MANILA. 3 October 2003 — Ronjay Enrile and Boyet Bautista struck for 19 points each while rookie Jonathan Pinera hit the baskets that mattered most, lifting Letran past San Sebastian 64-59 to bag the 79th NCAA basketball title at the Astrodome in Pasay City.
The Knights wrapped up the best-of-three series at 2-1 against the three-peat seeking Stags. For the record, the Stags have won the title the two previous years and were hoping to complete a three-peat, but coach Louie Alas, who called the shots for Letran when they foiled the Stags’ bid for a sixth straight crown in 1998, made sure he stopped coach Turo Valenzona’s charges anew.
The Stags, who were down by six at the end of the third period, went on a seven-to-nothing rally to start the fourth and took a slim 57-56 lead.
Cruz Captures Bronze
in World Taekwondo
Six-time Southeast Asian Games champion Roberto Cruz proved he is still the country’s top jin as he captured a bronze medal in the 16th World Taekwondo Championships recently at the Olympic Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany. Cruz, a Sydney Olympics veteran, set himself up for a place in the finweight medal podium after racking up victories over Ron Chen of China, Piaoi Yong Quan of Malaysia, Charles Smith of the US, and quarterfinal foe Seifoulla Magornedov of Russia. However, Paul Green of Great Britain had other plans in mind as he disposed of the 29-year-old Cruz in the semifinals en route to a titular duel with defending champion Yeon Ho Choi of South Korea.
Aguilar Widens Lead
in Grand Prix
Oscar Aguilar of the Havoline Racing Team bucked brake problems and a shortened afternoon race with yet another steady performance as he widened his lead in the Philippine National Touring Car Championship of the Casino Filipino Grand Prix at the Batangas Racing Circuit in Rosario, Batangas. After losing the brake on his car in the eighth lap of the morning race, Aguilar drove cautiously but still had enough strategy to emerge on top of his closest rivals Mike Francisco and Alex Padua and place second behind leg winner J. Miguel Lazaro.
Mindanao Games
Ready to Fire Off
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) expects a bigger third Mindanao Games on Oct. 19-24 in Mati, Davao Oriental.
Ariel Paredes, head of the PSC’s national programs secretariat, said they expect close to 4,000 athletes to participate in the regional Games, which for the first time would be open for members of the national team. Paredes said the Mati Games will feature 26 events, up from the 18 showcased last year in Cagayan de Oro City, including new additions golf, billiard, sepak takraw, shooting, triathlon and weightlifting.
Philracom Expects
Cash Windfall
Top officials of the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) have boldly predicted that local horse racing is well on its way to another record-setting year with a good three months left before the end of the racing calendar. The glowing forecast was made by Philracom chairman Jaime “Jimmy” Dilag and his fellow Commissioners Eduardo Jose, Eduardo Domingo Jr., Vergel Cruz and Rogelio Tandiama, following the release of the racing industry’s overall sales figures for the first eight months of the year, which added up to more than 4.7 billion pesos.
Ateneo Skipper, 2 Others
Suspended Over Melee
Reigning champion Ateneo de Manila’s aim for back-to-back championships hit a major blow after the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) board led by this season’s president Jose Capistrano slapped a one-game suspension on star point guard LA Tenorio and Badjie del Rosario for their involvement in a free-for-all against De La Salle recently.
Tenorio, a 5-foot-9 playmaker, incurred the ire of the UAAP board after he was caught sneaking a punch at La Salle power forward Jerwin Gaco’s rib cage that halted the match, 1:31 left in regulation play.
That incident sparked the bench-clearing incident that nearly resulted in a full-blown fistfight among the players and officials of both squads.
Bert Lina Named
Cycling President
AIR21 chairman Bert Lina was named president of the national federation for cycling, a post he will hold for the next four years and a development seen as the shot in the arm Philippine cycling needs.
Lina was elected by acclamation by the 15-member cycling federation board during its organizational meeting.
Also elected by acclamation were Antonio Cruz as chairman, Cornelio Padilla Jr. as executive vice president, Col. Romeo Modelo as vice president for Luzon, Paquito Rivas as vice president for the Visayas, Jojo Villa as vice president for Mindanao, Albert Garcia as vice president for the National Capital Region, Arthur Cayabyab as treasurer and Carlos Gredona as auditor.
Tu?acao, De la Cruz Win
WBC International Crowns
Ex-WBC flyweight champ Malcolm Tu?acao, a fast-handed southpaw, captured the vacant WBC international super-flyweight crown with a fifth round knockout of Indonesian champion Ringo Jaguar at the Ynares gym in Antipolo. Filipino newcomer Arman de la Cruz captured the WBC international 112-pound belt (minimumweight) by a split decision over defending champion and compatriot Ernesto Rubillar in 12 rounds. A smashing shot at the chin just before the bell sounded sent the Indon crashing down to the canvas with the 24-year-old Filipino winning the 115-lb title, Tunacao’s 25th win, 14 by knockout. The WBC No. 4 ranked Filipino had gained the flyweight belt by stopping Medgoen Toyota-Thailand in seven rounds in 2000, but forfeited it to the current WBC champ Pongsaklek Singwangcha by a first-round stoppage the following year.
