HEAVY BOMBERS, GEMS BRACE AGAINST SEPARATE FOES IN PBA D-LEAGUE
The jose Rizal University (JRU) Air21 Heavy Bombers (3-4) and Cebuana Lhuillier Gems (3-4) will shoot for a share of the sixth spot as they face separate foes today in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup at the Trinity Gym in Quezon City.

The Heavy Bombers take on Fruitas Shakers at 2 p.m. while Cebuana locks horns with Blackwater Sports at 4 p.m. JIM LEMUEL WILSON    

FALCONS NIP SEAHAWKS, PATRIOTS ADVANCE
ATLANTA, Georgia: Matt Bryant kicked a 49-yard field goal with eight seconds left as the Atlanta Falcons thwarted a fourth-quarter surge by Seattle for a 30-28 second-round NFL playoff victory on Sunday. In the late game Sunday, the New England Patriots advanced to the American Conference championship game with a 41-28 victory over Houston. The Patriots will next face the Baltimore Ravens who edged Denver 38-35 in double overtime. AFP

MCILROY DAMPENS MONTY RYDER CUP MOMENTUM
PARIS: Rory McIlroy has made his views clear over who should be Europe’s next Ryder Cup captain and it appears he would not endorse a second term for Colin Montgomerie. In a Twitter comment, McIlroy said he was against any player holding the Ryder Cup captaincy twice. He wrote: “RC captaincy should be a 1 time thing . . . Everybody deserving gets their chance and moves on . . . Would love to play under Paul McGinley in ’14" The choice to skipper the Europe team which will defend the title at Gleneagles, Scotland in 2014 is due to be taken at a meeting of the Tournament Players Committee in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. AFP

AUSTRALIA REVIEW URGES DRUG TEST EXPANSION
SYDNEY: An independent review of cycling in Australia on Monday recommended that officials extend drug testing and establish an ethics panel in the wake of the doping scandal surrounding US rider Lance Armstrong. The government ordered the report in November after Armstrong was accused of being part of the most sophisticated doping program in the sport’s history and two senior Australian cycling figures made admissions related to doping. It calls for extending drug testing, on a random and targeted basis, to events at state or territory, club and masters level that are currently subject to either limited or no testing. AFP

INDIAN NETTER PROVES A POINT AT MELBOURNE
MELBOURNE: A defiant Somdev Devvarman proved Monday the Indian Davis Cup team will be poorer for his absence as he surged into the second round of the Australian Open. Devvarman is one of 11 rebel players to make themselves unavailable for India’s Asia/Oceania Group I tie against South Korea next month. He ignored a bitter dispute with the Indian governing body to defeat Germany’s world No. 78 Bjorn Phau 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in a commanding performance. Ranked 84 before shoulder surgery ruined his 2012 season, Devvarman, along with Yuki Bhambri and Sanam Singh, boycotted Davis Cup with eight others after claiming demands made to the All India Tennis Association had not been met. AFP