In the course of his athletic career, EJ Obiena had hoped to make himself known by being the first Filipino to have medals in both the World Athletics indoor and outdoor competitions.

However, the dream was taken away as the Filipino athlete barely cleared 5.65 meters to finish in ninth place at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow. 

Aware that what happened did not go according to what he initially planned, Obiena declared in an online news conference that he would take full responsibility for his performance and that there are no excuses for it.

Obiena and the setback

He clarified that aside from hoping to win a medal in the Glasgow match, he was confident to be able to perform in his best self due to his consistency in training. However, his experience with the World Indoors became a setback for him instead. 

“I’ve been pretty consistent with 5.80m, that’s why I took the risk when it comes to World Indoors. It just didn’t pan out. The marks that I was hitting, I’m hitting it pretty consistently and with excellence, but it is a setback, this World Indoors,” EJ admitted. 

Admitting that the competition results affected his mental health, Obiena remained resilient and optimistic. Despite this experience, EJ revealed that he is moving on and is concentrating to be ready for the bigger picture– the Olympic Games in Paris this 2024. 

“That was not the goal this year, the goal is Paris 2024,” said Obiena, who is now a qualifier in the Summer Games.

“I’m moving on, and I’ll look forward to the outdoor season. I will prepare and focus on the main goal,” Ej said.

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Blake Hinson smashes Pitt’s single-season 3-point record

Cover Photo: Facebook

Link: ABSCBN

After Joel Embiid’s game-changing 50-point performance, the New York Knicks‘ star player in Game 4 was Jalen Brunson. It was an exciting matchup. In a game that saw the Knicks win 97-92 and take a commanding 3-1 series lead, Brunson led the team to an incredible triumph on the road with an incredible 47 points.

In addition to helping the Knicks to a vital victory, Brunson’s incredible performance left a lasting impression on the team, shattering the franchise record for the most points scored in a single playoff game.

The Philadelphia 76ers had a lot of momentum going into the game, especially since Mitchell Robinson of the Knicks was not playing because of an ankle strain he suffered in Game 3. They had a great start, outscoring the Knicks 27-17 in the first quarter, but the Knicks fought back, cutting the margin to 49-47 at the half.

With an incredible performance that includes making 9 of 11 free throws and shooting 18 of 34 from the floor to score an incredible 47 points, Brunson deserves a lot of the credit for the Knicks’ comeback.

Achiuwa plays more defensively while Brunson shines.

While his teammates struggled offensively, Brunson shone brightly in a stunning show of defensive skill. Josh Hart rebounded with an incredible 17 rebounds, demonstrating his value beyond scoring, despite Donte DiVincenzo’s struggles outside the arc and his 0-for-7 shooting performance.

The Knicks’ efforts were strengthened by OG Anunoby’s double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Precious Achiuwa’s crucial role off the bench—particularly in restraining Embiid following Hartenstein’s foul trouble—highlighted his defensive perseverance.

Achiuwa’s heroics in the fourth quarter not only demonstrated his defensive prowess but also helped the club secure a vital win, demonstrating the tenacity and depth of the Knicks’ squad.

Despite being worn out, Embiid persevered for the duration of the second half, scoring 27 points on 7 of 19 shots after his incredible effort in Game 3. In addition, he scored with 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.

For the Sixers, Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points on 8 of 21 shots. The Knicks can now anticipate a passionate home audience when the series moves back to New York, where fans are hoping for a trip to the NBA playoffs’ second round.

Cover Photo: IG

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Ilia Malinin wins his first-ever World Figure Skating title with a quadruple axel

 

Positioned all by herself at the free-throw line, Caitlin Clark with her foul shots made her way to the top of the NCAA Division 1 scoring board.

Her team, No. 6 Iowa, won against No. 2 Ohio State with a score of 93-83, all thanks to her two free throws on a technical penalty. Clark undoubtedly surpassed the previous 54-year-old record held by Pete Maravich.

Clark needed to score eighteen points to beat Maravich’s record of 3,667 points, which the player accumulated in a total of 83 games. She made history by gaining 3,685 points in her 130 games. 

Clark – Highest scoring

Caitlin stated: “Just to be in the same realm of all these players who have been so successful, whether it’s Pete or Kelsey Plum or Lynette Woodard — all these people have just given so much to the game,”

“Hopefully somebody comes after me and breaks my records and I can be there supporting them,” she added. 

She was well-known for her 3-pointers, and after Cotie McMahon was called for giving her a slight shove during a dead ball, Caitlin was summoned at the foul line with less than a second remaining in the first half. 

