HERE are the top sports news from Thursday.
Sports news October 20
Juan Gomez de Liano in Lithuania
Juan Gomez de Liaño is breaking new ground once again, this time becoming the first homegrown Filipino to play in Europe.
One of the first Pinoys to become an import in Japan, the lefty combo guard has signed with the BC Wolves who play in the Lithuanian league Lietuvos Krepsinio Lyga.
Gomez de Liaño is coming off an MVP campaign in the 2022 PBA D-League Aspirants' Cup where he averaged 18.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.2 steals to lead Marinerong Pilipino to the finals.
The University of the Philippines product is the second Filipino to play in Europe after Jack Animam blazed the trail by signing with Radnicki Kragujevac in Serbia last year.
Maurice Shaw in Filbasket
Maurice Shaw has found a new home, this time with the Makabayan Warriors who will play in the upcoming Filbasket International Championship in Malaysia.
The second overall pick in the 2019 PBA Draft by Blackwater is making his way back to a Filipino club after last playing for Barangay Ginebra in 3x3 and a cameo on the Gin Kings’ 5-on-5 team in the 2021 Governors’ Cup.
The 37-year-old Fil-Am center last saw action overseas for Mekong United, which represented Vietnam in the Asean Super League, a competition among Southeast Asian balllclubs.
RJ Jazul on Rey Nambatac non-bearing three-pointer
RJ Jazul came to the defense of fellow Letran product Rey Nambatac over a non-bearing three-pointer in a 2020 PBA Philippine Cup elimination-round game in the Clark bubble that riled bettors and a netizen who issued death threats to the Rain or Shine guard and partner Keisha Ancheta.
Fans felt Nambatac spoiled bets on point-spread and ending games by hitting a long three-pointer at the buzzer as Rain or Shine still lost to Phoenix, 90-88, in the final eliminations game at the Angeles University Foundation gym in November 2020.
Among the online posts that ridiculed Nambatac was a meme where the creator placed a conversation bubble on Jazul, who was standing beside Nambatac, saying, “Bakit mo pa tinira?”
Two years after the controversy, Jazul aired his side on SPIN Zoom In, revealing what he said was the opposite of the words on the meme.
Read the full story here.
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