Latest news with #FinalFour
GMA Network
11 hours ago
- Sport
- GMA Network
Zam Nolasco, Vince Himzon lead Benilde, Letran to winning streaks ahead of NCAA volleyball Final Four
NCAA After more than three months of action, the NCAA Season 100 volleyball tournament is coming to a close, but not before witnessing excellent performances ahead of the playoffs. The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers and the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights went perfect in the last two weeks of the elimination round, with Zam Nolasco and Vince Himzon leading their respective squads in crucial wins heading into the Final Four. With their consistent performances which came just at the right time, Nolasco and Himzon were named as the final Collegiate Press Corps' NCAA Players of the Week, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, for the period of May 20 to 30. Nolasco has been a steady rise in Benilde's run as the Taft-based squad completed a second round sweep with the Lady Blazers going 4-0 in the homestretch of the tourney. The third-year middle blocker posted a game-high 17 points built on 11 attacks and 6 blocks in their crucial 25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 25-18 victory against Colegio de San Juan de Letran last May 21, then she had six points in their 25-12, 25-19, 26-24 win against Mapua University last May 23 to exact revenge against their first round tormentors. "Tinalo kami last time nung first round [ng Mapua], malaking kumpiyansa 'yun kumbaga nakabawi kami rito. 'Yung nakaraan din 'yung Letran tinalo kami noon, so dala-dala ng mga bata 'yung kumpiyansa," Benilde head coach Onyok Getigan. The streak continued for Benilde and Nolasco as she scored 10 points in Benilde's 25-15, 25-23, 25-18 win against University of Perpetual Help System DALTA before sealing her impressive run in the eliminations with another game-high 12 points on 9 attacks and 3 blocks against Lyceum of the Philippines University where they won 25-20, 25-18, 25-12. The four-peat seeking Benilde wrapped up the eliminations with 16-2 and will enter the Final Four as the top-seeded squad. Nolasco defeated teammate Aya Densing, San Beda's Angel Habacon, and Letran's Gia Maquilang for the weekly award backed by Discovery Suites and World Balance. Himzon, meanwhile, has been one of Letran's pillars as the Knights went 3-0 in the final stretch of the elimination round. The third-year middle blocker had a team-high 21 points built on 18 attacks, two blocks, and an ace, as Letran defeated fellow contender Benilde, 23-25, 25-21, 25-14, 25-23, last May 21. This was followed by a 13-point outing against Jose Rizal University where Letran won, 25-20, 25-18, 25-12, before the Knights officially clinched the Final Four spot with its victory over Mapua, 25-16, 25-21, 25-20, behind Himzon's 15 points. Himzon edged Arellano's AC Guinto, Perpetual's Kobe Tabuga, and LPU's Jun Frank Edang for the weekly recognition being deliberated upon by writers covering the collegiate beat. The Knights finished the elimination round with a 12-6 card as they will be the fourth-ranked team come semifinals. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
12 hours ago
- Sport
- GMA Network
Benilde teams eye outright finals tickets as NCAA volleyball Final Four opens
NCAA The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde men's and women's teams aim for their respective finals spots when the NCAA Season 100 volleyball Final Four opens on Sunday at the Filoil Centre in San Juan. The four-peat seeking Lady Blazers will take on Mapua University at 2:30 p.m., while the top-seeded Blazers will go against Colegio de San Juan de Letran at 12:00 p.m. Both the men's and women's teams are armed with a twice-to-beat advantage. The Lady Blazers are coming off a second round sweep in the tournament and finished on top of the standings with a 16-2 card. For Benilde women's team head coach Onyok Getigan, the lengthened tourney allowed the team to adjust after absorbing two losses in the first round. "Malaking bagay 'yung haba ng liga so naka-adjust kami, nakikita 'yung lapses, then kung sino ang dapat mag-step up, nag-step up talaga," Getigan said last May 25. Benilde still has veteran Mycah Go in its arsenal, along with the league's top blocker in Zam Nolasco and top setter Chenae Basarte. The Taft-based squad also leads in terms of spiking, serving, and setting. The Lady Cardinals, meanwhile, are returning to the Final Four after missing it last season. Mapua finished the elimination round with back-to-back losses to get an 11-7 record, enough for a ticket to the semis. Mapua head coach Clarence Esteban has the likes of top scorers Raissa Ricablanca, Freighanne Garcia, and Alyanna Ong as they hope to push Benilde to the limit, just like what they did in the first round where they won against the Taft-based squad. In the men's division, the Blazers are hoping to return to the finals -- a feat they last achieved in 2019. The Benilde men's team finished on top of the standings with a 14-4 card, but fell short against Lyceum of the Philippines University in their final prelims match last Friday. Head coach Arnold Laniog said his players' mindset will be really important, especially as their conditioning has been tested due to the long tourney. "'Yung haba ng tournament na first time na nangyari, two rounds, nagkakaroon ng upset sa second round. Dulo na to eh, 'yung conditioning ang laki ng bearing. At the same time, 'yung mind setting, focused ka talaga, especially sa preparation," Laniog said. "It's more on desire ng team, 'yung desire natin kailangan manaig talaga. Sa training pa lang, maramdaman na natin na may gusto tayong marating sa game." Benilde will have the likes of Rocky Roy Motol, Jacob Agassi Herrera, and James Harold Marasigan to rely on. Letran, on the other hand, has won its last three games to officially secure a Final Four spot and finished the elimination round with a 12-6 card. The Knights, who also defeated Benilde in the first round, will have league top spiker Vince Himzon, Bembem Bautista, and John Wayne Araño in their second straight Final Four appearance. The other brackets in the Final Four, Letran vs Arellano in the women's side, and Mapua vs Arellano in the men's division, will face off on Tuesday. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Julian Harris Elementary gets new assistant principal, Decatur High gets girls basketball coach
