ALLAN THE MAN

Marc Pingris will not be part of the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas lineup for the FIBA Asia Cup 2012 this September, coach Chot Reyes said on Thursday.

Reyes told InterAKTV in a telephone interview that the San Mig Coffee forward is still on vacation and recuperating from a neck injury suffered during the Governors’ Cup finals.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday spoke out against the leadership of Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, whom he described as “the greatest stumbling block to sports development.”

The senator called on members of national sports associations to elect a different set of leaders during the POC elections set on November. Cojuangco is eyeing a third four-year term.

Bruno Mars move over. Will.I.Am has got a new single coming direct from Mars, the first-ever song to debut on another planet.

The Mars Curiosity mission has something for everyone: Cool pix, lasers blasting rocks, and now the music of the spheres.

"Reaching for the Stars" will be broadcast from the red planet at 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday.

The broadcast will be part of a NASA educational event for students at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.

Against an American team with superior size advantage, it was the smallest man on the Philippine side who stood tallest.

LA Tenorio delivered the biggest buckets in the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team’s 76-75 victory over USA to bring home the William Jones Cup to the Philippines for the first time since 1998.

The Alaska point guard scored 20 points, including the go-ahead basket with 17 seconds to go to lift SMART-Gilas to the win.

The SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team put itself in position to clinch the title with a win in its last assignment, taking care of business against home team Zhonghua of Chinese Taipei, 76-72, in the 34th William Jones Cup in Taiwan.

With fellow tournament leaders Iran and USA both losing their matches on the penultimate day of the competition, the Philippines moved up to solo first place at 6-1. Iran, USA and Korea are in a three-way tie in second with 5-2 marks.

SMART-Gilas took an eight-point lead, 37-29, to halftime, but watched as the hosts rallied behind big man Tseng Wen Ting and some hot outside shooting in the third quarter. Chinese Taipei had a big 13-point turnaround to lead by five, 56-51, before Larry Fonacier hit a three-pointer that got the Filipinos within two entering the final period.

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno has been named the 24th Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines.

Sereno, 52, is the youngest member of the High Court. She was appointed by President Aquino in August 2010. She will potentially occupy the seat of Chief Justice until the mandatory retirement age of 70, giving her a potential 18-year-term.

Sereno beat out seven other candidates, namely Acting Supreme Court chief justice Antonio Carpio; associate justices Roberto Abad, Arturo Brion, and Teresita Leonardo De Castro; Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, ex-Ateneo Law School Dean Cesar Villanueva and former congressman Ronaldo Zamora.

The SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team banked on a late rally to defeat Japan, 88-84, and remain unbeaten in the 34th William Jones Cup in Taiwan.

Japan led the Philippines by 13 points at the start of the fourth period, but the Filipinos opened the quarter with an 8-2 run then rode a huge 16-4 run capped by a three-pointer from Gabe Norwood to take the lead, before holding off the Japanese with steady shooting from the free throw line.

Naturalized center Marcus Douthit paced the Filipinos with 26 points while LA Tenorio added 13 points, including three triples. Norwood added 11 points.

The Philippines moved up to 4-0, drawing themselves into a tie with Iran, which earlier defeated the US team in double overtime.

The Philippines will play Lebanon next before wrapping up their campaign with three tough assignments in Iran, hosts Chinese Taipei A and USA.