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Steph Curry powers Team USA for a Gold Medal Finish Against France (98 – 87)

August 11, 2024

The USA Men’s Basketball team, led by Steph Curry, has won the Olympic gold medal at the 5×5 Basketball tournament. Curry scored a team-high 24 points, making 8-of-12 shots from the three-point line, and added 5 assists. Teammates Booker and Durant each scored 15 points apiece, while LeBron James contributed 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists. James was also awarded the tournament’s MVP.

It was a dramatic finish for the Americans, as France mounted a comeback by scoring 7 straight points, cutting the United States’ 14-point lead to a single possession game, thanks to a Wembanyama tip-in. But then Steph Curry showcased his greatness with a dagger three-pointer, defended by two French players. He then celebrated with his trademark “Night night” gesture while returning on defense.

Victor Wembanyama led the French team with 26 points but lacked his usual defensive presence compared to the semi-finals against Germany. Guerschon Yabusele added 20 points for France, while no other player scored more than 9 points. Considering the number of young French players entering the NBA, future Olympic medal games could become regular showdowns between the USA, France, and Serbia.

Steph Curry lead Team USA in a come-from-behind win over Serbia, advances to the Finals of the Menโ€™s Olympic Basketball (95-91)

August 9, 2024

A Steph Curry exploding for 36 points, Lebron James triple-double and a 19-point game from Joel Embiid proved too much for Serbia to overcome, despite leading the game for the first three quarters (76-63). At one point, Serbia was ahead by as much as 17 points and seemed to be hitting every shot, especially from the 3-point line.

Bogdan Bogdanovic led the Serbian national team with 20 points, while Nikola Jokic added 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists. Aleksa Avramovic scored 15 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. However, as a team, they shot 38.5% from the 3-point line, especially in the final period when their shots started to miss.

As much offensive firepower as Team USA possessed, it was their defense that secured the win. Trailing by 13 points entering the fourth quarter, Team USA clamped down on Serbia, allowing just 15 points in the quarter after surrendering an average of 25.33 points in the first three quarters. Embiid and James made several stops that led to 9 fast-break points, and it was the bench players who helped turn the game around for the Americans.

Steph Curry led the team with 36 points and 8 rebounds, falling just one point short of tying Carmelo Anthony’s 37-point record at the 2012 London Olympics. LeBron James contributed 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, his second triple-double in the Olympics. The “crowd-favorite,” Joel Embiid, scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting.

Team USA will face Team France in the gold medal game this Saturday, August 10th, while Serbia will play Germany for the bronze medal.

Kevin Durant passes Lisa Leslie as the USA’s All-Time Leading Scorer in the Olympics

August 7, 2024

Kevin Durant is now the all-time highest scorer in United States Olympic basketball history, passing Lisa Leslie’s record of 488 points. Durant’s total Olympic points is 494 points. KD lead Team USA in bagging the gold medal in 2012 London Games, 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and the 2020 Tokyo Games. He averages nearly 20.6 points in three Olympics.

This is what KD said regarding the record and emphasis that winning a gold medal in Paris is more important.

Lisa Leslie also gave Durant his flowers for passing her in the USA’s All-Time Leading Scorer list.

Kevin Durant is currently the 8th post for the scoring leading in Olympic basketball history and have a chance to the move to the top 5 of the All-Time Olympics Scorer. Assuming that Team USA will advance to the Gold Medal Game, KD just need to average 18 points for the next two games to over take Argentinian national team legend Manu Ginobili is fifth with 523 points.

The leading All-Time Olympics Scorer is Brazilian basketball legend Oscar Schmidt (1,093 points), he did it in 5 Olympic Games.

Semi-Finals Bracket for the 2024 Paris Menโ€™s Olympic Basketball Tournament

August 7, 2024

We are now down to 4 teams, this sets up the Semi-Finals Bracket for the 2024 Paris Menโ€™s Olympic Basketball Tournament.

Semi-Finals of the 2024 Paris Menโ€™s Olympic Basketball Tournament

  • USA versus Serbia
  • France versus Germany

How they got here?

Team USA are undefeated (4-0) and have been winning with an average 24.75 points margin. It be a rematch against Serbia, a team they played and defeated in the Group games. Serbia on the other hand, after getting the “L” from Team USA went undefeated including an overtime win against Australia in the quarter-finals. Serbia will try and avenge their loss as they try to win and eliminate Team USA in their coming rematch.

France with only one loss, advances to the semis after defeating/eliminating Canada – the second team that has the most NBA players in their roster. Spurs Rookie Victor Wembanyama was a defensive problem for the Canadians, grabbing 12 rebounds with 3 steals and this monster block on Dillon Brooks.

Germany, just like Team USA, are also undefeated, even after facing Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Greeks in the knock-out games.

