ALLAN THE MAN

Runners, it’s time for you to gear up because Adidas is now opening the registration for this year’s Adidas King of the Road (KOTR), happening this July 7 at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The Adidas KOTR 2013 edition will allow its runners to choose between the 16.8K and 10k race categories.

The 16.8K distance will have two sub-categories—Closed, which will be exclusive for Filipinos, and Open category for all nationalities. Male and female runners who will top the race from the Closed category will be crowned as the Philippines’ King and Queen of the Road and will represent the country in the Adidas KOTR Southeast Asia Championship in Malaysia later this year.

The NBA made it official Sunday, announcing Miami Heat superstar LeBron James was a near-unanimous choice as Most Valuable Player, earning the award for a second straight year and fourth time overall.

James’s victory in the voting had been widely reported since Friday, although when asked about it the player himself had urged reporters not to “jinx” him by jumping the gun.

He needn’t have worried.

James garnered 120 first-place votes from a possible 121 which included a 120-member media panel and a fan poll conducted on NBA.com that counted for one vote.

"Beat China." This was the advice given by former NBA star Yao Ming to the Philippine national basketball team, Smart Gilas Pilipinas, seeking an end to the decades-long World Championship and Olympic drought.

Yao made the statement at the press conference on Philippines-China Friendship Games on Sunday at the Grand Ballroom of the Solaire Hotel and Casino near the Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City.

The 7-foot-6 Yao, who played nine meaningful seasons with the Houston Rockets in the NBA, including the last few years where he was hobbled by various injuries, then withheld from giving more tips, saying it will end up spilling the beans to China's secret to success.

Philippine national men’s basketball coach Chot Reyes will tap members of the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas cadet pool to join PBA players when the squad takes on the Shanghai Sharks.

The Philippines will play the Sharks, a Chinese Basketball Association club co-owned by former NBA star Yao Ming, in exhibition matches on May 6 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena and on May 7 at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Members of the senior pool from PBA clubs that are no longer in contention in the Commissioner’s Cup will banner the squad. Gabe Norwood and Jeff Chan of Rain or Shine, Gary David and Japeth Aguilar of GlobalPort, and June Mar Fajardo of Petron will be joined by senior pool members Marcus Douthit and Greg Slaughter.

The SMART-Gilas Pilipinas squad battled back from a double-digit fourth quarter deficit to force the tie in what was the first public appearance of the latest incarnation of the national team.

The PBA All-Stars promised to provide a challenge for the Gilas team preparing for the FIBA Asia Championship, and they made good on it. Arwind Santos, who won co-Most Valuable Player honors for the game, led the selection to a hot 9-2 start to begin the game.

WATCH 'SHOOTING STARS' FULL GAME VIDEO REPLAY BELOW:

Floyd Mayweather Jr. put on a boxing clinic as he thoroughly outclassed Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in their 12-round welterweight clash Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas (Sunday morning in Manila).

Mayweather found his rhythm early in the fight, landed his straight right hand with regularity, and neutralized Guerrero’s offense on his way to a clear unanimous decision victory.

The three judges scored the bout 117-111 across the board.

Mayweather remains undefeated in his professional career, extending his winning streak to 44 fights.