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Juan Gomez de Liano excited for Gilas reunion run with Justine Baltazar, RJ Abarrientos in Window 3

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Juan Gomez de Liano is excited to run it back with his peers after being called up for Window 3 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.

The lefty guard is set for his second straight tour of duty with the Nationals as a replacement for the injured Scottie Thompson, thus forming a reunion of sorts with his men’s team batchmates in Justine Baltazar and RJ Abarrientos.

“Super excited,” he expressed during the send-off presser organized by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas at the FilOil Center in San Juan, Monday.

The troika were part of the Gilas squad mentored by Tab Baldwin back in 2021, a squad which competed in FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers and famously in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Serbia as practically a wild card.2021-FIBA-Asia-Cup-Qualifiers-Gilas-def-Thailand-Justine-Baltazar Juan Gomez de Liano excited for Gilas reunion run with Justine Baltazar, RJ Abarrientos in Window 3 Basketball Gilas Pilipinas News  - philippine sports news

And it was during the Asia Cup Qualifiers’ Bahrain bubble where Gomez de Liano and Baltazar first became teammates, creating a bond that would eventually be rekindled years later in the professional ranks.

The two are currently teammates in Converge in the PBA—they were drafted one after the other by the young franchise in the last two Rookie Drafts.

So, to say that they’re familiar with one another’s styles of play and tendencies could be an understatement, and fans and observers alike have surely become curious as to how it would translate now that they’re back in Gilas.

“The last time we represented the country was when we went to Bahrain during the pandemic,” recalled the former KBL and B.League import. “Now we’re teammates not just with Gilas but in Converge in the PBA.

“Super excited. I’m very familiar with how he plays; I know his spots, I know how to get him going. Just blessed to be here with Balti as well.”

Then there’s Abarrientos, who’s becoming a rival of his in the PBA after the FiberXers and Barangay Ginebra figured in a quarterfinal classic during the Season 50 Philippine Cup that could be a Game of the Season candidate.

Both players have grown further since, with the former FEU star winning Best Player of the Conference honors in the recent Commissioner’s Cup and eventually helping the Kings take the crown by ousting TNT in seven.

“The impact RJ brings, he won the Best Player of the Conference this last conference,” Gomez de Liano said.

“He’s very smart, and he creates for others as well. I think we play really well together … Super excited.”

The post Juan Gomez de Liano excited for Gilas reunion run with Justine Baltazar, RJ Abarrientos in Window 3 appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

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NLEX crushes Titan Ultra, stays unbeaten for solo PBA Group A lead

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ANTIPOLO — NLEX netted their third win in as many games after dealing Titan Ultra yet another disappointing loss, 135-100, to grab the solo lead in Group A of the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Tuesday at the Ynares Center here.

Not wanting a repeat of their near-collapse versus Terrafirma the last time out in Montalban, the Road Warriors played more consistently this time, building a big lead in the second chapter before breaking away for good in the fourth.

The crew actually lost in the third canto when they allowed the opposition to get as close as nine behind a 39-point production, but quickly restored order before the quarter ended, and then put it away not long after to keep their record intact.

Deschon Winston led NLEX with 30 points alongside nine rebounds and six assists, with Robert Bolick dropping 29 points and seven rebounds in easily his best game scoring-wise since Coach Jimmy Alapag took over.

Import DeQuan Jones finished with 22 points and six rebounds, while Kevin Alas tallid a 14-5-4 stat line to lead the bench mob in the victory.

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NBBF Will Continue To Lubricate Fan Belts Of Talent Production In Nigeria – Musa Kida

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The president of Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF), Engineer Ahmad Kusa Kida has come out with a bold pledge that the governing body for the giants’ sport will continue ‘lubricating the fan belts of talent production’ to ensure that more players are produced for the future.

Sports247 reports that Engineer Kida gave the assurance while commenting on the recent feat of the country’s cadet men’s national team in winning the FIBA Africa Zone 3 U18 Championship in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Read Also: Engineer Ahmad Musa Kida Gets Excited With Array Of Basketball Talents Emerging Across Nigeria | Sports247 Nigeria

Kida was beaming with delight, after seeing the team win all four of their matches to top Zone 3 and secure automatic qualification for the finals, scheduled for August 3rd to 6th in Côte d’Ivoire, where they will play along with the country’s females, who earlier secured automatic qualification.

The U18 Tigers pulled off a perfect 4-0 record by defeating Benin Republic 96-35 and 101-43 as well as trouncing Burkina Faso 98-54 and 100-54 in their double-layered games to emerge champions of the sub-region and qualified for the Africa FIBA U18 Championship.

With attention now shifting to the continental assault, Kida revealed that the NBBF is already working hard to consolidate the results ahead of the 2026 U18 AfroBasket and gave credit to collective effort from every member of the federation’s board for the conquest in Ouagadougou.

“The NBBF shall continue to lubricate the fan belts of the talent production factories of the game in Nigeria,” Kida submitted, while pointing out that the current leadership of basketball in the country is prioritising efforts in grassroots development, without neglecting other aspects of the game.

The post NBBF Will Continue To Lubricate Fan Belts Of Talent Production In Nigeria – Musa Kida appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

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Joaquin Tovera finds home at La Salle, puts family above all

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Joaquin Tovera has found his new collegiate home.

Days after announcing his decommitment from the University of the Philippines, the reigning FIBA U18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers Most Valuable Player has committed to De La Salle University, being eligible starting UAAP Season 89.

For the 18-year-old guard, the decision went beyond basketball.

“At the end of the day, family was the biggest reason behind my decision,” Tovera said.

“I’ve always been closest to the people who have supported me since day one, and knowing I’ll be in an environment where I can be near them gives me a lot of peace and confidence. That support system means everything to me, and I believe it will help me become a better player and an even better person.”

Tovera has deep connections with the Cortez family, having previously played alongside Mikey Cortez during their time with Tumakbo Basketball.

UAAP-89-Jacob-Cortez-x-Gregg-Rivera-x-Joaquin-Tovera-x-Mike-Cortez-x-Mikey-Cortez Joaquin Tovera finds home at La Salle, puts family above all Basketball DLSU News UAAP  - philippine sports news

(C) DLSU

The relationship extends beyond the court, with La Salle legend Mike Cortez being the cousin of Gregg Rivera, Tovera’s uncle, making the Green Archers a familiar environment for the young playmaker.

His commitment comes just days after he revealed that he was reopening his recruitment despite seeing action for the Fighting Maroons during the 2026 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.

During his brief stint with UP, Tovera contributed across three games, tallying six points, five assists, and two steals against De La Salle. He followed with seven points and three assists versus Far Eastern University, before making his first start against Mapua in the quarterfinals.

He also suited up for Gilas Pilipinas Boys in the same tournament, averaging 18.5 points and 7.0 assists per contest.

Now set to wear the green and white, Tovera is eager to begin the next chapter of his basketball journey.

“I’m really excited to join De La Salle University and become part of such a proud basketball program,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to learning from the coaches, competing with my new teammates, and doing everything I can to help us succeed. I can’t wait to get to work.”

Despite his move, Tovera stressed that he leaves UP with nothing but appreciation for the Fighting Maroons.

“I’ll always be grateful to UP for welcoming me into the program and believing in me,” he said.

“The coaches, my teammates, and everyone behind the team treated me with so much respect, and I’ll always appreciate the opportunity they gave me. I have nothing but gratitude for my time there and wish UP nothing but success moving forward.”

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