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JEDDAH: For basketball fans, all roads lead to Sheraton Jeddah Hotel Sport Complex court for a super Friday of five championship matches in the 1st Filipino Community Basketball League (FCBL) Basketball Tournament. The mouth-watering no-tomorrow games beginning at 5 p.m. were set after the semifinal knockout matches at the weekend. Easily the most intense and best match for this season according to the FCBL website was the Sharbatly Fruits-Brawlers in Division C3. Sharbatly won 102-99 in double overtime Friday with eventual Best Player Orna scoring a game-high 41 points. Enad and Sanchez each added 19 points. Regulation period ended 84-all and the first overtime 91-all. The third seed team in the semis, Sharbatly will be up against top qualifier Jeddah Hilton in the knockout final match. Jeddah Hilton qualified for the championship with a 71-58 hammering of Tripol Ace in Thursdays semifinal. The centerpiece Division A Open Rated championship will feature the Syriana-IKK of Hassan Zeineidin against Cris Melebos Kabayan Gents who advanced to the all-important tussle by beating SMDC in a knockout game. Coach Zeineidin is looking at a potential championship double with his Dar Jana squad in the Division C Pool 1 up against Jimmy Abdullah Beltrans Abdul Latif Jameel United Finance (ALJUF) in another title clash. Dar Jana, whose only defeat in the eliminations was against ALJUF, survived Jollibee 86-84 in a tough semifinal Friday while ALJUF brought down King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital 97-81 in their side of the semis Friday where Anthony Villegas was named Best Player of the game with 27 points. Gino Cilot added 21 points and Lupac 13 for the No. 1 seed ALJUF. Interestingly, ALJUF and Dar Jana are the top two sides in the division. In Division B Reinforced Rated, it will be ALJ-FedEx against Tamimi-Brethren for the crown. ALJ-FedEx, bannered by the trio of Villegas, Paul Taguba and Montano Dela Cruz who scored 34, 19 and 11 points in that order, defeated Al-Muhaidib-Solid North 78-74 in a semifinal matchup of Nos. 1 and 2 teams Friday. Tamimi crushed SMDC 105-81 in Thursdays semis. AVK Pioneers, who enjoyed a good run in the tournament, hope to put the icing on the victory cake when they play Falcunit for the Division C Pool 2 championship. AVK and Falcunit had contrasting final four wins on their way to the final. AVK defeated Holdup Boyz by 80-70 Thursday while Falcunit overpowered Yummy Yummy 99-69. Tournament sponsors are Soda Sports (PEAK) through Art Montiero, SMDC, Virgin Mobile and Yummy Yummy Restaurant. Noel Miguel heads the Organizing Committee as president with Robert Jose as commissioner. With Miguel and Jose in the Organizing Committee is Tournament Director Jerry Lagrimas. Making up the Technical Committee are: Jess Sales, Zaldy Ramos and Willy Cartagena (play-by-play announcer).

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Ten teams clash today in 5 final matches in 1st Filipino Community Basketball League - Arab News

Ginebra's Joe Devance drives against Star's Ian Sangalang in Game 3 of their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series. PBA Media Bureau photo

MANILA, Philippines Joe Devance made a timely return for Barangay Ginebra in Game 3 of their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series against the Star Hotshots, and although he played only 18 minutes, it was enough to give the Gin Kings the lift they needed to secure the win.

Devance had missed Ginebra's last three games due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot, which flared up in their first game against Alaska in the quarterfinals. The Gin Kings won their knockout game against the Aces without Devance, but bowed to Star in the first two games of their best-of-seven semifinals.

The versatile forward checked in at the 4:36 mark of the first quarter, to the delight of the Ginebra fans at the Mall of Asia Arena on Monday. He made an immediate impact, scoring a lay-up, and finished with six points and six boards in what turned out to be a 73-62 Ginebra victory.

"Joe is getting shots literally right before the game," Ginebra coach Tim Cone said afterward. "Before he goes out there, the doctors are coming over and giving him injections right into his injury, so he can play."

"It's an incredible thing. I don't know very many players that would do that," he added. "But Joe takes pride in sacrificing sacrificing for his teammates, sacrificing shots, and playing through injury. It's part of his personality."