Every semi-finals games of the 2024 Paris Menโ€™s Olympic Basketball Tournament will be this Thursday, August 8th at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France.

Team USA steamrolled Brazil to advance to the semifinals of the Men’s Basketball Paris Olympics (122 – 87)

August 7, 2024

Team USA advanced to the semifinals of the Men’s Basketball Paris Olympics after they defeated Brazil in the quarter finals.

The game which was decided by the end of first half after the Americans went on a 15-0 run finishing a dominant second quarter. In the second half, Team USA was never threatened as Brazil’s National Team could not cut the deficit to below 20 points.

Score by Quarter

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr Total
USA 33 30 31 28 122
BRA 21 15 35 16 87

It was a team effort for the Americans, with six players scoring in double digits. Led by Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker with 18 points, Team USA was followed by Anthony Edwards’ 17 points and 5 rebounds. Kevin Durant scored 11 points off the bench and passed Lisa Leslie (488) for most points all-time in USA Olympic history.

Game Stats via FIBA

Brazil led by Bruno Caboclo scored 30 points with 6 rebounds, Georginho De Paula added 15 points and 8 rebounds. No other Brazil players scored more than 9 points. Team USA will face Serbia in the semis this Thursday, August 7th.

Carlos Yulo Wins Second Gold Medal in the Artistic Gymnastics Men’s Vault

August 5, 2024

After bagging the gold medal for the Menโ€™s Floor Exercise, Carlos Yulo took home the gold medal for the Artistic Gymnastics Men’s Vault.

Carlo Yulo scored a convincing 15.116 points, over Armenian Artur Davtan’s 14.966 (silver) and the 14.949 (bronze) of Harry Hepworth from UK.

“Last night I couldnโ€™t sleep. This morning I was so sleepy.. I slept in the bus, I slept after the podium training.” Carlos Yulo said. “I slept before going to the competition area… But I did it today.”

Carlos Yulo’s first vault was a standout, earning a 15.433 points. With a top-tier difficulty score of 6.000, he flawlessly executed a handspring double front half out in pike position, setting a high bar for the competition.

His second attempt, a Kasamatsu double twist, was slightly less perfect, but he managed to control his landing and scored a respectable 14.800 points. Yuloโ€™s final score of 15.116 points is more than enough for him to take home the gold medal.

Here’s the Quarter-Finals Bracket for the 2024 Paris Menโ€™s Olympic Basketball Tournament

August 4, 2024

Now that the group stage is done, the Quarter-Finals for the 2024 Paris Menโ€™s Olympic Basketball Tournament are now set.

As the top seed, Team USA has drawn the most favorable matchup, playing against Brazil, which only has one NBA player on its roster.

The first game will be between Serbia and Australia, followed by USA versus Brazil. On the other side of the bracket, Germany will face Greece, and the host country, France, will take on Canada.

Aside from Team USA, Team Canada has the second-most NBA players with 10.

The Quarter-finals will be on August 6th at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France.

Team USA Sweeps Group Games after a convincing victory over Puerto Rico (104 – 83)

August 4, 2024

Team USA advances to quarter finals of the men’s 5 x 5 basketball tournament after defeating Puerto Rico in their last group game. The win also earn the USA men’s basketball team the top seed giving them the best possible matchup in the Olympic knockout games.

Six Team USA players scored in double figures lead by Anthony Edwards’ 26 points, Joel Embiid added 15 points and Kevin Durant chipped in 11 points and 4 rebounds. The game was highlighted by Edwards’ windmill jam early in the 4th qtr.

No other Puerto Rico player scored more than 10 points aside from Pelican’s Jose Alvarado with 18 points, Ismael Romero with his 12 points and 10 rebounds. Then Aleem Ford with his 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Team USA will face Brazil in the Quarter finals this 6th of Aug at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France.

Carlos Yulo bags Philippines’ First Gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics

August 4, 2024

Carlos Edriel Yulo etched his name in Philippine sports history by clinching the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in Artistic Gymnastics Men’s Floor Exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Yulo defeated Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat (silver) with a score of 14.966 points and Jake Jarman of Great Britain (bronze) with 14.933 points. Yulo’s score was 15.000 points, a mere 0.067 points difference between the bronze and gold medal.

Yulo’s gold medal is the Philippines’ second Olympic gold medal since Hidilyn Diaz won the weightlifting gold in the previous Tokyo Olympics. The Filipino gymnast still has a chance to win another medal for the Philippines as he is set to compete in the Men’s Vault Finals.

Team USA cruises past South Sudan, Qualifies for Quarterfinals (103 – 86)

August 1, 2024

Just like in their first game, Team USA demolishes their opponent showing no signs that they almost lost their exhibition game against the South Sudan Men’s National Basketball Team.

