TNT sends Heruela to Elite
The TNT KaTropa is not content with its ongoing unbeaten streak as it is set to add gunner Mike DiGregorio after agreeing to trade stocky playmaker Brian Heruela to Blackwater.
Blackwater team governor Silliman Sy confirmed that a trade deal has been struck with TNT after the games in Antipolo.
“The agreement was (done) after last night’s (Friday) game,” Sy said in a short response to ESPN5 Saturday. “I believe it (trade paper) is to be submitted today (Saturday).”
The KaTropa captured their seventh straight win to start the 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup after spanking the Alaska Aces, 99-93 Friday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The Elite, meantime, saw their two-game winning run come to a halt after bowing to the Meralco Bolts, 106-97.
Should the PBA office formally approve of the deal, the Fil-Italian DiGregorio and Heruela then, would have played their final game for their respective squads.
DiGregorio came off the bench to score 22 points in the Elite’s nine-point loss to the Bolts as they dropped to 2-4 overall. —
gold in basketball, football or volleyball. And it’s obvious that answers have already been provided, with concrete “gold” proof to support this. Individual sports that don’t give too much importance to height and where the playing field is level are the best chances for a world or Olympic gold. When Hidilyn Diaz won the silver medal at the Rio Olympics, she was of the same weight as her peers and competitors. The same is true for boxing as categories are also made by weight. The tough part in world amateur boxing is all the politicking that takes place in international boxing aside from the alleged corruption and cheating that takes place. Gymnastics isn’t based on weight but one doesn’t have to be big and tall to become a world-class gymnast. In fact, the world’s best gymnasts are short, muscular and strong, swak na swak for us Pinoys, di ba?
Another question is who should be supporting these sports? Government or somebody else? I think it’s clear that both share in the responsibility. However, we have to admit that when the government gets in the way, it comes with a lot of excess baggage called controversies, issues, politics and more. Fortunately under PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, things are looking so much better. The Philippine Olympic Committee, a private entity, has had its shares of controversies, including the resignation of a newly-installed president who was supposed to do some cleansing among the nation’s national sports associations. I don’t even want to go into details but one can see that the well-managed NSA’s are the ones that reach their targets in international competition. And the ones that are bogged down by intrigue and controversy aren’t getting anywhere or getting somewhere very slowly. Getting generous support from either the private or public sector is no guaranty in winning international golds. The formula is clear. A well run program, generous support from the government, private sector and the country are the key ingredients to producing international wins. At the end of the day it’s all about team effort working together, para sa bayan.