Mendoza: With the Boss back, expect a Game 5 war

YES, Miami easily won Game 4 on Friday but do you know the deeper implications of that mismatch, which could surface again in Monday’s Game 5?

While it means big to the Heat as it had tossed them back, into the fray, the win unearthed two screaming truths.

Quijano: Pet peeves

WE all have a few, right guys? For this Last Rounder nothing gets my goat more than a boxer spoiling and ruining a potentially good matchup by failing to make weight.

I mean, if you drag this 40-year-old, beer swiggin’ litigator to the scale right now, I would probably never hear the end of it from the wifey.

The speed that binds

THE sport of karting has brought Rei Aleman and his five-year-old son Seven closer, both sharing the love for speed and the dream to be among the first Filipinos to become F1 drivers.

Five year old Craig “Seven” Aleman, the youngest kart driver in the 2013 Kartzone Series, drives like a daredevil inside the race track and actually gave the crowd a scare when he fealessly slugged it out with the race leaders during the second leg at the Panglao Kartways Sports Park and Resort in Bolod, Panglao, Bohol last month.

FEU tames UV

THE Far Eastern University Tamaraws proved too much for the undermanned University of the Visayas Green Lancers as it scored a commanding 90-81 win in the opening day of the Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama Invitational Basketball Tournament at the Cebu Coliseum yesterday.

The Haier/Du Ek Sam-backed Green Lancers will try to regain their footing when they play the Mapua Institute of Technology Cardinals at 5 p.m. today, while FEU will be shooting for its second win against the Southwestern University Cobras in the main game at 7 p.m.

Visiting runners take lead in ultra

OUT-OF-TOWN runners Welnar Iglesia and Chen Lagapa were the first to reach Ronda in the South to North (SN) 250-kilometer Ultramarathon race, which will end tomorrow in Bogo City.

As of 5: 21 p.m., Iglesia, who is from Quezon, and Lagapa, who is from Iligan, were the first to reach Ronda in 10 hours and 17 minutes. They were followed by Joel Ouano and Rodney Cabahug, who arrived at the checkpoint in 10:40.

Limpag: A crazy finish to UFL title chase

LAST year, Kaya FC watched helplessly from the stands as Global FC bagged the UFL title with a draw against the Loyola Meralco Sparks in its final game in the season, and I think that bitter memory was still fresh in Kaya’s mind when it took on Global again last Thursday night.

Global needed a win to keep its title retention bid alive, while Kaya was already out of it and was a sure fourth-placer with 31 points behind third-placer Meralco, Global and Stallion.

Mendoza: Back from the grave, James jams Spurs

AND SO, LeBron James can keep a promise.

“I’ll be back in Game 4,” he said after Wednesday’s Game 3. “And I’ll have to do better.”

Group to hold run for beginners

A GROUP of runners will hold an event for those who want to take up running in Cebu on Sept. 8.

A Runners Circle Cebu will hold a 1, 3, 5 and 10-mile run that will start and finish at the Rain Tree Mall. The group hasn’t decided on a registration fee but Jidan Jakosalem says they are planning to invite the Kenyans to share some insights about running. They also want to tap them to help in the water stations.

SMB extends winning tradition

JAKARTA’s heavy afternoon traffic could not stop San Miguel Beer from keeping its date with destiny on Independence Day in the Philippines when it won its first Asean Basketball League (ABL) crown.

The 30-minute drive from their hotel to Mahaka Square stretched to almost two hours.

Pestano: Some things that I want to do in chess

THERE are some things in chess that I want to do before it’s too late.

Have breakfast with the greatest player of all time--Garry Kasparov. Back in 1992 when the Olympiad was held in Manila, this would have been a piece of cake as I had a good relationship with the organizer of the tournament, former Fide president Florencio Campomanes.

20 try ultimate test

TWENTY hardcore runners test their will and determination in Cebu’s most grueling race, a 250-kilometer ultramarathon that will start in Santander and end in Bogo City.

Race organizing committee member Raffy Uytiepo said this is the first time the country will have a 250-kilometer ultramarathon race.

La Salle humbles Eagles to rule Friendship Cup

THE De La Salle-Santiago Zobel School Junior Archers saved the best for last as they played a well-orchestrated game to frustrate local toughie Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles, 66-53, to win the Cebu Elite Basketball League’s Friendship Cup 2013 at the Cebu Coliseum last Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, the University of San Carlos Baby Warriors pulled the rug from under the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers for a 78-76 win to finish at third place.

Basketball bandwagon

THE organizers of the Milo Little Olympics finally succumbed to the insistent public demand to include basketball in its roster of events.

Cebu to host int’l dragon boat event in 2014

CEBU is becoming aggressive in promoting water sports and will host International Dragon Boat Invitational Race in May 2014 at the South Reclamation Property (SRP).

This was disclosed by organizer Bill Velasco, who was here over the weekend together with Tapok Tapok Bol-anon Inc.’s (TTBI) retired Gen. Charly Holganza, who inspected potential venues for the dragon boat competition and found SRP as an ideal place for it.

La Salle, Ateneo advance to Friendship Cup final

CRAFTY guard Renzo was firing hot from start to finish to lead the De La Salle Santiago Zobel School Junior Archers to an 80-72 win over the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers in their knockout semifinal match of the Cebu Elite Basketball League Friendship Cup 2013 held at the University of San Carlos-North Campus gym Tuesday evening.

