Nadal, Djokovic to test injuries at Kooyong
The team, formed in mid–December and composed of veterans and young players who met each other for the first time as teammates, proved that chemistry wasn’t an issue as they controlled much of the game before thwarting a rally to score the win.
The wards of Coach Junthy Valenzuela took a 36-25 half-time lead after a slow 10-8 first period. The lead stretched to 59-43 at the end of the third quarter before UC/M. Lhuillier staged a furious end-game rally. Applying a full-court press from the opening buzzer of the fourth quarter, the Webmasters went on an 11-0 run to slice the lead down to 59-53. Veterans John Abad and Jojo Tangkay then combined with import Prince Orizu to restore the lead for the Landmasters to double digits before another endgame rally by the Webmasters cut the lead to 74-71, 1:38 left in the game.
Tangkay, and youngsters Travis Mantua and John Reel Saycon iced the game from the free throw line. Orizu led the team with 20 points. Ferdinand Lusodc added 14 while the ageless Tangkay had 12. Frederick Elombi and Justine Dacalos had 23 and 21 points, respectively.
The Cebu City Sinulog Cup 2018Basektball Invitational fired off yesterday with a goal to revive commercial league basketball in Cebu.
The five-team tournament, which runs until Saturday, also includes PBA D-League team Marinerong Pilipino, and local teams University of the Visayas/SG-ARQ Builders and University of San Jose-Recoletos/May Abohan. Councilors Jerry Guardo and Bebs Andales were the special guests at the opening ceremony where they declared the city’s support to bring back top-level basketball.
Travis Mantua (SHS-Ateneo de Cebu) and Virlo Orquez (UC), both senior high school students, gave a good account of themselves as they matched up against more senior players.
Note:
MELBOURNE — Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will use the Kooyong Classic starting Tuesday as a convenient emergency stop to gain much-needed match practice as the pair return from injury in time for the Australian Open.
Not since the glory days of Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras nearly two decades ago and more recently Roger Federer, has the long-time exhibition event hosted as distinguished a field.
The upcoming edition will feature five of the world's top 10, including ATP Finals runner-up and two-time Kooyong champion David Goffin, Austrian Dominic Thiem, Croat Marin Cilic and Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta.
Under the ad-hoc rules, late additions Nadal and Djokovic will be playing practice matches.
World number one Nadal, who missed the warmup Brisbane International last week with a knee injury, is set for just one appearance on Tuesday when he faces France's Richard Gasquet.
Djokovic, who hasn't played competitively since a right elbow problem forced him to quit Wimbledon in the quarter-finals in July, is due on court on Wednesday to play Thiem.
"The addition of both Novak and Rafa changes our schedule and the way we will run the four days but that's what Kooyong is all about, we are here to help the players get ready for the Open," said tournament director Peter Johnston.
The women's draw, now into a second season after being introduced in 2017, includes new Hopman Cup champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, German Andrea Petkovic, Aussie teen Destanee Aiava and young Chinese star Wang Xinyu.
Pat Cash, the 1987 Australian Open winner who now coaches American CoCo Vandeweghe, serves as official ambassador for the event and said it would be good preparation for Djokovic and Nadal.
"Everyone will be watching Rafa's legs and Novak's arm," he said.
"It can make for a very exciting week of tennis. Both guys had good preparation, they just suffered setbacks. But when those come within a couple of weeks from the Australian Open, it's a bit of a worry.