SBP formally submits SEABA hosting bid
LOS ANGELES: The Golden State War riors took their revenge against the Houston Rockets on Friday (Saturday in Manila), overwhelming on both ends of the court with a 125-108 victory at the Toyota Center arena.
Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant was a rematch of a December 1 clash joined forces to power the offence won by the Rockets in double overwhile the rest of the crew made the time at Oracle Arena. defensive stops as the Warriors Rockets guard James Harden finstretched their NBA winning streak ished with 17 points, seven rebounds to six games. and 11 assists. But Harden was zero
The Warriors improved to an for-five from beyond the arc. NBA-best 37-6 on the season and The Warriors are not only pun17-3 on the road. ishing teams on offence but Friday
“Three good teams in a row, we they broke the Rockets down on definitely wanted to come out and defence by blocking seven shots and make a nice statement,” said recording eight steals. Durant, who also had two steals and “They obviously played better than two blocks. “I think we did that. But we did and we didn’t shoot the ball we always can get better.” well at all,” Rockets coach Mike
Durant finished with 32 points and D’Antoni said. “And against a team like seven assists while Curry chipped in this, you have got to keep scoring.” 24 points and seven assists as Golden The Warriors started quickly with a State surged ahead in the first quar10-0 run to the lead in the first quarter. ter and never looked back. The game Golden State took a 14-point lead midway through the second quarter before Harden returned to action and keyed another rally.
But Curry managed to beat the buzzer with a three pointer that delivered the Warriors a 62-57 halftime lead.
Golden State zapped the energy out of the Rockets in the third, opening the quarter with three layups.
When Curry added back-to-back three-pointers, the Warriors led 8767 and coasted to victory.
Elsewhere, the Charlotte Hornets righted the ship Friday, putting a fivegame losing streak behind them with a 113-78 rout of the Toronto Raptors.
The Hornets outscored the Raptors 58-30 in the second half, leading by as many as 37 points despite resting most of their starters throughout the fourth quarter. It was their most-lopsided win of the season. Kemba Walker led the way with 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the field, including six of nine from threepoint range. He didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter, with the Hornets facing back-to-back contests with Brooklyn coming to town on Saturday.
“I got into one of them zones,” said Walker. “I mean, it just feels like you can make any shot. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.
“When you are in that zone, you just kind of black out. You just try to stay aggressive and take the shots that you’ve been practicing, that you practice each and every day. Tonight was a good night for me.”
In Dallas, Rudy Gobert racked up career highs with 27 points and 25 rebounds, and the Utah Jazz extended their winning streak to a season-high five by easing past the Dallas Mavericks 112-107 in overtime.
The Northwest Division-leading Jazz had won four in a row three previous times this season but had failed to get to five until beating Dallas for the third time in three tries.
In Orlando, Florida, Elfrid Payton scored 20 points and added six assists in leading the Orlando Magic to a 11296 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Amway Center. ADAMSON University weathered a huge Ateneo fightback from 26 points down to pull off a 79- 73 win and enter the Final Four on Saturday in the UAAP Season 79 juniors basketball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
The Baby Falcons scored only 11 points in the payoff period but still came away victory, as the Blue Eaglets’ came up short from their stirring rally from a 22- 48 deficit.
Moving up at 9- 1, Adamson University regained the solo lead after Far Eastern University- Diliman defeated defending champion National University, 61- 46.
The Baby Tamaraws tied the Bullpups with their eighth victory in 10 contests, as they stayed on course for a twice- to- beat semis incentive.
Both FEU-Diliman and NU later secured Final Four slots after University of Santo Tomas prevailed over UP Integrated School, 91-83, in the last game.
Encho Serrano led the Baby Falcons with 15 points, four rebounds and two assists while Rence Padrigao and Jason Celis added 13 points. THE Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) sought Southeast Asia Baketball Association (SEABA) for the formality of the latter’s decision to make the Philippines the host of this year’s SEABA Championship.
In a statement, the SBP said it submitted a letter to SEABA president Erick Thohir asking for the confirmation of a verbal move to name the Philippines the regional cagefest host.
Thohir verbally approved a proposal made by SBP chairman emeritus Manny Pangilinan that the Philippines should be this year’s SEABA meet host in front of SEABA CEO Agus Mauro.
Also as per the statement quoting SBP executive director Sonny Barrios, included in the letter is a request on the terms and conditions of the SEABA
Xyrus Torres took the scoring mantle for the Baby Tamaraws with 20 points while Kenji Roman chipped in 20 points and eight rebounds.
Only John Lloyd Clemente scored in twin digits for the Bullpups with 14 markers.
Ateneo, meanwhile, suffered its fifth loss in 10 matches to remain in fourth place.
SJ Belangel had 18 points and six rebounds while Joaquin Manuel added 14 points for the Eaglets.
Jan Narvasa and CJ Cansino tossed in 22 points apiece as the Tiger Cubs swept their head- to- head against the Junior Maroons.
In the curtain raiser, De La SalleZobel also kept its semifinals hopes with a 81- 59 dismantling of University of the East for a 3- 7 card, joining UST and UPIS in fifth spot. Championship hosting rights.
Once formalized, the Philippines will host the SEABA Championship for the first time since 2001 and third overall.
In the said year, a national team composed of Metropolitan Basketball Association ( MBA) stars dominated the SEABA Championship, romping its opponents by 40 points or more in the elimination round and the semifinals before beating Thailand, 90-73, in the final.
Overall, the Philippines has won seven SEABA championships, but the rise of the Asean Basketball League strengthened the other ASEAN nations that they have now given the Philippines a run for its money, making this year’s edition an interesting tournament.