Led by Bam Adebayo’s 25 points and 7 rebounds, with both Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis adding 17 points apiece, the game was decided in the first half. Team USA went on a 25-4 run that started at the 5:30 mark of the 1st quarter, where the Americans trailed by 2 points, and ended at 8:07 of the 2nd quarter (33-14), building a 19-point lead en route to victory.

But the Sudanese stayed on course and was able to cut the 19-point lead to just 10 points in the 3rd period, thanks to the hot shooting of Nuni Omot (24 points) and Bul Kuol (16), both players made a combined 7 three-point shot out of the 10 that they shot. Aside from Omot and Kuol, South Sudan also got a lot of help from Carlik Jones, scoring 18 points and dishing out 7 assists.

Team USA will play against Puerto Rico, their last opponent for the group games, while South Sudan will face Serbia.

Team USA Routs Serbia Behind Durant’s Near-Perfect Game (110-84)

July 29, 2024

Team USA routed Serbia in their first group game at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kevin Durant delivered a near-flawless performance with 23 points, shooting 8-of-9 from the field, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. LeBron James added 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists.

It was a basketball clinic by the Americans, firing on all cylinders. Offensively, they shot 62% from the field, made more than half of their 3-point attempts, and tallied 24 assists. On the defensive end, Team USA recorded 3 blocks, 9 steals, and 39 rebounds. The team also forced Serbia into 13 turnovers, converting 25 points from those turnovers.

Nikola Jokic led Serbia with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 14 points and 6 rebounds. Serbia kept the game close in the first half, but the Americans pulled away when Serbia’s outside shooting cooled down. They made only 9 of their 37 attempts from beyond the arc.

Team USA will have a rematch with South Sudan, while Serbia will face Puerto Rico on July 31st.

WNBA secures $2.2 Billion Media Rights Deals with the Walt Disney Company, Amazon Prime Video and NBC Universal

July 25, 2024

The WNBA has secured a groundbreaking 11-year media rights deal with The Walt Disney Company, Amazon Prime Video, and NBC Universal. This partnership will significantly increase the visibility of women’s basketball, with more games broadcast across multiple platforms. The 11-year media rights is reported to be worth $2.2 Billion or $200 million per year.

The new deal will start in 2026, WNBA fans can expect to see over 125 regular season and playoff games each year. Disney will air 25 regular-season games on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, while NBCU will broadcast 50 regular-season games on NBC, USA Network, and Peacock. Amazon Prime Video will stream 30 regular-season games globally.

Disney will broadcast two first-round series each year, while NBCU and Prime Video will each air one. The Semifinals and Finals will rotate over the 11-year deal, with Disney airing more Finals and NBCU and Prime Video airing more Semifinals.

Additionally, Disney platforms will continue to telecast all events from WNBA All-Star, including the All-Star Game, and the WNBA Draft, while Prime Video will continue to stream the Championship Game of the WNBA Commissionerโ€™s Cup presented by Coinbase. Prime Video Channels will be the global channels store destination for WNBA League Pass, the WNBAโ€™s subscription service for streaming live and on-demand games, in the U.S. and internationally.

Included in the deals, is the potential for WNBA and Media Partners to review and reevaluate the rights fees after three years, giving the league the chance to receive more money.

This announcement comes on the heels of a record-breaking season for the WNBA, with increased viewership, attendance, and merchandise sales. The league is also expanding with new teams in San Francisco/Bay Area and Toronto. With the current crop of WNBA rookies like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink, and with the influx of generational talent from the college ranks like Paige Bueckers and Juju Watkins, that $2.2 Billion could be a very good deal.

Team USA defeats Germany, sweeping the USA Basketball Showcase (92 – 88)

July 23, 2024

Team USA defeats Germany to remain undefeated in all of their 5 exhibition games. It was a close game down the stretch where the Germans were able to cut the 7-point USA lead to just a 3-point deficit (87-84) via Daniel Theis’ alley-oop.

But that’s when LeBron James went to work and scored the next 5 points for Team USA, giving them an 8-point cushion heading into the final 45 seconds of the game.

Like in the previous games, 39-year-old LeBron James carried Team USA with 20 points playing just 18 minutes. He also added 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Joel Embiid added 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, but more than his offensive contribution, he was a monster on the defensive end. His block on Issac Bonga led to a monster slam by Anthony Edwards.

Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner led Germany with 17 points and 8 rebounds, while Andreas Obst added 17, including five 3-pointers.

โ€œI think we can get a lot better,โ€ U.S. Coach Steve Kerr said. โ€œWeโ€™re getting to a place now where we are comfortable with rotations and I think guys are getting familiar with each other. But we can do a lot of things better. I thought our passing was not great tonight. They put a lot of defensive pressure on us and we turned it over a few times. I think we can tighten up our game and get better.โ€

Game Highlights

Olympics Menโ€™s Basketball Schedule

Team USA is part of Group C of the 2024 Paris Olympics Menโ€™s Basketball Tournament Groupings and they will open the tournament against Serbia on Sunday (28th July), then have a rematch with South Sudan on July 31st, and their last game to wrap up group play will be against Puerto Rico on August 3rd.

