Ramirez looks to hit 2 birds with 1 stone
Ramirez to start NSA discussions
When the PSC starts its one-on-one meetings with different NSAs in a couple of weeks, Chairman Butch Ramirez will also use the consultative talks to gauge which athletes are truly world caliber and therefore deserving of extended goverment support.
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will attempt to hit two birds with one stone when Chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez meets with national sports leaders late this month.
While the one-on-one consultative meeting with the NSAs is aimed at knowing their plans for the 2018 Asian Games and beyond, Ramirez stressed that it will also be a chance to determine which sports boast of world-caliber athletes.
Last week, the PSC announced that about 20-25 of the country’s elite athletes will be gathered in the runup to the Indonesia Asian Games and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“The meeting will give us a serious look into the future,” said Ramirez of the Oct. 26-30 meetup with NSA leaders.
This early, there are already a few shoo-ins based on their performance in the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur and the fifth Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Turkmenistan.
But the final composition would still be based on the PSC’s consultations with the NSAs.
As this developed, Ramirez yesterday introduced lawyer Sannah Frivaldo as the PSC’s new executive director following the resignation of Carlo Abarquez, also a lawyer.
Frivaldo, 47, a San Beda graduate, “will play a pivotal role” in the PSC’s drive towards the 2018 Asiad and the Olympics.
Meanwhile, a group of NSA leaders are meeting in the pursuit of lending a hand to the upgrading of the competitive level of Filipino athletes.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) secretary general Steve Hontiveros said NSAs that took part in the AIMAG are spearheading their own meeting in time for the POC’s General Assembly this Friday at Century Park.
Early semifinalist San Beda survived University of Perpetual Help’s stifling defense in posting a 55-50 victory yesterday in the 93rd NCAA men’s basketball at The Arena in San Juan City.
The defending champion Red Lions bucked a slow start before revving up their engine to fan their winning streak to 13 games and improve to 14-1 at second place.
Robert Bolick scored 15 points and hauled five rebounds for San Beda, which was held to a team-low 11 assists.
The Red Lions’ 55-point output was also the team’s second lowest offensive performance in the season.
Red Lions coach Boyet Fernandez credited Perpetual’s solid defense, and bared he was not completely satisfied with the win.
“We have to go back (tomorrow) and think about our priorities,” said Fernandez. “Eleven assists? That’s not a San Beda basketball game.”
Bolick, one of the veterans in the squad, owned up to his performance despite topscoring for the Red Lions, saying he did not get his teammates involved.
“I should know when my teammates should score, know when to call the plays for them. But I was forcing my shots. Di dapat ganun,” said Bolick, who was 5 of 18 from the field.
Tied 11-all after the first quarter, San Beda found its touch in the second period where it outscored Perpetual, 16-8, to take a 27-19 halftime lead.
Later in the day, Jose Rizal University tightened its grip of the third spot with a 90-77 win over also-ran College of St. Benilde.
Jed Mendoza fired 19 points, Teytey Teodoro added 16 markers, and Abdulwahab Abdulrazak had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Bombers, who hiked their tally to 9-6. The Blazers absorbed their third straight loss and fell deeper near the bottom at 3-12 despite Clement Leutcheu erupting for 25 points with 10 boards.