California Academy crowned champion

CALIFORNIA Academy bagged the inaugural Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League, thwarting Naga College Foundation with a 25-18, 18-25, 25-14, 2519 win Saturday night at San Andres Gym in Malate, Manila.

Jelaica Gajero, the Best Opposite Spiker, fired 18 points as Most Valuable Player Casiey Dongallo hammered 17 to prove an unstoppable duo in the perfect championship run of the Antipolo City-based squad.

Jenalyn Umayam added 13 more points for California Academy, which completed a 5-0 sweep of the historic high school tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Potato Corner, Peri-Peri and R&B Tea with the City of Manila as a government cooperation partner.

to do. I’m worried about the things that we have to do better to try to win game two.”

Malone said he stressed tougher defending against Bam Adebayo, who led the Heat with 26 points.

“If you’re going to score 26 points on 25 shots, that’s something we’re willing to live with,” Malone said. “But we can do a better job. That’s something we talked about, giving him different looks, making sure we’re contesting, making sure we’re shrinking the floor.”

Malone is less concerned about making strategy adjustments than he is about matching what he expects will be a higher energy level from the Heat on Sunday.

“I expect the Miami Heat to come out with a much greater energy and force and attack mindset,” he said.

‘Going to be better’

Serbian superstar Jokic said the Nuggets stumbled with their large fourthquarter lead.

“In the first three quarters, they score (63) points. I think that’s really amazing. And then they scored 30 in the fourth,” Jokic said.

“Some possessions we play amazing and some possessions we didn’t play good. Some quarters we played really good. That’s basketball. That’s why it’s a live thing. You cannot predict what’s going to happen.

“Of course we’re going to be better, but we’re going to take 1-0 for us. Just being focused for 48 minutes, I think that’s going to be the key.” AFP seconds of the first round by submitting Brian Paule with a rear-naked choke to keep the URCC welterweight interim title.

“It wasn’t a perfect game as Naga played really well. We’re glad that in the end, history is made and the girls won the first Shakey’s GVIL. We’re proud of that,” said coach Obet Vital.

California Academy’s impressive campaign included a mammoth win against reigning UAAP juniors champion National U-Nazareth School in the Final Four for a rousing momentum entering the Last Dance.

Still, the road to the summit was not a walk in the park as the California Academy spikers needed everything they could handle to hold off the resilient Naga side.

As Gajero and Dongallo set the tone in a 25-18 start, Naga refused to go down without a fight behind Arah Ellah Panique to spark a 10-3 start and equalize with a similar score, 25-18.

Umayam then joined the party, conspiring with Gajero and Dongallo for a lethal troika in their 2514 snowball in the third set before erasing a 2-5 deficit in the fourth for the clincher.

Panique, the Best Outside Hitter, posted a game-high 19 points as Nathasza Kaye Bombita added 15 in the valiant runner-up finish of the Parley Tupaz-mentored Naga team, which had to brave long hours of travel every week just to play here.

Dona Mae De Leon (Best Middle Blocker) of Bacolod Tay Tung High School, NU-NS’ IC Cepada (Best Libero) and California’s Kizzie Madriaga (Best Setter) were also named to the Super Team of the tournament powered by Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Toby’s Sports, Genius Sports, SM Tickets and Summit Natural Drinking Water.

“I’m a man of my word and this is my 136th MMA professional fight. I did everything in the URCC for 12 years and I am thankful to Alvin [Aguilar],” the 32-yearold Chope said after the fight as he improved his winloss record to 42-19.

The URCC fight card, organized by founding president Alvin Aguilar and URCC co-owner/ General Manager Aleksandr Sofronov, is supported by Crazywin and the DD Night Club.

In the preliminary fights, Rhyle Lugo blasted Richard Lachica in the second round via technical knockout in their featherweight fight, while Tokartzhy Ushqyn beat Dave Morata during their lightweight encounter in the second round via a technical knockout win.

In a bareknuckle featherweight match, Dan Ascano knocked out Gerardo Sismundo in the first round.

For inquiries about future fight events, check the official URCC website www.urcc.online or download the official URCC app https://apps.wix. com/place-invites/join-lp/b4e05b90-55a0-40a88fac17ccf4a2c074?ref=pre_banner_top, available for iOS and Google.