The Charlotte Hornets haven’t really been in their best form since the start of the regular season, but the same can’t be said of their guard, LaMello Ball, who nonetheless performed admirably and continues to record impressive stats. 

Drafted in 2020, the Charlotte Hornets selected the 6-foot-7 guard with the third overall pick. Make no mistake, Ball hasn’t gone unnoticed in the past few years; it’s just that despite his remarkable plays, he gets outshined by other players like the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards, the Hawks’ Trae Young, and the Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton.

This time, though, the guard had a breakout performance during their latest bout against the first-ranked team in the Western Conference standings, the Boston Celtics. At one point during overtime, Ball was seen shaking off Jrue Holiday before slicing in through the players and driving for a basket.

LAMELO BALL DROPS JRUE HOLIDAY 😳 pic.twitter.com/4J7lveb5BC

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 21, 2023

Ball fired 15 for 27 from the field and 5 for 11 from three-point range as he closed the game with 36 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists.

In the wake of his performance, fans have also begun to pay more attention to the 22-year-old and found that this wasn’t the first time Ball put on a great performance; in fact, he’s been almost consistent with his play this season. During the Hornets’ last eight games, Ball scored no less than 25 points in all of them.

Unfortunately, the team hasn’t been able to keep up and has lost six times out of the eight games, winning only against the Wizards and Celtics.

LaMelo Ball over his last 8 games:

36 PTS – 9 REB – 8 AST
34 PTS – 5 REB – 9 AST
37 PTS – 5 REB – 5 AST
28 PTS – 6 REB – 11 AST
32 PTS – 7 REB – 6 AST
25 PTS – 6 REB – 6 AST
34 PTS – 4 REB – 7 AST
30 PTS – 10 REB – 13 AST

Young superstar 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zogc3cej14

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 21, 2023

Many fans are now protesting to either get Ball some help on court or for him to get out of the Hornets if he’s serious about his career. They believe that being on a losing team is the reason why he hasn’t been talked about enough lately. Some even said that Ball could’ve been placed with the likes of Edwards and Haliburton if only he had joined a winning team. 

Balls’ recent feat

In Charlotte Hornets’ latest X post, the team highlighted Ball’s most recent accomplishment, writing, “LaMelo Ball is now the 2nd fastest and 3rd youngest player in NBA history to make 500 3-pointers.”

As per Sports Illustrated, it only took Ball 175 days to reach that groundbreaking number.

Ball is shaping up to be one of the top young players in the league. He has the talent, the game, and the confidence to be a star, and fans can’t wait to see where he goes from here.

https://twitter.com/hornets/status/1726776438030782875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1726776438030782875%7Ctwgr%5Edf6c49150eb1de1347299c1778c68ae1a95db65b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2Fhornets%2Fgameday%2Flamelo-ball-becomes-2nd-fastest-3rd-youngest-to-make-500-career-threes

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Wizards’ Tyus Jones Praises Poole Amidst Controversy

British heavyweight Anthony Joshua declared that he hopes to make a statement by defeating the former mixed martial arts champion, Francis Ngannou. The 34-year-old is trying to establish himself as one of the top contenders in the heavyweight division after losing his WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO belts to Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine back in 2021. He has now won his last three fights.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Joshua confidently stated: “I believe I can knock him out.” 

Anthony Joshua ready for war 

In another statement, Joshua admitted that he would like to take Ngannou out and leave a lasting impression.

“Physically I feel strong, feeling good. Strong enough to get the job done and mentally I’m in a place where I’m ready for war. I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Joshua said.

On the other hand, Ngannou gave up his heavyweight title in the UFC  due to a contract disagreement with the promotion organization and went on to become a free agent in January 2023. In October 2023, the 37-year-old made his debut in professional boxing against Tyson Fury. The thrilling match ended with a split decision. 

Meanwhile, despite being on the brink of defeat at the hands of Ngannou, Tyson Fury doesn’t think he is a very good boxer. The WBC heavyweight champion was dropped by Ngannou in the third round of their ‘Battle of the Baddest’ fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last October.

Fury doesn’t think he stands much of a chance of beating his long-time rival, Joshua.

“I’m expecting AJ to win, for sure. He’s a boxer, isn’t he? A former two-time world champion,” Fury said during an interview with IFL TV.

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Caitlin Clark sets the highest scoring record in NCAA Division I history

Cover Photo:  Wikipedia

Links: Inquirer and YouTube