| | Pages: Chester's phenomenal 16 triples, 56 pointsAuthor: John Pages
Column: Cebu, Sports, Match Point WHO says the NBA isn't shown on cable TV? Early this year, when SkyCable pulled the plug on Solar Sports and, with it, Basketball TV, Cebuanos growled and protested. For how can, to us, the world's most popular league-whose games we've watched since the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird era-be stripped away?
The good news is, at least one week through the NBA season, the games are shown on TV. Yesterday morning, I clicked on SkyCable's channel 12 (CS9) and, guess what, Portland faced San Antonio. On Channel 32 (ESPN), it was the defending champs, the Celtics, annihilating the Chicago Bulls. And, on Channel 44 (bTV), the Orlando Magic battled the Memphis
Grizzlies. All shown "live." This is fantastic. From almost zero coverage last year... now we've got three channels.
CHESTER COKALIONG. Isn't he fascinating? Here's one of Cebu's top businessmen (Cokaliong Shipping) whose dawn-till-dusk corporate schedule is jam-packed, finding the time to shoot 16 three-point shots and scoring 56 points. I repeat, no typographical error there: Chester made 16 three-pointers, amassed 56 points-all in one game. Stunning. This happened exactly seven days ago when his Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association (Cecaba) All-Stars demolished the
Cebu Dental Society (CDS), 130-71.
To add to his feat, Chester also joined the three-point shootout. Can anyone beat C.C. from behind the arc that's shaped with the letter C? Sure. But their names would have to be Allan Caidic, Felix Duhig or Boy Cabahug. Because when we talk of amateur basketball, he's unbeatable. And, sure enough, Chester won his 19th 3-point title. Three cheers for the three-point king.
HAMILTON. Just like 2007, the Formula One champion will be decided in Interlagos, Brazil. If you recall 12 months ago, Lewis Hamilton was heavily-favored to win the '007 title-but he erred trying to make a pass in the first lap then succumbed to a gearbox problem-and lost.
This time, the Briton, only 23, hopes to finally win the crown and become the youngest-ever F1 champion. But it won't be easy. Though he'll only need to place fifth or better to win, his nearest rival, Felipe Massa, hails from Brazil and has home-
court advantage. Said Massa: "I know all the tricks and secrets of this track, and I'll have the people behind me."
Still, Hamilton is expected to win in a season that, news reports say, was one of the most exciting this decade: For not since 2003 have at least seven different drivers won races in one season and, more than that, six drivers took pole position and 15 led races at one time throughout the year.
Back to Hamilton: Will this be the first time that F1 racing will witness a black driver win the championship? Just the same with the US elections this Tuesday, the answer appears to be "Yes He Can."
PACO. Still on racing, Paco Rodriguez, whom I featured on this column a few weeks ago, returned from the World Karting Finals in Japan with good news.
"We were 36 in our class 'expert' and I finished 10th," said Paco. Then he added, "Not bad... 10th in the world." You bet that's not bad. When I asked if he was happy with his showing, Paco said, "Yes, I'm very happy that I'm in the top 10. I didn't expect to be in the top 10 because I qualified 24th." Paco told me that it rained during the race and, given his "rainy day" expertise, he moved up and placed 10th.
Any interesting or funny experiences? I asked. "Yep, I spun during qualifying because I was very nervous.. actually I pressed the brakes too hard so it locked that's why I spun. Also the team manager, Mr. Sasaki, said that I should not eat dinner because I'm overweight. Ha-ha. But he was happy of my performance."
The Japan event was Paco's first to be a factory driver and to be with a factory team (Birel Pacific). He added, "I learned to be more mature in terms of overtaking. I also learned new driving styles."
The next stop? Macau, Nov. 29 to 30.
Only 14 years old, Paco Rodriguez-though he's a Ferrari and Felipe Massa fan-is, no doubt, the Lewis Hamilton of Cebu.
( www.pages.ph ) Source: Sunstar Daily |
|