PBA to implement 4-point shot for Season 49

July 23, 2024

In an attempt to make the games more exciting and engaging, Asia’s first professional basketball league will introduce the “four-point shot” from beyond a 27-foot arc.

PBA previously adopted the “four-point shot” but it was during a PBA All-Star Games, but with this announcement, it’ll be in official games.

Newly elected vice chairman Alfrancis Chua said that it will minimize zone defense, defense need to come out and it will speed up the games.

“Nagawa na natin ito sa All-Star Game. With this rule, mababawasan ang zone defense, lalabas ang depensa at mas tutulin ang laro,”

It remain to be seen if the addition of the “four-point shot” will make the game more exciting and in turn increase their ticket sales.

I guess, we’ll just to wait and see.

Source: PBA

Team USA narrowly escape Australia in an exhibition game in Abu Dhabi (98-82)

July 16, 2024

Team USA, composed of some of the greatest basketball players on the planet today, narrowly defeated the Australian National Team. Team USA led by as many as 24 points in the middle of the 3rd quarter (65-41), but the Australians went on a 20-11 run to cut the deficit to just 15 points (76-61) by the end of the period.

Then in the final quarter, Team USA struggled with their shots while the Australians made another run, closing the gap to just 6 points. It appeared the US National Team might lose, but Tyrese Haliburton hit two consecutive three-point shots to secure a 12-point lead, despite Team USA not scoring in almost 4 minutes.

The Australians weren’t finished, managing to cut the lead to just 4 points (90-94) with only 9 seconds remaining in the game.

Anthony Davis led the team with 17 points and 14 rebounds, followed by Devin Booker with 16 points and Anthony Edwards with 14. On the Australia national team, Jock Landale lead the team with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Josh Giddey chipped-in with his 17 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists.

Team USA had six players score in double digits, dominated the boards with 45 rebounds against Australia’s 40, and made 12 three-pointers compared to Australia’s 4. Since this is an exhibition game with no bearing on the Olympic standings, it’s the pride of the US basketball team that’s at stake in these matchups.

Team USA will face the Serbia National Team, led by Nikola Jokic, on July 17th at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Full list of 49th PBA Draft

July 14, 2024

The Season 49 of the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) draft and below is the full list of 2024 PBA Rookie Draft. Just like last year’s draft some of the most popular players who are playing overseas and suited for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 are missing.

Here are a total of 70 applicants for this years draft and below are the 47 players for the 49th PBA Rookie Class;

First Round

  1. Justine Baltazar – Converge
  2. Sedrick Barefield – Blackwater
  3. RJ Abarrientos – Ginebra
  4. Kai Ballungay – Phoenix
  5. Dave Ildefonso – Northport
  6. Jonnel Policarpio – NLEX
  7. Caelan Tiongson – Rain or Shine
  8. Felix Lemetti – Rain or Shine
  9. Jerom Lastimosa – Magnolia
  10. Mark Nonoy – Terrafirma
  11. CJ Cansino – Meralco
  12. Avan Nava – San Miguel

Second Round

  1. Francis Escandor – Rain or Shine
  2. Evan Nelle – NorthPort
  3. CJ Catapusan – Terrafirma
  4. Michael Malonzo – Rain or Shine
  5. Ahmad Hanapi – Ginebra
  6. Brandon Ramirez – NLEX
  7. Pao Javillonar – Converge
  8. Miguel Corteza – Rain or Shine
  9. Ben Phillips – Converge
  10. Paolo Hernandez – Ginebra
  11. Kurt Reyson – Meralco
  12. Jason Credo – Converge

Third Round

  1. Ronan Santos – Converge
  2. Derohn Mitchell – Blackwater
  3. Peter Alfaro – Terrafirma
  4. Calvin Payawal – Phoenix
  5. Agem Miranda – NorthPort
  6. Xyrus Torres – NLEX
  7. Jared Brown – TNT
  8. Darwish Bederi – Rain or Shine
  9. RV Berjay – Magnolia
  10. Paul Garcia – Ginebra
  11. JP Maguliano – Meralco
  12. Abdul Sawat – San Miguel

Fourth Round

1.PASS – Converge
2.Keith Pido – Blackwater
3.PASS – Terrafirma
4.Chino Mosqueda – Phoenix
5.JL Uduba – NorthPort
6.Denzel Wong – NLEX
7.Mark Cruz – TNT
8.PASS – Rain or Shine
10.PASS – Ginebra
11.Jordan Bartlett – Meralco
12.Ralph Robin – San Miguel

Fifth Round

Every one PASS except for 4, 5 and 6;

  1. Patrick Feliciano – Phoenix
  2. Germy Mahinay – NorthPort
  3. Adrian Partosa – NLEX

Sixth Round
Every one PASS except for 4, 5 and 6;

  1. Robbie Darang – NorthPort

2024 Paris Olympics Men’s Basketball Tournament Groupings have been Revealed

July 8, 2024

Now that the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament have concluded and we now have all 12 Basketball teams in 2024 Paris Olympics, know the group of your favorite team and their opponents.

