CanWhere they need to strengthen:DEFENCEBoth full-back positions leave a lot to be desired and Rodgers is in dire need of finding some fresh faces.Current options:Right-back Glen Johnson proved at the World Cup he is never going to be dependable enough and he could be easily found out in the Champions League, meaning an upgrade should be considered a necessity.On the left, Jose Enrique’s pedigree is more difficult to assess after his season was ravaged by injury. Jon Flanagan – typically a right-back – deputised brilliantly in an uncustomary position but if the Spaniard cannot prove his fitness, persisting with the young England man is not a viable option if Liverpool want to challenge for honours.The targets:Left-backs:Sevilla are driving a hard bargain over Alberto Moreno while Swansea’s Ben Davies is set to reject Anfield in favour of an £8m move to Tottenham.However, there are other targets such as Ajax and Netherlands star, Daley Blind and Chelsea’s Ryan Bertrand. Manchester United and Barcelona are known admirers of the former but if Rodgers could beat them to the punch, it would send out a real statement of intent. Meanwhile, the latter has shown flashes of potential during his time at Stamford Bridge and could benefit from working with a manager not afraid to trust in young talent.
Gabriel Batistuta was a formidable striker in his day, netting 300 goals for club and country, and is still yet to be surpassed as Argentina’s record goalscorer. It’s no easy task trying to decide on his best ever goals, but somebody has done it and we’re very grateful to them!
1 Daniel Ginczek and Joe Hart Manchester City fans will have reason for concern as the new Premier League season creeps ever closer, after the Citizens were beaten 4-2 in a pre-season friendly against Stuttgart on Saturday.City fielded the likes of Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Raheem Sterling, Wilfried Bony and Joe Hart but the Bundesliga side put Manuel Pellegrini’s men to the sword with four first half goals at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.Kelechi Iheanacho and wantaway striker Edin Dzeko pulled goals back for City.Missed the action? Catch all six goals below!Filip Kostic opened the scoring with a fine finish:Daniel Divadi doubled Stuttgart’s lead, slotting through Hart’s legs:Daniel Ginczek make it 3-0 with City’s defence nowhere to be seen:Ginczek grabbed his second with more suspect City defending:Iheanacho pulled one back for the Premier League side, Sterling with the assist:Dzeko made it 4-2 after more clever play from Sterling, but City fans will be concerned ahead of the opening weekend of the Premier League:
Louis van Gaal Louis van Gaal admits his Manchester United players have driven him to boredom and anger at times this season.Van Gaal’s future as United boss will be thrown into question again on Tuesday if his team fail to win at Newcastle.United ended an eight-match winless run by defeating Swansea nine days ago and then followed that victory up with another triumph in the FA Cup against Sheffield United.Those wins have merely papered over the cracks, however. The pressure is still on Van Gaal because of the often dull and uninspiring performances of his team.Paul Scholes branded United’s style of play “boring” earlier this season and following Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Legue One opposition, the former club great claimed both Van Gaal and his players looked “bored” during the third round tie.Van Gaal has been at odds with Scholes for much of his 18-month spell at the club, but on Monday the 64-year-old conceded some of the football on display at Old Trafford this season has been rather dull.“There are matches that I have enjoyed,” Van Gaal said.“And there are also matches where I’m very bored or angry because we are not disorganising our opponent’s defence but that is football.”Van Gaal railed at the suggestion that his primary aim is to stifle the opposition, rather than attack.“Do you know that,” Van Gaal snapped during an edgy press conference at Carrington.“I am not concerned (about defending more than attacking).“At this moment we have a lack of creativity and you can see that but they have done it (played well in the past) so they can do it.”So why, after spending over a quarter of a billion pounds on new players, can Van Gaal not inspire his team to perform well on a regular basis?Is it because he refuses to come to the touchline in matches to bark orders at his players like Sir Alex Ferguson did?“I’m not Sir Alex, as you know,” said Van Gaal, who has rarely come to the touchline to speak to his players during his spell at the club.“Everybody is different and I don’t believe in yelling from the sidelines. I believe in communication during the week, during the preparation and I believe in my players who have to perform.“It’s very difficult because of the noise.“A lot of managers are (yelling from the sidelines) but I doubt if they have real influence.” 1
AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREGift Box shows no rust in San Antonio Stakes win at Santa Anita160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! PICO RIVERA – Between the spreading ground basins along the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel rivers, stretches of brown, barren land are set to become prime recreational areas in a city with little open space left for park land. This week, work will start on the second phase of the Paseo Del Rio Multiuse Project, which will use about $2 million in state and county funding to create bike paths, walking trails and a rest area in the areas between the spreading basins. The work, which is expected to take nine months to complete, also will include adding landscaping and interpretive signage and building improved access paths into the areas. “We are finally doing something about these areas that we have driven by for years and just taken for granted,” said Pico Rivera City Councilman Ron Beilke. “We hope it will bring a whole new aspect of life to Pico Rivera.” Phase one of the project, which also used $2 million in state and county funds, was completed in 2002. In that phase, work crews installed fences and planted drought-resistant native plants. The actual spreading grounds will remain untouched during construction of the second phase of the project. The 600-acre spreading grounds are crucial to the area, as they prevent flooding and also help recharge vital groundwater for the area. But the areas between the spreading grounds are an untapped recreational resource, officials said. “Most of Pico Rivera is built out, so we want to create a place that is conducive to groups walking, people riding bikes and sitting and enjoying the vistas,” said Ray Chavez, manager for the Del Rio project. The Los Angeles County Flood Control District, which has jurisdiction over the spreading grounds, will design, engineer and construct the project. The city will maintain the project once it’s completed, including handling graffiti removal, trail sweeping and general maintenance. After all the work is done, officials plan to add new bike lanes on Mines Avenue, allowing residents to ride or walk from one river recreation area to the other. “We eventually want it all to connect, to have a total rejuvenation of open space and green areas,” said Chavez. debbie.pfeiffer@sgvn.com (562) 698-0955, Ext. 3028
Letterkenny 24/7 NewsThe main club event of the year took place last weekend in Gartan. The race was kindly sponsored by Stateside Restaurant Letterkenny.The sprint event consisted of a 750m lake swim, 20km cycle into Foxhall and back with a 5km run around the grounds of the activity centre.With 141 competitors, the numbers were up on previous years.The fine day helped both with the organisation of the event and the enjoyment of the competitors and spectators. Club volunteers and outside volunteers made sure the event passed off smoothly, and the organisational skills of race director Aidan Callaghan ensured that everyone enjoyed the event.Donegal is lucky to have a venue such as Gartan and the staff at Gartan Outdoor Educational Centre, especially Sean McCrudden, were as always very accommodating.The County Council are also to be thanked for carrying out remedial work on the lower road which helped with parking.There were some notable club performances.Adam Speer placing fifth in his first race coming back after injury, John Conaghan finishing 11th and first in his age group after completing the Iron man in Lanzarote and Christine Russell finishing third in her first adult sprint race.There were also some impressive debut performances with many new members moving from the ranks of participators to racers. The race itself was dominated by Rhodri Jones, from Triangle Triathlon Club, who broke the course record in a time of 59.53 with impressive times for all three disciplines.Other races included the Furey Insurance Buncrana 5k road race, the Try a Tri in Athy in which Kevin Connolly came first and the Derry City Marathon.Further afield Brendan Murphy did his first Olympic Marathon in London in a very impressive debut time of 2.18.The main race next weekend is the Crooked Lake Sprint Triathlon in Camlough, Newry. It will have a sizeable club entry because it is a National Series race and also a National Championship race.Training continues as follows:Monday Gartan Boathouse at 6.15pm.Tuesday Aura track at 7.45pm.Wednesday Aura pool at 8pm.Thursday Bike time trial or brick session at Foxhall at 7pm.ResultsLetterkenny Sprint Triathlon> 1 Rhodri Jones 59.53> 2 Aaron Deabe 1.01.29> 3 Alvaro San Miquel 1.02.25> 5 Adam Speer 1.03.28> 6 Nicholas Fowell 1.05.22> 8 Hugh Gallagher 1.05.57> 11 John Conaghan 1.07.04> 15Keith Mcclean relay team 1.08.00 1st relay team> 16 Maeve Maher McWilliams 1.08.29 1st female> 18 Ben George 1.09.16> 20 Ann Paul 1.09.45 2nd female> 22 Christine Russell 1.10.04 3rd female> 27 John McCarron 1.11.04> 28 Donagh OSullivan 1.11.05> 29 Paul Dillon 1.11.12> 30 Padraic Mitchell 1.11.26> 38 Paul Ogara 1.12.34> 39 Kirsty McElwaine 1.12.47 5th female> 40 Tony Bonar 1.12.50> 45 Brian Sweeney 1.13.46> 51 Adrian McGettigan 1.14.20> 55 Jarlath Duffy 1.14.50> 59 Annagry Pharmacy 1.15.44 2nd relay team> 60 Karl Sweeeny 1.15.45> 67 Bronagh OGara 1.17.49 9th female> 68 Gavin Harris 1.17.49> 69 Clara Quigley 1.18.28 10th female> 75 Hugo Daly 1.19.35> 79 Paul Lynch 1.20.29> 83 Michael McMenamin 1.21.06> 88 Kevin Hennessy 1.22.12> 91 Charles Gildea 1.22.33> 92 Patrick Patton 1.22.36> 98 Ciaran Liddy 1.24.32> 101 Stephen Sweeney 1.25.05> 103 Julie McGeehan 1.26.14 13th female> 127 Lucy Handy 1.34.20 20th female> 132 Sean McAuliffee 1.42.32> 136 Stephen Mcfarland 1.49.04>> Furey Insurance Buncrana 5km race> 49 Gavin Crawford 18.02.18> 50 Paul Dillon 18.02.50 (pb)> 52 Mark Hunter 18.02.60 (pb)> 159 Brendan Boyce 22.55.76>> Derry City Marathon> 113 Adrian Callaghan 3.21.00> 167 Martin Donnelly 3.28.08> 224 Brian Ward 3.34.07> 249 Clint Doherty 3.35.09> 258 Gavin Hunter 3.36.05> 282 Seamus Nallen 3.38.13> 878 Orla Nallen 4.22.22ATHLETICS NEWS: RHODRI JONES WINS THE LETTERKENNY SPRINT TRIATHLON was last modified: June 4th, 2014 by John2Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Tags:athleticsNoticesSport