Photo Courtesy: PBA
Keanna Wren
HK Eastern trounces Phoenix to mark PBA debut
Hong Kong Eastern walloped Phoenix to notch its debut win, 102-87, in the Philippine Basketball Association, or PBA, Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Wednesday, November 27.
HK Eastern showed no jitters right from the start and just took care of business the rest of the way for a 1-0 start, while the Fuel Masters fell to a 0-1 card.
Familiar faces led the charge for the Hong Kong team with ex-PBA import Cameron Clark and former Bay Area player Hayden Blankley starring on both ends.
Clark, who has played for San Miguel and NLEX in the past, recorded a double-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
Blankley poured in 18 markers, dishing out five dimes and three rejections after making his PBA comeback nearly two years after the Dragons lost to Ginebra in the 2022-23 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals.
"We are happy to join the PBA. Actually, we are not the same [because] I saw some comments that we are like Bay Area 2.0. We are not. We are really pure Hong Kong team with some additional power," HK Eastern coach Mensur Bajramovic said.
"For us, it means a lot but of course, we need to adjust because this is our first experience here.”
HK Eastern took a narrow 49-45 lead at the half before turning the tide in the third period with Blankley sinking a perfect 3-of-3 from the three-point territory to put the team ahead, 77-65.
Glen Yang added 13 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and two steals, while Kobey Lam produced eight markers, three boards, and three dimes in the winning effort.
Import Donovan Smith led the Fuel Masters with 33 markers, 11 boards, and two deflections, but his efforts were in vain as Phoenix's poor ball handling and erratic three-point shooting ultimately led to their downfall.
The Fuel Masters just made 2-of-13 three-point attempts and committed more turnovers (23) than assists (17).
Perkins, who backstopped Smith in the defeat, ended the night with 22 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
The Scores:
Eastern 102 – Clark 25, Blankley 18, Yang 13, Cheung 11, Lam 8, Cao 8, Xu 8, Guinchard 5, Leung 3, Chan 3, Sulaiman 0, Pok 0.
Phoenix 87 – Smith 33, Perkins 22, Rivero 10, Alejandro 8, Tuffin 4, Garcia 3, Ballungay 2, Manganti 2, Tio 2, Jazul 1, Camacho 0, Daves 0, Ular 0, Muyang 0, Verano 0.
Quarter Scores: 23-14, 49-45, 77-65, 102-87.
News
The Alas Pilipinas Boys made quick work of Hong Kong-China, 25-18, 28-26, 25-13, in the 9th-12th classification round of the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Boys’ U18 Volleyball Championship on Friday night at the Wuyuan River Gymnasium in Haikou, China.
The Philippines will face Indonesia today in the battle for ninth place. A victory would give Alas Pilipinas its highest finish in the tournament since making its debut in 1997.
After taking the opening set, 25-18, the Filipinos faced a tougher challenge in the second frame as Hong Kong-China battled back and forced a 26-all deadlock.
Elijah Guzman stepped up in crunch time, hammering down back-to-back kills to give the Philippines a commanding two-set advantage.
Alas then dominated the third set, with Al-Raquib Dais and Terrence Marticion attacking from all angles to power the team to a convincing 25-13 victory.
Dais, who erupted for a tournament-high 25 points in the team’s win over Australia, once again led the scoring with 15 points built on 12 attacks and three blocks. Marticion chipped in 14 points, while Guzman added six markers, including the two crucial points that sealed the second set.
Lik Chun Lau paced Hong Kong-China with 16 points.
Meanwhile, Japan and Iran will clash for the championship on Saturday, while Chinese Taipei and host China will battle for the bronze medal.
The Alas Pilipinas Boys defeated Australia, 25-20, 30-28, 25-20, in the classification round of the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Boys' U18 Volleyball Championship on Thursday night at the Wuyuan River Gymnasium in Haikou, China.
The Philippines boosted its chances of securing a best-ever ninth-place finish in the tournament—an improvement from its 11th-place finish in the 2024 edition held in Bahrain.
The national team had to work hard throughout the match, especially in the second set, which was tied six times as Al-Raquib Dais traded kills with Australia's Eddie Kerwin.