Group A

  1. Australia
  2. Greece
  3. Canada
  4. Spain

Group B

  1. France (hosts)
  2. Germany
  3. Japan
  4. Brazil

Group C

  1. Serbia
  2. South Sudan
  3. Puerto Rico
  4. USA

Winners of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024

July 8, 2024

It’s settled, the teams for the coming 2024 Paris Olympics Basketball tournament are now complete that the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament has concluded with 4 teams emerging from each tournament.

Below are winners for each of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics;

  • For the Greece Tournament, Greece came out on top after Giannis Antetokounmpo led the national team against Luka Doncic and Slovenia national team in the semis then Croatia in the Finals. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a team high of 23 points and 8 rebounds.
  • In the Latvia Tournament, Brazil routs Latvia (94 – 69) displaying a balanced offensive effort, 5 Brazil players scored double-digit points and seven players made at least one or more assists. Bruno Caboclo led the Brazil national team with 21 points and 4 rebounds.
  • In the Puerto Rico leg of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the Puerto Rico National team qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after defeating the European basketball powerhouse Lithuania. Six foot Jose Alvarado, of the New Orleans Pelicans, led the team with 23 points and 6 rebounds, he also shot 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.
  • And last but not the least, the winner of the Spain Tournament of FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament is none other than the host country, Spain, who defeated Bahamas in front their home crowd. Lorenzo Brown led the Spaniards with 18 points and 4 rebounds. He also shot 4 of 5 (80) from the three-point line.

All four teams will head to Paris to joint their respective Olympic tournament groups.

Brazil defeats Gilas Pilipinas, advances to the Finals of FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024

July 7, 2024

Brazil will advance to the Finals of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 and will be one win away to compete at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. They defeated Gilas Pilipinas in a hard-fought 71-60 victory on Saturday, July 6, 2024.

A dominant third quarter sealed the deal for Brazil. Led by Bruno Caboclo’s double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Lucas Dias’ strong showing (10 points and 9 rebounds), they turned the tide. Brazil tightened their defense, limiting Gilas to just 6 points in the third while exploding for 24 of their own.

Gilas Pilipinas was missing the services of big-man Kai Sotto. Additionally, Justin Brownlee’s, the hero of the first two games, was limited to the just 15 points and 8 rebounds. Brownlee averages 27 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists, prior to the Brazil game.

Brazil will face Latvia in the Finals of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024. The winner of this game will claim one of the four remaining spots for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26th, 2024.

Despite the loss, Gilas Pilipinas can hold their heads high. They will surely have another opportunity to compete on the world stage.

Semi-Finals matchup for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024

July 5, 2024

Pairings for the Semi-Finals matchup for the 2024 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers are now complete. Here are the matchups:

Greece Tournament

  • Slovenia vs. Greece
  • Croatia vs. Dominican Republic

Spain Tournament

  • Bahamas vs. Lebanon
  • Finland vs. Spain

Latvia

  • Brazil vs. Philippines
  • Cameroon vs. Latvia

Puerto Rico

  • Puerto Rico vs. Mexico
  • Lithuania vs. Italy

All games are schedule this Saturday, July 6th, except for the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico, which is scheduled on July 7th.

Aside from the Brazil vs. Philippines, which all Pinoy hoopers will be watching, the Slovenia vs. Greece will be worth a watch, since it will feature NBA superstars Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Unlike in the NBA where its a best of 7 games, the semis of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 is a winner take all game.

Luka is averaging a triple-double in the tournament with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists but needs with a playtime of 36.1 mins. While Giannis is averaging 32 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists but only needs to play for 18.2 mins. Giannis will surely increase specially against a fellow NBA Superstar.

Gilas Pilipinas lost to Georgia but Secures Semi-Finals of FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers

July 4, 2024

The Philippine national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, fell to Georgia in a close match during their FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers game on Thursday. Despite the loss, Gilas secured their spot in the Semi-Finals round. Georgia needed a victory by at least 19 points to advance themselves.

Georgia came out strong in the first quarter, going on a dominant 16-0 run. Gilas clawed their way back, but Georgia still held a commanding 20-point lead (40-20) in the second quarter. However, Gilas refused to give up. They closed the gap with a 12-0 run before halftime and carried that momentum into the third quarter. With just 75 seconds remaining in the third period, Gilas even took their first lead of the game at 71-70.

