The Rice Vanguards seem very determined to bring back the championship in Nueva Ecija after failing to do so in the past two seasons.In their latest move, NERV signed the Marcelino twins who incidentally were part of the Zamboanga Master Sardines that they beat in the 2022 MBPL finals.On their Facebook page, the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards welcomed former MVP Jaycee Marcelino and his twin brother, Jayvee, to their turf.The team expects the relentless twins to bring their explosiveness, dynamics, and domination to Nueva Ecija.

Petro Gazz overpowered Akari in straight sets, 28-26, 29-27, 25-18, to claim its third win in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Thursday, December 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Brooke van Sickle and Myla Pablo joined forces to edge the Chargers with the Filipino-American hitter hammering 19 points built on 15 attacks including 13 excellent digs, while Pablo added 15 markers off 13 kills, a block, and an ace.Van Sickle gave captain Remy Palma credit for the victory, stating that her leadership helped Petro Gazz get through the tense first few sets and win the straight-setter.“Coming off our rest, we haven’t played in a while so to be able to come out and stay focused in those tight matches was awesome,” said Van Sickle.“I’m super proud of everyone, I feel like Rem [Palma] did a very good job collecting all the girls while we’re on the court and just to slow us down because I feel like at times we we’re like ‘ahhh’ and she’s like ‘calm down, it’s okay, take a breath and just play our volleyball,’” added the reigning conference MVP.

It will be an epic rematch when the De La Salle University Green Archers defend their title against rival University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in the UAAP Season 87 Men's Basketball Finals.In Season 86, the DLSU wards won the title in three games against the UP squad.The Green Archers want to do it back-to-back as they will once again be led by the soon-to-be crowned two-time MVP Kevin Quiambao, while the Fighting Maroons aim to get revenge.It will only be the third post-elimination match-up of the two universities in the Final Four era.The two teams first faced each other in Season 84 when the leadership of coach Goldwin Monterverde led the Carl Tamayo-Malick Diouf combo of UP defeated the Justine Baltazar-led La Salle in their semi-final battle, and got their first championship since 1986.After two years, the Green Archers relied on the mentorship of new head coach Topex Robinson to help them win the Season 86 title in three games.In the coaches’ head-to-head match-up, Robinson had a 5-2 edge against Monteverde.

Farm Fresh emerged victorious over sister team ZUS Coffee off a four-set decision, 26-24, 13-25, 25-21, 25-19, in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Thursday, December 6, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. After barely winning the opening set and getting slumped in the second, the Foxies regained their rhythm and immediately corrected the mistakes in the last two frames to secure the win and post an even 2-2 win-loss record.Jovelyn Gonzaga's attack error at 19-15 gave the Foxies a four-point lead after the game had started neck and neck in the fourth set.With momentum on their side, Trisha Tubu propelled Farm Fresh ahead to gain its largest lead at 23-16.“We observe how they move, and if we see something that doesn’t align with their usual play, we need to correct it immediately, and that’s what happened earlier,” said Farm Fresh head coach Edson Bocboc. “In the first two sets, they were really off, so those are the things we need to fix. They still need to get used to competing and playing in more matches,” he added.

Defending champion University of Santo Tomas eliminated the Adamson Lady Falcons, 71-59, on Wednesday, December 4, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena to forge a best-of-three UAAP Season 87 championship series with seven-time champions National University Lady Bulldogs.“It is a total team effort. At the end of the day, our defense dictated our game against Adamson,” UST head coach Haydee Ong said in Filipino. “This game also showed the things we need to work on ahead of the finals.”After falling behind by double digits in the second quarter, the Lady Falcons sprinted to a 15-2 run to take control and grabbed a 37-35 lead at the half. Adamson kept attacking the cold-shooting UST early in the second half before the Tigresses put up a 13-3 blitz to conclude the third quarter and restore momentum on their way to the game-winning victory. 

Young athletes from the province of Laguna showcased their strong skills in sports in the  recently-concluded 2024 Batang Pinoy National Championships held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan from November 23 to 28.With a lean delegation composed of 176 athletes and 31 coaches coming from different cities and municipalities of Laguna in 13 sports disciplines, the province bagged a total of 74 medals, in which 25 of them are gold, 25 silver and 24 bronze in the annual grassroots competition spearheaded by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).This year’s Laguna delegation performed better than last year, who bagged a total of 67 medals (20 golds, 20 silvers and 27 bronzes) in the 2023 edition of Batang Pinoy Nationals.Meanwhile, the Laguna Muay Thai Team, headed by Coach Preciosa Ocaya-Delarmino, garnered a total of 29 medals composed of 13 golds, 7 silvers and 9 Bronzes. On the other hand, the Laguna Chess Team won 16 medals, while Pencak Silat captured 12, and Santa Rosa Wrestling team bagged 12. Arnis, Athletics, Badminton, Cycling, Karatedo, Swimming, Taekwondo also seized medals for Laguna. National Chess Master Mark Gabriel Usman won a total of 9 medals for Laguna during his stint at the Batang Pinoy this year. Bagging the Overall Championship were the 771-man delegation from Pasig City which dethroned the 4-peat Batang Pinoy Overall Champion, Baguio City, with 105 golds, 64 silvers and 116 bronzes.