Having Devance back gave Ginebra another playmaker who can also space the floor and rebound, while forcing Star's big men to defend him all the way to the perimeter. Moreover, he made the Gin Kings a "more intelligent team," said Cone, thanks to his off-the-charts basketball IQ.

"We just play smarter and better, and his size defensively and on the boards is a big plus," said Cone of Devance.

Devance acknowledged after the game that he was still in pain, and indeed, he had to sit out the entirety of the fourth quarter as his foot started to hurt as early as the third frame. However, missing out a fourth consecutive game was not something that the multi-titled player could stomach.

"How can I sit out right now?" he asked. "It's hard to sit down in the sidelines and watch. I'm gonna do whatever I can to help."

Devance said that he had been ready to play as early as Game 2, having taken an anesthetic to numb the pain. Cone did not risk him then, but with Ginebra facing the specter of possibly going down 0-3 in a best-of-seven series, the coach sent in one of his most trusted players to provide a steady presence.

"I just reassured (Cone) today that I'm good, let's do this. He was able to play me," said Devance. "I'm thankful that we won, and thankful that I got on the court."

For his teammates, Devance's presence accounted for far more than the six points and six boards that he contributed.

"He's our leader, he's our glue guy, he's our defensive anchor," Sol Mercado said of Devance. "So just to have him makes everybody feel good. As you can see, our defense was better with him being able to play."

"Malaking bagay talaga kasi marami siyang nagagawa eh," said LA Tenorio. "I'm not talking about points lang, but andoon 'yung presence niya sa loob ng court. Iba siya as a leader eh."

Tenorio adds that Devance alleviates some of the pressure that is on him to make plays for their teammates. "You can think of him as a point guard also," he said. "Sana, magtuloy-tuloy na gumaling 'yung paa ni Joe."

Devance was reluctant to say that he inspired his teammates to play at a higher level in Game 3.

"I just think they came out and played with a little bit more desperation, and a little bit of inspired basketball," he said. "But I don't think it's because of me. It's for the fans."

"We kind of realized that we were playing for each other," Devance added. "You know, when all that sinks in, it's like we're playing for more than just ourselves. That's what kind of sank in today."

Cone is unsure if he will field in Devance on Wednesday for the crucial Game 4, but the player himself had no doubts.

"I'm gonna play, for sure," Devance declared.

For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.

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Devance gives Ginebra huge lift in Game 3 return - ABS-CBN News

As Federal Way High School point guard Marcus Stephens dribbled the ball up the floor with a minute left, and his Eagles down by six in the 4A league title game against Kentwood, Feb. 4, he desperately looked to coach Jerome Collins for an answer, some sort of explanation.

Collins couldnt give him one, however. In fact, Collins couldnt say anything at all.

With just 6.6 seconds left on the clock, the Conquerors were up by 10, and the Eagles, and their fans, knew the game, and the teams 63-game winning streak, the longest in the nation, was over. Behind a boisterous Kentwood crowd, the Conks achieved the upset of the year, downing Federal Way 69-59 and claiming the 4A North Puget Sound League title at Auburn Riverside High School.

It was the Eagles first defeat since their non-league loss to Bellevue back on Jan. 19, 2015.

After seeing the look of uncertainty on the face of his players, the longtime Federal Way coach (20-1) called timeout. After the game, Collins said, given the situation and the deficit the Eagles were facing, it was the only thing he could think to do at the time.

I purposely called timeout, Collins said. There wasnt any time left, but I needed to calm the guys down.

If it had to happen, I guess you want it now but I dont like to lose, I just flat out dont like to lose. But we cant go back and do anything about it now. We need to move forward and look to improve.

The win for Kentwood unfolded like a movie straight out of Hollywood.

The featured stars were Conks guards Koby Huerta and DAngelo Minnis. As Federal Way began to find its way in the third quarter, building a 6-0 run and a 51-46 lead with six minutes left to play, Huerta sat open on the right wing.

Kentwood big man Beau Roggenbach had the ball in the post, looked up, found the open Huerta with a near-perfect pass, and the senior guard knocked down the critical 3-pointer to cut the Eagles lead to 51-49.