Gilas Pilipinas trailed for most of the fourth. However, they kept the score close, forcing Georgia shot some “hail-mary” threes. Georgia even tried to extend the game to overtime but Goga Bitadze missed a put back on Philippines court, after Chris Newsome missed both of his free throw with just 2.8 seconds remaining in the game.

Just like their game against Latvia, Justin Brownless lead the team with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Followed by Dwight Ramos and CJ Peres who scored 16 points and 14 points, respectively.

On Georgia’s side, even with their contribution, it was not enough for them to carry the team to the next stage of the tournament; Tornike Shengelia (17 points and 7 rebounds), Goga Bitadze (21 points and 9 rebounds), and Sandro Mamukelashvili (26 points and 7 rebounds).

Gilas Pilipinas will either play Brazil or Montenegro from GROUP B.

Gila Pilipinas upset Latvia in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament

July 3, 2024

The Philippines National Basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, kicked off their FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament campaign in dramatic fashion with an upset victory over host nation Latvia on Wednesday. The final score: 89-80.

This is Philippines first win against a European team in an official FIBA competition since 1960, snapping a 64-year winless streak. The victory comes despite the absence of NBA player Jordan Clarkson, highlighting the depth and resilience of the Gilas Pilipinas squad.

Gilas Pilipinas started the game on an 8-0 run, then Latvia made a run at 21-16, but Gilas ended the 1st quarter on a 11-0 run punctuated by a clutch buzzer-beater by CJ Perez.

In the 2nd quarter, Latvia tried to make a run, but both teams managed to cancel each other out by scoring 22 points in the second period. In the second half, Latvia managed to make the game interesting by limiting Gilas to just 12 points in the final quarter. However, the 16-point lead that Gilas built in the first quarter proved too much for Latvia to overcome. The only consolation for the Latvian National Team is that they have already qualified for the semi-finals, unless Gilas wins by 28 points or more.

Justin Brownlee spearheaded Glias’ offense, scoring a game-high 26 points. He also contributed significantly with 9 rebounds and 9 assists, falling just one assist and rebound short of a coveted triple-double.

Brownlee received a lot help from Kai Sotto chipping-in 18 points and 8 rebounds, and 12 points from Dwight Ramos adding 12 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Gilas Head coach Tim Cone expressed surprise at the result, but hopes the team will use this momentum for the rest of the tournament.

Gilas next opponent is Georgia, and a win is crucial for Gilas to progress to the semi-finals and a step closer to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

Game highlights

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese makes the WNBA All-Stars Roster

July 3, 2024

WNBA has announced the 2024 WNBA All-Stars Roster that will face the USA Women’s National Team this coming July 20th, which is one of the main event for the coming WNBA All Star in Phoenix.

The are rookie phenom Caitlin Clark (Indiana) with 700,735 votes, followed by her teammate Aliyah Boston with 618,680 votes, then A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas) with 607,300 and NY Liberty star Breanna Stewart with 424,135 votes. To complete the top 5 fan vote-getters we have Chicago rookie Angel Reese with 381,518 votes.

Here’s the rest of the WNBA All-Stars Roster;

PLAYER TEAM POSITION
Aliyah Boston Indiana Fever Frontcourt
Allisha Gray Atlanta Dream Backcourt
Angel Reese^ Chicago Sky Frontcourt
Arike Ogunbowale Dallas Wings Backcourt
Brionna Jones Connecticut Sun Frontcourt
Caitlin Clark^ Indiana Fever Backcourt
Dearica Hamby Los Angeles Sparks Frontcourt
DeWanna Bonner Connecticut Sun Frontcourt
Jonquel Jones New York Liberty Frontcourt
Kayla McBride Minnesota Lynx Backcourt
Kelsey Mitchell Indiana Fever Backcourt
Nneka Ogwumike Seattle Storm Frontcourt

Aside from the WNBA All Star vs USA Women’s National Team, other events at the WNBA All Star are; 3-Point Contest and the Skills Challenge. The league has yet to announced the participants to these events. Last year, Sabrina Ionescu won the 3-Point Contest, while team mate Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray won the Skills Challenge.

Source: WNBA

Players who got drafted in the Second Round of the 2024 NBA Draft

June 29, 2024

The second round of the 2024 NBA Draft has concluded, making the entire 2024 NBA Draft complete. The second round went by rather quietly, with the biggest story being Bronny James being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. This marks a historic moment, as LeBron James and his eldest son, Bronny James, are now officially teammates.

Aside from Bronny, there were two other noteworthy storylines. First, Kyle Filipowski’s fall to the second round surprised many, as both agents and GMs projected him as a first-round pick. Second, Cam Spencer, drafted by the LA Clippers, joins his brother who was drafted by the LA Lakers two years ago.