Jamie Danielle Nirza clinched gold in the advanced women’s individual kata at the 2024 Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines – East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games on Wednesday, December 5, at the NCCC Mall in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.The 18-year-old Nirza, who is representing Philippines Team A, exhibited her outstanding skills to earn 36.5 total points, defeating Malaysia’ A Anisa Aira Nur who logged 36.2 for silver medal.Malaysia B’s Ameera Liew and Brunei’s Nasir Abdul completed the podium to bag the bronze medal.

Rain or Shine gave the guest team from Hong Kong an Elasto Painters rough welcome, giving Eastern their first taste of defeat in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup, 99-81, on December 4 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Debuting RoS import Deon Thompson led coach Yeng Guiao's wards with his allaround performance producing 21 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks.

The NorthPort Batang Pier won their third straight victory in the ongoing PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup after overcoming Magnolia Hotshots, 107-103, on Wednesday, December 4, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.NorthPort relied on their defense to get the win. The Batang Piers tallied 15 steals and seven blocks, and also forced 24 opponent's turnovers.Import Kadeem Jack led NP with his double-double output of 30 points and 11 rebounds, to go along with two steals and two blocks.Arvin Tolentino and Joshua Munzon logged in 27 and 25 a piece to lead the local unit.Tolentino got four rebounds, one steal and a block. He also drew fouls from opponents 11 times, while Munzon added nine boards, three assists, and five steals to his name.

Creamline bounced back from a failed third-set rally against sibling rival Choco Mucho, 25-22, 25-20, 30-32, 25-20, in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday, December 3.The Cool Smashers, who were on the verge of winning the tournament with their third consecutive sweep, faltered in a thrilling third set before rallying in the fourth to force a tie with Cignal at the top of the rankings, both with identical 3-0 records."But of course, the Choco [Mucho] really, really won't lose easily. We know they will come back to the game so I just told the players that we should just enjoy ourselves, perform well so we can get the win," said Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses."Let's not be pressured. It's just that, the [players] responded, because there are many [game] rallies, so it's really not just a battle, it's really endurance. So, it's good that we got the win," he added.

Filipina swimmer Quendy Fernandez notched four gold medals in the 11th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games at the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.The 19-year-old University of the Philippines student brushed off the scorching heat as she splashed her way to grab the girls’ 100-meter backstroke crown, registering a time of 1:07.21.Fernandez breezed past Lora Micah Moguis who clinched the silver medal with a time of 1:10.53, while Jann Maureen Doton clocked in 1:18.42 to nab the bronze honor.

A year to remember in Philippine sports annals will be celebrated by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) in grand fashion as it holds its annual Awards Night on January 27, 2025 at the historic Manila Hotel. The country’s oldest media organization headed by its president Nelson Beltran, sports editor of The Philippine Star, is set to honor the best and brightest personalities and entities who made the country proud in the year that’s about to end. In a memorable 2024 campaign, the Philippines elevated its standards by gaining a first ever double gold medal in the Olympics courtesy of dynamic gymnast Carlos Yulo during the 33rd edition of the Games in Paris, France. The feat came four years after lady weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz gave the country a breakthrough Olympic gold in Tokyo, and transpired during the same period when the Filipinos commemorate their 100 years of participation in the quadrennial showcase. The Paris stint also saw Philippine boxing rising to the occasion again by winning a pair of bronze medals through the robust fists of Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas. Yulo and the rest of the Filipino Olympians including the country’s representatives to the Paralympic Games, will be at the forefront of the traditional festivities where the awarding of the Athlete of the Year serves as its highlight. Another special part of the program is the induction of another Filipino great to the PSA Hall of Fame. The late track and field legend Lydia De Vega was the last celebrated athlete to be recognized with the honor. In celebration of the country’s centennial participation in the Summer Games, past Filipino Olympians will likewise have their own moments during the awards ceremony. The customary awards like the Executive of the Year, National Sports Association (NSA) of the Year, President’s Award, and top performers such as Mr. Basketball, Ms. Volleyball, among others, are also going to be handed out. To be recognized too, are major awardees in different sports, the usual citations to different sports figures and individuals, and the regular Tony Siddayao Awards and MILO Awards for junior athletes. Not to be forgotten with a prayer and minute of silence are the personalities who passed away in the year 2024.

The Santa Rosa Wrestling Team of Santa Rosa, Laguna collected a total of 12 medals in the recently concluded 2024 Batang Pinoy held at the Mendoza Park in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.They bagged seven golds, three silvers, and two bronzes to wrap up their stint in the Palawan edition.El John Ponting led the list of those who captured gold medals as he topped the Greco Roman (32kg) and FreeStyle Wrestling (32kg) in the 12-13 years old categories.Ponting was named back-to-back Best Player in his age category in the 2023 and 2024 Batang Pinoy.