After Alex Liang committed a costly service error, Dais pounded a strong crosscourt kill to secure the set for Alas, 30-28.
Australia was plagued by errors in the third frame as Dais continued his hot streak, allowing Alas to close out the match with a 25-20 victory.
They gave away 25 points through unforced errors, while the Philippines committed only 14.
The 16-year-old Dais finished with 25 points built on 21 attacks, three blocks, and one ace, while Terrence Marticion added 11 points.
Australia was led by King's 12-point output and Liang's 11-point performance, but it was not enough to earn a victory.
The Philippines will face either Kazakhstan or Hong Kong in the 9th-12th place classification semifinals.
In an unstoppable performance, the UST Junior Golden Tigresses claimed the top spot in the 2026 Shakey’s Super League Junior National Invitationals after sweeping fellow unbeaten St. John’s Institute in straight sets, 25-17, 25-23, to complete the elimination round with a perfect record.
The Golden Tigresses advanced to the semifinals as the tournament's No.1 seed following their latest triumph.
Anneli Manzanillo was named the MVP of the Match award after playing a key role in their victory. She finished with 8 points, highlighted by 4 attacks and 4 blocks in a dominant performance at the net.
The unbeaten campaign marked UST's first-ever perfect elimination round since 2023, when the Junior Golden Tigresses went on to capture the bronze medal in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Angeline Poyos was named Best Outside Hitter, while Bernadett Pepito earned the Best Libero award.
UST will await its semifinal opponent, while St. John’s dropped to a 4-1 record. The squad is scheduled to face Pacific Volleyball Academy (PVA) in its final preliminary-round match.
Gilas Pilipinas Boys beats Japan, 19-14, in the 2026 FIBA 3x3 Nations League Asia 2 finals in the Stop 3 final on Wednesday at Hextar World Empire City in Malaysia.
The Philippines secured their title triumph through strong teamwork, efficient offensive scoring, and control of the game's tempo. Gilas built an 18-10 cushion behind timely baskets and maintained its composure to close out the championship match, showcasing the depth that fueled its unbeaten Stop 3 run.
Cabs Cabonilas emerged as the Player of the Game after he contributed seven points in the final. The Gilas standout also played a crucial role throughout Stop 3, which he tallied 11 points against New Zealand and 10 more against Singapore to spearhead the Philippines' title-winning campaign.
Japan tried to keep the team within striking distance throughout the final and helped the squad stay competitive despite facing a double-digit deficit.
Despite their resilience, the team struggled to match the Philippines' scoring pace in the closing stages. Unable to contain Gilas Pilipinas' balanced attack, they found it difficult to generate consistent offense.
With the victory, Gilas moved into a tie with Belarus atop the conference standings with 240 points apiece, and will return to action in Stop 4 on Friday against New Zealand and Malaysia.
Cambodia stunned Alas Pilipinas in five sets, 25-23, 28-30, 25-20, 22-25, 15-8, to open its SEA V Cup campaign on a high note Wednesday at the Candon City Arena and deal the host nation an early setback in the tournament.
Despite the loss, newcomer Joshua Magalaman delivered an impressive performance for the Philippines, finishing with 21 points built on 15 attacks, four blocks, and two aces.
Jude Garcia also shone for Alas Pilipinas with 20 points on 18 attacks, one block, and one ace, providing a steady offensive presence throughout the match.
The Philippines struggled to maintain its momentum in crucial stretches, particularly in the deciding fifth set where Cambodia pulled away. Alas also committed untimely errors and failed to contain Cambodia’s attack, allowing the visitors to dictate the pace when it mattered most.
Cambodia, meanwhile, capitalized on its opportunities through efficient attacking and resilient defense. The Cambodians remained composed during extended rallies and key moments, showcasing the confidence that helped them secure one of the biggest wins in their recent history.
Veasna Voeum emerged as the Player of the Game after erupting for 33 points on 28 attacks, three blocks, and two aces to lead Cambodia’s breakthrough victory.
Cambodia is set to face reigning AVC Men's Cup champ Indonesia today, July 16, before taking on the home team on Friday. Alas is also on the verge of a must-win situation on the tournament against Indonesia.