Two minutes later it was Minnis turn.

After Kentwood tied Federal Way at 53, Minnis put the Conks on his back and took over the game. Two minutes after Huertas three, Minnis dribbled the ball up the left side of the floor with Stephens right on his hip.

Minnis took one look at the basket, rose up and sank the deep, contested 3-pointer to give Kentwood the 56-53 lead with 3:12 left.

Theyre good. They are physical, Collins said. They are certainly the most physical team weve played, not just on the inside. They lock down on the perimeter, and that was a factor down the stretch.

The Eagles cut their deficit to 58-55 with just over a minute to play, but Minnis put this made-for-TV game into post production when he took another contested 3-pointer, this time from way beyond the line.

Splash.

Game over. Streak over, as Kentwood avenged last years state-championship loss to the Eagles.

After the tough defeat, Collins took a moment to reflect on Federal Ways historic accomplishment.

Looking back on it now, and even before tonight, its a tremendous accomplishment, particularly in the game of basketball, Collins said. Its a game of rhythm. Somebody can be on, and you can be off, and any number of things can occur, so the accomplishment to me, beginning with Vionte (Daniels) team and last years team and the back-to-back titles, its a great accomplishment. Its in the history books.

With both the loss and the history behind them, Collins found the answer to whats next for the Eagles.

Now that part is over, and we have to move on to the next game, he said.

The Federal Way girls also picked up a loss during the sub-district game, falling to Hazen, 48-32, Feb. 3. Despite the loss, the Eagles advanced to a play-in game against Union, Feb. 8. The Titans beat Federal Way 55-22 to advance to the next round.

Todd Beamer

The Todd Beamer Titans girls had a rough league tournament outing, too. The Titans (18-6) fell to Kentridge, 54-48, Feb. 4. Beamer led going into the fourth quarter but was outscored by the Falcons, 11-5, in the final three minutes of the game. Senior point guard Japhera McEachin led the Titans with a team-high 16 points, four rebounds and three steals.

The Todd Beamer boys also lost a tough game, Feb. 3, falling to Kentridge, 69-43. Senior point guard Steffun Singleton poured in 23 points to lead the Titans in the loss. Beamer had little time to recover as it played its one-game knockout playoff game Feb. 8 against Camas at Olympia High School. The Titans fell to the Papermakers 67-50, bringing an end to their season.

Decatur

The Decatur Golden Gator boys played a first-round knockout game against Tahoma, Feb. 3 with the winner advancing to take on Auburn Riverside the next day. The Bears knocked out Decatur, 70-62, ending the Gators season, and Tahoma went on to fall to the Ravens.

Thomas Jefferson

The Thomas Jefferson Raiders boys fell to the Kentwood Conquerors, 39-36, Feb. 2, in their district tournament knockout game, ending their season.

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Eagles win streak ends at 63 in loss to Kentwood - Federal Way Mirror

Basketball

By ABS-CBN Sports on Feb 07, 2017 09:43 AM

Only one spot remains open for the 2017 Philippine Cup semifinals, either Alaska or Ginebra will take it as the PBA quarterfinals continue Tuesday at the Big Dome.

Following a huge 85-81 win last Sunday, the Gin Kings have erased Alaska's twice-to-beat advantage to set up this knockout game vs. the Aces.

The winner will move on to face the Star Hotshots in the next round.

Down by as much as 17 points in Antipolo City, the Gin Kings once again proved their never say die spirit to steal the victory from Alaska.

Still, the Aces were the no. 2 team in the All-Filipino for a reason so don't expect Alaska to not fight for its playoff life.

The lone Tuesday night game at the Araneta Coliseum is set to tipp off at 7:00 p.m.

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Aces, Gin Kings fight for last semis spot in knockout game - ABS-CBN Sports

THURSDAYS BIG STORIES My cup runneth over

Dear Claudio,

You dont know me, but I have an idea that could improve Leicesters performances between now and the end of the season. Just follow this five-point plan:

(1) Tear down the fixture lists at the training ground and blacklist all websites containing the same information on the clubs wifi network.

