Tempo Desk
Scottie Thompson reaffirmed his desire to remain with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel after signing a three-year contract extension.
Thompson, instrumental in Ginebra’s title runs since arriving in 2015, made the announcement on social media Friday by posting a photo of him doing a selfie with San Miguel Corporation sports director Alfrancis Chua.
The popular Ginebra guard’s contract was due to expire after this year’s 46th season, and is reportedly part of a group of players who can be eligible to sign for any teams under the new unrestricted free agency ruling the PBA will start implementing next year.
Under the new rule, players who were drafted since 2014 can sign for any team by their seventh year in the pro ranks.
BALANZA TRADED TO NORTHPORT
Meantime, Ginebra sent incoming sophomore Jerrick Balanza and its second round pick (24th overall) in Sunday’s draft to NorthPort in exchange for its second round selection (13th overall) in a deal approved by the PBA’s trade committee.
Balanza, who had a bit part in Ginebra’s title run during last season’s Philippine Cup bubble, will head to the Batang Pier where he will reunite with team manager Bonnie Tan and assistant coach Jeff Napa. (Jonas Terrado)
Pinoy fighter falls in Bahrain
Rolando Dy yielded to Kyrgyz foe Abdisalam Kubanychbek in the main event of BRAVE CF 47: Asian Domination at the Bahrain National Stadium in Riffa Thursday night (early Friday morning, Manila time).
Kubanychbek dominated his Filipino rival on the way to scoring a technical knockout win via a corner stoppage in the world lightweight title eliminator to move one step closer for a crack at the belt.
The win likewise enabled Kubanychbek to remain undefeated in BRAVE Combat Federation,
The 26-year-old Kubanychbek now awaits the winner between current champion Amin Ayoub of France and Ahmed Amir of Egypt in BRAVE CF 50 in April.
Dy’s corner opted not to continue fighting after suffering ground game punishment from the Kyrgyz warrior in the first and second rounds.
Kubanychbek unloaded a mix of punches and elbows on Dy, who was pinned against the wall, before a huge takedown at the three-minute mark of the second canto. (Carlo Anolin)
Federer loses in 2nd round
DOHA (AFP) – Roger Federer squandered a match point and was knocked out of the Qatar Open by Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili on Thursday in just his second match since a 13-month injury absence.
The 20-time Grand Slam title winner, who underwent two knee surgeries in 2020, secured the first set but eventually wilted and lost the quarterfinal tie, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5.
On Wednesday, the 39-year-old marked his first match since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals in January 2020 by defeating Britain’s Dan Evans, also in three sets.