Pacquiao puts up boxing contest

FILIPINO boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is giving something back to Philippine boxing and will hold a team-based professional boxing tournament for up-and-coming boxers next month.

The monthly boxing competition dubbed the “Manny Pacquiao National Boxing Championships” will have eight teams from different parts of the country facing each other in a double round robin format.

3 Cebuanas in PH team

AFTER a long screening process, three Cebuanas made the cut for the Philippine girls 14-Under national team.

Former PH U13 member Arantxa Trebol will make her return to the national side while Itsuko Marie Bacatan and Alexa Ceniza will have their first tour of duty.

Limpag: Bombarinas fall victim to sports politics?

A FEW months ago, Southwestern University standouts Raphril Aguilar and Danica Gendrauli made the cut for the Philippine National Volleyball team during a series of tryouts conducted by Vangie de Jesus in Cebu.

The squad also has taken to calling itself the Bombarinas, in an effort to market itself effectively. Now, the two are on the outside looking in, victims of the malaise that is hitting the PVF.

Eagles, Lancers top elims

THE Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) high school finals protagonists last year pulled through with two wins each to top their respective brackets at the end of the elimination round of Cebu Elite Basketball League’s Friendship Cup 2013 at the University of San Carlos-North Campus gym Monday night.

Strong field in Cebu Football League 15

THE Cebu Flag Football League Season 15 kicked off with strong teams drawing first blood last weekend at the Paref Springdale Football Field.

Defending champion Rams blew up Steelers in a 6-0 beating to remain solid in their contention of another title, while the Redskins also blanked the Eagles, 6-0.

Quijano: Some good things never last

SLIVER of happiness can come in many forms to different people. To my wifey, it’s a slice of moist chocolate cake paired with a hot steaming mug of joe after a meal.

To my brother Ramsey, a one-hour swim, two-hour run brings a smile to his face. Cap that with a sub zero brewski and that smile will turn into an impish grin.

PH hopes for gold in China

THE Philippines will be sending 56 athletes in the 2nd Asian Youth Games on Aug. 16 to 24 in Nanjing, China.

RP chief of mission Tac Padilla expressed confidence the promising Filipino athletes can improve their one-silver, one-bronze performance during the first edition of the quadrinneal event held in Singapore in 2009. The 2013 event is a prelude to the 2014 World Youth Games also to be hosted by the same city.

Aguilar wants statement lead

THE country’s No. 1 motocross rider Glenn Aguilar will try to put a huge gap between him and his closest challenger as the Kopiko Astig Three-in-One Supercross 2013 Series shifts to Barangay 95 in Caib-aan, Maharlika Highway in Tacloban City in June 22 and 23.

Aguilar, who is ahead of his competitors in both the Pro Open and Pro Lites categories in the Man and Machine Promotions-organized, year-round motocross race all over the Visayas and Mindanao, will try to put a good distance from his closest pursuer, Cebuano daredevil Jon-Jon Adlawan.

Big prizes in Barili Cup

OVER a hundred thousand pesos worth of cash prizes will be up for grabs in the 1st Mayor Teresito Marinas Invitational Basketball Tournament scheduled to start on June 29 at the Robert V. Alquizola Memorial Gymnasium in Poblacion, Barili.

Barili sports commissioner Julie Flores, together with Councilor John Anthony Anover, chair of the sports committee at the municipal council, and Ace Almoguis, vice chair of the sports committee, met the coaches and team representatives yesterday to discuss the conduct of the games.

Fighting close to home

EVEN though International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight champion Johnriel Casimero’s opponent for his title defense next month is still unknown, he and his team are ecstatic at the thought of finally fighting in home soil after several fights in hostile territory.

Globalport takes Jay, Taha from Ginebra

GLOBALPORT released 6’9” Japeth Aguilar and 6’6” Jason Deutchman, but got veteran Jay Washington from Petron Blaze and 6’8” Yousef Taha from Ginebra in a four player, three-team trade in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Globalport basketball operation head Erick Arejola said that they decided to part ways with Aguilar because they need players, who are more adept at low post to remedy their weaknesses that caused them to end up at the bottom of the standing in the past two conferences.

ALA puts up new boxing series

ALA Promotions will showcase new talents in a new boxing series called “Idol”, where the young up-and-coming prospects, whom not too many people know about, will get their much needed exposure.

SHS-AdC crushes CIT-U

CEBU Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. defending high school champion Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles crushed the weary Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildkittens, 86-71, in the Cebu Elite Basketball League’s Friendship Cup 2013 at the University of San Carlos-North Campus Gym last Sunday.

Earlier, the University of San Carlos Baby Warriors welcomed the homecoming of Britt Reroma with a rousing 77-57 win over the University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars.

CCSC brews another Guinness attempt

THE Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) will make another attempt to once more barge into the Guinness Book of World Records as it eyes to break the standing record of the biggest archery tournament.

The record holder is the National Archery in the Schools Program at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, with 7,804 archers.

DYAB Run hopes to build schools with proceeds

CLOSE to 2,500 participants have signed up for the 13th DYAB Kapamilya Run set this weekend at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City.

According to organizer Jun Perez, they hope to attract around 3,000 runners for the event.