Here’s the complete list of the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft;

  1. Raptors draft Jonathan Mogbo (San Francisco)
  2. Jazz draft Kyle Filipowski (Duke)
  3. Bucks draft Tyler Smith (G League Ignite)
  4. Trail Blazers draft Tyler Kolek (Marquette) โ€” Traded to Knicks
  5. Spurs draft Johnny Furphy (Kansas) โ€” Traded to Pacers
  6. Pacers draft Juan Nunez (Ratiopharm Ulm) โ€” Traded to Spurs
  7. Timberwolves draft Bobi Klintman (Cairns) โ€” Reportedly traded to Pistons
  8. Knicks draft Ajay Mitchell (UC Santa Barbara) โ€” Traded to Thunder
  9. Grizzlies draft Jaylen Wells (Washington State)
  10. Trail Blazers draft Oso Ighodaro (Marquette) โ€” Traded to Suns (via Knicks)
  11. 76ers draft Adem Bona (UCLA)

  12. Hornets draft KJ Simpson (Colorado)
  13. Heat draft Nikola Djurisic (KK Mega Basket) โ€” Traded to Hawks (via Heat)
  14. Rockets draft Pelle Larsson (Arizona) โ€” Traded to Heat (via Rockets)
  15. Kings draft Jamal Shead (Houston) โ€” Reportedly traded to Raptors
  16. Clippers draft Cam Christie (Minnesota)
  17. Magic draft Antonio Reeves (Kentucky) โ€” Traded to Pelicans
  18. Spurs draft Harrison Ingram (North Carolina)
  19. Pacers draft Tristen Newton (Connecticut)
  20. Pacers draft Enrique Freeman (Akron)
  21. Knicks draft Melvin Ajinca (Saint-Quentin Basketball) โ€” Traded to Mavericks
  22. Warriors draft Quinten Post (Boston College) โ€” Traded to Thunder, then to Blazers, then to Warriors
  23. Pistons draft Cam Spencer (Connecticut) โ€” Reportedly traded to Grizzlies (via Timberwolves)
  24. Celtics draft Anton Watson (Gonzaga)
  25. Lakers draft Bronny James (USC)

  26. Suns draft Kevin McCullar Jr. (Kansas) โ€” Traded to Knicks
  27. Grizzlies draft Ulrich Chomche (NBA Academy Africa) โ€” Reportedly traded to Raptors (via Timberwolves)
  28. Mavericks draft Ariel Hukporti (MHP Riesen) โ€” Traded to Knicks
  • Suns and 76ers each lost a 2024 Draft second-round pick due to League penalty.

Source: NBA

Who Got Drafted? A Look at the First Round of the 2024 NBA Draft

June 27, 2024

The first day of the 2024 NBA Draft is in the books, and the Lakers did not draft Bronny James, instead they got what can be considered the biggest steal of the draft at #17 – Dalton Knecht, from the University of Tennessee and lead the team producing “21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.6 3s per game while shooting 45.8% from the field and 39.7% from deep.”

For those who were not able to follow the live broadcast here’s the complete list of the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft;

  1. Hawks draft Zaccharie Risacher (JL Bourg-en-Bresse)

  2. Wizards draft Alex Sarr (Perth)
  3. Rockets draft Reed Sheppard (Kentucky)
  4. Spurs draft Stephon Castle (Connecticut)
  5. Pistons draft Ron Holland II (G League Ignite)
  6. Hornets draft Tidjane Salaun (Cholet Basket)
  7. Trail Blazers draft Donovan Clingan (Connecticut)
  8. Spurs draft Rob Dillingham (Kentucky) โ€” Traded to Timberwolves
  9. Grizzlies draft Zach Edey (Purdue)

  10. Jazz draft Cody Williams (Colorado)
  11. Bulls draft Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite)
  12. Thunder draft Nikola Topic (KK Crvena Zvezda)
  13. Kings draft Devin Carter (Providence)
  14. Trail Blazers draft Bub Carrington (Pittsburgh) โ€” Traded to Wizards
  15. Heat draft Kelโ€™el Ware (Indiana)
  16. 76ers draft Jared McCain (Duke)
  17. Lakers draft Dalton Knecht (Tennessee)

  18. Magic draft Tristan da Silva (Colorado)
  19. Raptors draft Jaโ€™Kobe Walter (Baylor)
  20. Cavaliers draft Jaylon Tyson (Cal)
  21. Pelicans draft Yves Missi (Baylor)
  22. Suns draft DaRon Holmes II (Dayton) โ€” Traded to Nuggets
  23. Bucks draft AJ Johnson (Illawarra)
  24. Knicks draft Kyshawn George (Miami) โ€” Traded to Wizards
  25. Knicks draft Pacome Dadiet (Ratiopharm Ulm)

  26. Wizards draft Dillon Jones (Weber State) โ€” Traded to Thunder (via Knicks)
  27. Timberwolves draft Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois)
  28. Nuggets draft Ryan Dunn (Virginia) โ€” Traded to Suns
  29. Jazz draft Isaiah Collier (USC)
  30. Celtics draft Baylor Scheierman (Creighton)

Second day/round of the draft will be tomorrow, Thurs., June 27 at ESPNโ€™s Seaport District Studios in New York.