May 30—Candice Lenhardt is the new assistant principal at Julian Harris Elementary School and Tyler Wright is the new girls varsity basketball coach at Decatur High School. Decatur Board of Education members unanimously approved Lenhardt's promotion and the hiring of Wright during their special called board meeting Friday morning. Lenhardt has spent the past three years as a math coach at Julian Harris. Before that, she taught one year of fourth grade and four years of fifth grade at the school. Her experience in the classroom made her want to work on her leadership certification, she said. "Becoming a math coach is really what led me in that direction," she said. "Initially my thoughts were that I wanted to move out of the classroom and move into a position where I could have a greater impact. Being a math coach, I got to work with all the grade levels and teachers, and it just pushed me into it." She's glad to stay at the school. "Definitely excited I can stay at Julian Harris because it has been my home for eight years," she said. While she was there, she memorized the names of the 336 students, she said. She and her husband, Josh, who works for MDA as an engineer, have three children, Jalyse, 3; Bless, 19; and Elliott, 20. — Wright hired A native of Bowdon, Georgia, Wright brings nearly a decade of experience in education and coaching. He spent eight years at Mount Zion High School in Carrollton, Georgia, from 2016 to 2024, serving as head coach from 2017 through 2023. He spent the 2024 — 25 season as assistant coach at Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. Over the past four basketball seasons, Wright has helped lead teams to three consecutive region championships, multiple Sweet 16 appearances, a Final Four run and a state runner-up finish. He was unable to attend the board meeting Friday. — or 256-340-2361
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Hockey Show: Talking Stanley Cup Final rematch, Florida Panthers roots with Bob Wischusen
The Hockey Show is heading back to the Stanley Cup Final! Over the past week, we learned that the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will be facing off in a rematch of last season's championship series. Advertisement Both the Cats and Oilers dispatched their respective conference final opponents in relatively quick five-game series' and now will get set to lock horns for the second straight year with the Stanley Cup on the line. On this week's show, hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork got into the NHL's Final Four, welcoming NHL on ESPN broadcaster Bob Wischusen to help break down the conference final matchups. They also get into the Cup Final rematch between the Panthers and Oilers, as well as Bob's broadcasting career start, which was also in South Florida. This week's wins and fails of the week included a golden goal by Team USA, an infamous streak coming to an end, an exceptional play by Panthers Captain Sasha Barkov and a couple of PWHL players getting their helmet cages tangled up. Advertisement You can check out the full show in the video below: LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Examining how rare Stanley Cup Final rematches are as Panthers, Oilers prepare for sequel series 3 Things Panthers Need To Beat Oilers & Win Stanley Cup Again Matthew Tkachuk Boldly Predicted This To Connor McDavid Last Year Schedule set for 2025 Stanley Cup Final rematch between Panthers and Oilers Florida Panthers will face Edmonton Oilers in Stanley Cup Final rematch
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Longhorn women's basketball loses talented guard in the transfer portal
Longhorn women's basketball loses talented guard in the transfer portal Following a career year, Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda has found a new home Former Longhorn guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda has found a new home after a career year. The South Dakota native committed to Vanderbilt after entering the transfer portal. She will take her talents to SEC rival Vanderbilt as she looks to build on her Junior campaign. In her final season as a Longhorn, Mwenentanda averaged 5.6 points and 2.9 points a game. She saw an increase in playing time and scored in double-figures in eight games. Her best game came in the second round of the NCAA tournament against Illinois when she scored a career-high 19 points. As Mwenentanda prepares for a new chapter, she leaves a memorable legacy in Austin. She appeared in 103 games for the Longhorns, earning 18 starts and scoring 470 total points. With her in the mix, Texas was able to advance to the Final Four for the first time in over 20 years last season. Mwenentanda will join a Vanderbilt team coming off a 22-11 2024-2025 campaign. The Commodores were able to make it to the NCAA Tournament, where the Oregon Ducks eliminated them in the first round. With a more experienced roster, they hope to make a deeper playoff run this upcoming season. That is where Mwenentanda comes in. She knows what it takes to win at a high level and in a competitive conference. With Mwenentanda on the roster, Vanderbilt has another experienced veteran to turn to. If Mwenentanda can build on her success from last year, then the Commodores will be in good hands.
