Sports Eye
Can the Cavaliers win the title this year?
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
I’M SURE many of you followed the first three games of the best-of-seven series NBA finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. The first two games were a split at the Warriors’ turf with the Warriors winning the first, 108-100, via over time and the second was for the Cavs, 95-93, also via overtime capturing the home court advantage. The third match was played at Cavs court and the host successfully did not disappoint their fans to win by five marks, 96-91, to lead the series, 2-1.
Because of the Cavs victory last Wednesday, pundits say the Cavs have now the big advantage, having grabbed the momentum and are on the brink of their first ever NBA title. But some connoisseurs say it’s still long way to go, predicting that Warriors will bounce back to wrest at least one game at Cavs territory. The hostilities might even reach the seventh and final game. Let’s just wait and see. The Cavs so far have the edge but it’s not over until it’s over.
I’m making this piece on Thursday and so sad that I won’t be able to watch the fourth and fifth games on TV since I’ll be traveling to Singapore on Friday with my first child Jazy to watch our countrymen in the 28th Southeast Asia Games play in boxing, volleyball, football, basketball and cycling. I’m hoping it will also be shown there live on television. Like what I always do in some world boxing events, there’s no substitute to watching the skirmishes in the flesh to know more about the sports, if I have the means. I’m an avid admirer of sports since I was a kid. I began following world sporting events (thru newspapers) since 1960 and that was the Rome Olympic Games in 1960 when U.S. boxer Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) won the light heavyweight gold.
This will be my third trip to Singapore. My first was in August 2010 to watch the First Youth Olympic Games with my cumpadre the well-known PDI sports columnist Recah Trinidad. That was so memorable to me because it was there when I watched on CNN the Luneta Park hostage ordeal where eight Hong Kong Chinese tourists were killed by hostage taker Manila policeman Rolando Mendoza. My second was in 2013, but that was just for sightseeing.
As of this writing, our PH team is in fifth position with 21 gold medals overtaking Indonesia and just five golds shy over fourth-running Malaysia. The host Singapore is the frontrunner, followed by Vietnam and Thailand. Our boastful sports officials are predicting 45 golds haul, let’s hope it happens. And if not, mapapahiya na naman sila. “Panay dakdak sila. Parang nauuna ang kalesa kaysa kabayo dahil sa sobrang yabang nila,” commented Rod Ibasan of Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan City. I agree.
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My heartfelt congrats to Dr. Francisco “Pingkoy” Duque III, the new president of Lyceum Northwestern University (LNU) succeeding his brother Atty. Gonzalo “Gonz” Duque. Unknown to many, Pingkoy, like his brother Gonz, is also an avid sports admirer and supporter. In fact, the annual UCAAP basketball tourney will still continue with Gonz at the helm being the league president. My source said the league will start probably last week of next month.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” MATTHEW 5: 11-12
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