Lim keeps top form, grabs 2 PPS crowns

BENEDICT Lim leveled up from a previous feat as he captured two titles on home turf while Marlyn Mesiona posted a win and a runner-up finish in the PPPPEPP national junior tennis championships at the Lala and MCL courts in Lanao del Norte last Tuesday.

The top-ranked Lim, 14, crushed Pete Bandala, 6-2, 6-2, in the finals to stamp his class in his age-group category that saw him yield just seven games in four matches then as second seed in 16-U play, he repelled No. 1 and doubles partner Kale Villamar, 6-3, 5-7, 10-6, to complete the twinkill after topping the 14-U and finishing runner-up in 16-U in the Tubod stop, also in Lanao del Norte, of the circuit two weeks ago.

Mesiona, on the other hand, battled back from a set down to repulse Bato, Leyte’s Kate Imalay, 2-6, 6-1, 10-8, in the girls’ 16-U finals but the Sin- dangan, Zambo del Norte campaigner failed to match Lim’s two-title feat after yielding to Imalay, 6-2, 6-1, in the 14-U championship of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Lala, Lanao del Norte Mayor Angel Yap and Vice Mayor Cesar Yap.

Other winners in the event which served as part of the country’s longesttalent search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro were Villamar from Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, Muhammad Sarip from MSU, Marawi City, Yuree Madrona and Vienna Cagas, both from Oroquieta City, and local bet Anna Ragpala.

Villamar took the 1-U plum with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Aljun Tizon; Sarip shocked top seed Vincent Aguilar, 6-0, 6-3, in boys’ 12-U; Madrona smothered Jacob Buhat, 4-0, 4-0, for the 10-unisex title; Cagas held off Gabrielle Bulado, 7-5, 6-2, for the girls’ 12-U diadem; and Ragpala stunned No. 1 Sanschena Francisco, 6-3, 7-5, for the girls’ 18-U trophy.

While flopping violations are not reviewable under a coach’s challenge, they can be called during a referee’s replay review triggered by a coach’s challenge or a referee-initiated replay review of certain types of called fouls.

The NBA will continue to look at flopping after games, with fines modified to match technical fouls, starting at $2,000 and increasing for repeat offenders.

The coach’s challenge change gives teams a second challenge if their first challenge is successful.

Teams must continue to use a timeout to trigger a challenge. They would not be able to challenge without a timeout available.

Teams can continue to keep the timeout after a first challenge if successful but will not retain the timeout used for a second challenge whether or not it is successful. AFP