ICYMI: Boston Celtics Win 2024 NBA Championship

June 23, 2024

After a dominant season, the Boston Celtics are back on top of the NBA mountain. With a convincing 4-1 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals, the Celtics secured their 18th championship title, etching their name in history as the winningest franchise in NBA history.

Jayson Tatum, finally hoisting his first Larry O’Brien trophy, delivered a masterful performance throughout the playoffs, culminating in a phenomenal 31-point, 11-assist and 8 rebounds in the clinching Game 5. Tatum wasn’t alone. Jaylen Brown, the newly crowned Finals MVP, proved himself to be an unstoppable force on both ends of the court, averaging over 23.9 points per game in the Finals series. Then there’s Jrue Holiday, who finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds and Center Kristaps Porzingis who provided the emotional anchor after missing the game 3 and 4 because of a dislocated tendon in his left ankle, he chipped-in five points in 17 minutes.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla deserves all the respects for his leadership throughout the season. After receiving most of the criticism last season due to his lack of coaching experience on the NBA’s biggest stage, this championship win is a remarkable turnaround.

Here are some of the highlights for the Boston Celtics celebrations;

Team USA Womenโ€™s Basketball Roster for 2024 Paris Olympics now Official

June 12, 2024
Team USA Womenโ€™s Basketball Roster for 2024 Paris Olympics now Official

After being leaked a couple of days ago, the official roster for the Team USA Womenโ€™s Basketball for 2024 Paris Olympics have been officially announced.

As previously leaked and now official, below are the official roster of Team USA Womenโ€™s Basketball for 2024 Paris Olympics;

Player WNBA Team Position
Napheesa Collier Minnesota Lynx Forward
Kahleah Copper Phoenix Mercury Guard/Forward
Chelsea Gray Las Vegas Aces Guard
Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury Center
Sabrina Ionescu New York Liberty Guard
Jewell Loyd Seattle Storm Guard
Kelsey Plum Las Vegas Aces Guard
Breanna Stewart New York Liberty Forward
Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury Guard
Alyssa Thomas Connecticut Sun Forward
A’ja Wilson Las Vegas Aces Forward/Center
Jackie Young Las Vegas Aces Guard/Forward

USA Womenโ€™s National Team head coach Cheryl Reeve with the assistance of Kara Lawson, Joni Taylor and Mike Thibault.

Here is what USA Basketball Womenโ€™s National Team Committee chair Jen Rizzotti said in the official statement;

“On behalf of USA Basketball, Iโ€™m excited to announce the 2024 USA Womenโ€™s National Team, We have selected a team that we are confident will represent our country to the highest standard in Paris. Basketball in the United States boasts unparalleled depth, making this a challenging and competitive process. The commitment these athletes have shown to USA Basketball is unmatched and I look forward to watching them take on the World in Paris.โ€

This is what USA Womenโ€™s National Team head coach Cheryl Reeve said regarding the roster;

โ€œThis roster features some of the best basketball talent our country has to offer and Iโ€™m excited to lead this team with the goal of winning an eighth straight Olympic gold medal in Paris, Iโ€™m looking forward to getting together in Phoenix and starting the journey to Paris.โ€

Caitlin Clark reacts to being left off the USA Women’s Basketball Roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics

June 9, 2024

ookie phenom Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever finally ended the discussion regarding the reported USA Women’s Basketball Roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

After practice with the Indiana Fever on Sunday, Caitlin Clark spoke about being left off the final Team USA roster for the Paris Olympics.

โ€œIโ€™m excited for the girls that are on the team. I know itโ€™s the most competitive team in the world, and I know it could have gone either way, me being on the team, me not being on the team. So Iโ€™m excited for them. Iโ€™m going to be rooting them on to win gold. I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics, so, yeah, itโ€™ll be fun to watch them.

When asked if she was disappointed to be left off the roster, Clark added โ€œHonestly, no disappointment. I think it just gives you something to work for. Thatโ€™s a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there. I think itโ€™s just a little more motivation. You remember that and hopefully in four yearsโ€ฆ I can be there.

Indiana Fever Head Coach Christie Sides also answered questions regarding the topic of Caitlin Clark not making the USA Women’s Basketball Roster.

You can watch the full video below;