(2) Every weekend, before you play, tell your players you want them to be at their best for this VERY IMPORTANT CUP MATCH, which DEFINITELY ISNT JUST A PREMIER LEAGUE GAME despite the branding on their shirts and the claims of the guy who reads the teams out. Thats all just one big clerical error, for this is a KNOCKOUT GAME.

(Optional) If Riyad Mahrez is playing, tell him its a European match and Real Madrid scouts are in the crowd.

Leicester City's Andy King scores their first goalReuters

(3) If someone starts to question why youre playing your ninth cup match in a row, mumble something about the Intertoto Cup or the Fairs Cup or the Cup Winners Cup, maybe with the odd dilly-ding, dilly-dong thrown in for old times sake. That should put them off the scent.

(4) If it doesnt, sell them. Even if its Wes Morgan or Kasper Schmeichel. In fact, especially if its Kasper Schmeichel.

(5) Watch the points roll in.

Thats it. Let me know your thoughts.

Regards,

The Warm-Up

Video - Ranieri: Cup win important for confidence

00:35

The Daily Mirror report that Arsenals players held a team meeting earlier this week in an attempt to clear the air in the wake of their recent downturn in form. The Gunners were stunned by Watford a week ago and then predictably annihilated at the weekend by Chelsea, a team who cravenly cheated by actually having a midfield.

Thanks to a remarkable journalistic effort that definitely extended beyond the confines of our wild imaginations, The Warm-Up can exclusively reveal the list of topics that were discussed in the meeting:

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger thinks rivals Chelsea are "super-favourites" for the Premier League titlePA Sport

Gabriels teeth are they too white? Double-barrel names: the official power rankings Whats your favourite flavour of crisp? Hectors facial hair and possible solutions Things we can do to stop Alexis hating us. The worrying decline in the number of dressing-room selfies since May. Institutional crisis or just forgetfulness?

Will these talks be enough to propel Arsenal back into the title race in the weeks ahead? Probably not, to be honest.

Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez shows his frustrationReuters

Hearty congratulations to Deportivo Alaves, who are through to the final of the Copa del Rey for the first time in their history. Their two-legged tie with Celta Vigo wasnt exactly a classic, but a late goal from Edgar in Wednesdays second leg was enough for El Glorioso (solid nickname game there).

Theyll play Barcelona in the decider, but even getting there counts as a major success for the Basque side, whose fans were certainly in jovial mood at the end of the game.

West Ham fans will doubtless be pleased to know that Dimitri Payet has wasted little time finding his feet back in France. He marked his first start since returning to Marseille with a goal in the comfortable win over Guingamp a result that lifted them to sixth in Ligue 1.

Its worth noting the number of empty seats visible in the clip below, which will surely have come as a disappointment to Payet. He thought his days of playing in a hushed Olympique stadium were behind him.

The Rossoneri had lost four games on the spin before Tuesdays trip to Bologna and looked doomed again when both undisputed Liverpool legend Gabriel Paletta and midfielder Juraj Kucka were sent off before the hour mark at Stadio Renato DallAra.

But Vincenzo Montellas men found some previously-untapped reserve of grit, clinging on to their clean sheet and snatching maximum points at the death thanks to a goal from Chelsea loanee Mario Pasalic. Theyre still lagging behind in the race for the European places, but hats off for a gutsy display.

2017, Gerard Deulofeu, Domenico Maietta, Bologna-Milan, AFPAFP

Adam Lallana. A llama. Yeah, that might have been funny for, oh, six seconds in your head, but Jesus Christ, youre going to have to explain this literally every time you sunbathe/go for a swim/have intimate relations with someone.

Kevin-Prince Boateng has been around the block a few times, so its little surprise that his interview with The Guardians Sid Lowe is a compelling read, touching on his difficult upbringing, Jurgen Klopp, Nelson Mandela and plenty more besides.

Erm well this is awkward. Theres pretty much nothing on the schedule. A good day to do some life admin or phone your parents. Say hi from us!

Tom Adams is due back from the tattoo parlour just in time to pen Fridays Warm-Up. Expect a llarge number of llaughs.

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The Warm-Up: A foolproof plan for saving Leicester's season - Eurosport.com