The San Miguel Beermen climbed-up from a 16-point deficit to defeat the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 107-104, on Tuesday, December 3, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Marcio Lassiter rifled his 15th point in the game when he was found by Juami Tiongson in the open corner after a solid pick given by import Quincy Miller to give San Miguel a 105-104 lead.Phoenix then still had a chance to get a knack at the basket with 2.3 seconds remaining but they threw the ball away forcing them to foul Beermen's Simon Enciso who sank both of his free throws.Fuel Masters import Donovan Smith still had a chance to force the game to overtime when he made an attempt at the backcourt with 0.7 left in the game but his shot only hit the board.

The NLEX Road Warriors dominated the Terrafirma Dyip, 104-85, to earn their second win in the ongoing PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup on Tuesday, December 3, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.From the get go until the very end, NLEX never let go of the lead that even reached the high of 25.Robert Bolick led the Road Warriors with his 32 points, five assists, and four rebounds on 78.6 (11/14) percent shooting from the field, 2-of-2 from the four-point line, and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.Import Mike Watkins backed-up Bolick with his monster double-double of 26 markers and 30 boards, to go along with four blocks and three dishes.Two more players scored in double digits with Xyrus Torres contributing 15, and Anthony Semerad adding 13.NLEX also dominated the paint, 52-34, which became a big factor in getting their second straight win after losing their opening game of the mid-season conference.Coach Jong Uichico’s wards might have won the game but the nine-time PBA champion mentor was not completely satisfied with the results as they played an opponent who played all-Filipino in the entire second half.

Chery Tiggo showcased title aspirations as they erased PLDT’s three-game winning streak, 25-12, 25-23, 20-25, 25-22, to claim solo third in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday, December 3, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.The Crossovers handed the PLDT High Speed Hitters their first conference defeat and tallied identical 3-1 records.Chery Tiggo's tenacity was evident in the fourth set, after slipping a straight-set victory in the third frame. In a narrow finish, they overcame their opponent after mounting a late comeback after falling behind 17–19.The Crossovers also took advantage of PLDT’s mistakes in service reception to score eight aces. Additionally, they only made 18 of their own mistakes, turning 33 unforced ones into free points.

The Hong Kong Eastern squad will juggle its assignments in three different leagues back in the country to continue their PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup campaign.They are looking forward to getting their third straight win when they face Rain or Shine on Wednesday, December 4, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.The Hong Kong-based squad already established their own identity after being compared to the former guest team Bay Area Dragons when they defeated the Phoenix Fuel Masters in their opening game, 102-87, and followed it up with another convincing win against Converge, 117-106.

San Miguel taps Quincy Miller to be their reinforcement in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup title defense when they face the Phoenix Fuel Masters tonight, December 7, 7:30 PM at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Miller is one of the imports of the Beermen in the East Asia Super League, or EASL, together with their Governor’s Cup import, EJ Anosike.The return of the 6’10” Miller will bring his versatility and scoring prowess to the already powerhouse squad, which also acquired the services of Juami Tiongson and Andreas Cahilig from Terrafirma in exchange for Vic Manuel and Terrence Romeo.In his EASL stint with SMB, Miller averaged 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the two games they already played this year.As he returns to Asia's first play-for-pay league, he will be joined by the eighth-time MVP, June Mar Fjardo, and reigning Finals MVP, CJay Perez, in defending their crown.

Nesthy Petecio, a two-time Olympic medallist, received a promotion from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after winning a bronze medal in the Paris Olympics.The Filipina pugilist was promoted from Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) to the next higher rank of Petty Officer First Class (PO1).PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil L Gavan conducted the ceremony at the National Headquarters, Port Area, Manila, on Monday, December 2.

Filipino tanker Phillip Adrian Sahagun bagged the first overall gold medal at the 2024 Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines – East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games on Monday, December 2, at the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.The 21-year-old Sahagun breezed past his rivals and won by a hair as he clocked in 2 minutes and 13.52 seconds ahead of his closest pursuer in Indonesia’s Hidayatullah Aril who registered 2:13.83 in the boys’ 200-meter individual medley (IM).Rodolfo Apilado III, another Philippine swimmer, finished with 2:20.82 to capture the bronze medal, completing the podium of the first event of the entire tournament."I didn't expect to win, because two weeks ago I just got back from the UAAP and I didn't have [enough] time to prepare for this because I also want to be able to rest. I had no training for one week at all," said the third-year BS Entrepreneurship student of De La Salle University."But my mindset is swim for the Philippines," he added. "During the last lap, I felt a little pain in my body but I saw my opponent chasing so I pushed.  I was there at first so I said I will not give up the gold."