La Salle gains last ‘bonus’
Iba training for SEAG bets OK with PSC
BAGUIO CITY — Philippine Sports Commissioner (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez yesterday said he welcomes the plan of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) to train athletes in the town of Iba in Zambales in preparation for the Southeast Asian Games this year.
Ramirez, however, said that the POC will have to convince the different national sports associations to send their athletes there since NSAs will have the final say on where to hold training camps.
“OK lang naman yun,” said Ramirez yesterday of the planned Zambales camp.
“It’s up to the NSAs if it wants to train their athletes in Zambales. We still will support them,” Ramirez said.
POC President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. is pushing for a training facility in Zambales, the Iba Sports Complex, not only in preparation for the SEA Games but possibly as a future competition venue.
The POC move was triggered by the plan of the City of Manila to sell the 10-hectare property. The PSC, which has rights to the Rizal Memorial, is negotiating with Manila to get a share of the sale so it can build a new sports complex.
Games Saturday (MOA Arena) 2 p. m. – Adamson vs La Salle 4 p.m. – NU vs Far Eastern
Desiree Cheng showed the way for La Salle yesterday, helping power the Lady Spikers to a resounding 25-23, 25-22, 25-21 win over the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses to clinch a twice-to-beat edge in the Final Four of the UAAP women’s volleyball wars at The Arena in San Juan.
Cheng finished with 13 points on 9 attacks, one block and three service aces, including one in the deciding third set that sparked a fiery run and doused cold water on the Lady Tigresses desire to extend the game to four sets.
But Cheng admitted that La Salle had “problems in blocking” coupled with the players’ bad timing early on.
Still, La Salle was still superior in the end as Cherry Rondina’s service error wrapped things up in the outing that saw main Lady Spikers hitter Kim Kianna Dy go down early in the third set owing to a mild left ankle sprain.
The win, its fifth straight, gave La Salle a 10-2 win-loss card, the same ledger of archrival Ateneo.
Despite what appeared to be an impressive win, coach Ramil de Jesus was not totally delighted.
Dy was on her way to a dominating showing and had already 12 points when she sustained an injury after attempting a block and had combined for 18 attack points with Cheng.
Earlier, Far Eastern kept its Final Four hopes alive as the Lady Tamaraws rumbled their way to a 25-14, 25-18, 2725 victory over also-ran University of the East.
Despite the win – its sixth in 12 games – FEU has to walk the tightrope for it to clinch a place in the semifinals since National University, University of the Philippines and USTare locked in a three-way tie for third to fifth places at 7-5.