Champions - 45up Division (World Masters Games 2025)
Masters Pinoy Pilipinas Basketball
Masters Pinoy captures basketball gold at the World Masters Games
The Masters Pinoy Pilipinas Basketball squad emerged victorious in the 45-up division at the World Masters Games, clinching the gold medal after a hard-fought 103-92 win over Mongolia on Monday, May 26, at the Fujen Catholic University Gymnasium in Xinzhuang, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Veteran leadership and experience powered the Filipinos to the top.
Team captain Gilbert Malabanan led by example, putting up an impressive stat line of 25 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and two steals. His all-around performance and court command anchored the team throughout the championship game.
Sharp-shooting guard Rendell Dela Rea added firepower from the perimeter, knocking down four three-pointers on his way to 24 markers, providing a steady offensive boost and keeping the defense on their heels.
Inside the paint, Marlon Basco delivered a commanding performance with a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds, along with four assists, two steals, and a block. His physical presence and relentless effort on both ends of the floor were key in fending off Mongolia’s inside attacks.
Guiness Nabung also made valuable contributions in the starting rotation, finishing with four points, two rebounds, and two assists, adding balance to both ends of the court.
The steady hand of Roger Yap proved vital in the gold medal game. The veteran guard served as the team’s stabilizer, orchestrating plays and maintaining composure under pressure. Yap flirted with a triple-double, tallying nine points, seven rebounds, and a game-high 13 assists. His floor leadership was instrumental in guiding the team from a nine-point deficit to a decisive 11-point win.
"To the Philippines, we’re bringing home the bacon (gold)," said Rodriguez in Filipino. "We hope you continue to support our athletes. This means so much to us, especially because it allows our country to be recognized by other nations through sports. In times of uncertainty and challenges back home, sports can keep our spirits alive."
Off the bench, several players stepped up in crucial moments. Paul Reguerra chipped in with 12 markers and six boards, while Romel David brought hustle and energy, contributing four points and seven rebounds to help maintain momentum when the starters rested.
Oliver Agapito hauled down two rebounds, but his interior defense alongside Estong Ballesteros, who had two markers and a board, was crucial in clogging the lane and preventing Mongolia from penetrating the paint effectively.
The Philippines trailed 27-30 after the first quarter and were still down by one, 53-54, at halftime. The turning point came in the third quarter, where they mounted a 25-17 run to seize a 78-71 lead. Despite Mongolia’s late push in the fourth, which cut the lead to as little as six, the Filipinos remained composed, executing on both ends to seal the victory.
Before reaching the finals, Masters Pinoy endured a challenging group stage. They opened their campaign with a convincing win over another Mongolian team, 96-67, on Friday. The following day, they suffered a setback against a taller, more physical Lithuanian squad, 66-94.
Undeterred, the team bounced back on Sunday with a dominant 98-74 win over the same Mongolian team they would eventually meet in the finals, setting the stage for a redemption arc and ultimately, golden glory.
Winning coach Arlene Rodriguez also shared his joy with his fellow countrymen, proudly dedicating the team’s victory to the Philippines.
"To the Philippines, we’re bringing home the bacon (gold)," said Rodriguez in Filipino. "We hope you continue to support our athletes. This means so much to us, especially because it allows our country to be recognized by other nations through sports. In times of uncertainty and challenges back home, sports can keep our spirits alive."
"And to everyone who supported us—thank you very, very much," he added.
Architect Reynaldo Punongbayan, the team manager, also expressed pride in the team’s resilience and unity throughout the campaign.
"As the team manager, the burden to handle the team is really on me, but I am thankful that the coaches and the players were very supportive. Despite the limited budget that we had, we arrived here—and now, we’ve finally reached our goal: the gold in the 45-up division of the World Masters tournament," said Punongbayan.
With a combination of chemistry, veteran poise, and pride, the Masters Pinoy Pilipinas team showcased the strength of Filipino basketball on an international stage—bringing home not just the win, but a gold medal that reflects their hard work, resilience, and unity.
News
Heartbreak in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Alex Eala’s incredible 2026 US Open run is over after a brutal three-set battle against her close friend and doubles partner, Iva Jovic.
7–5, 3–6, 7–5.
That scoreline doesn't tell the whole story.
Jovic took the first set.
Alex answered.
She fought back, unleashed her powerful winners and took the second set—her first career set victory over Jovic.
Then came the decider.
Point after point. Rally after rally.
Alex refused to disappear.
But when the match reached its biggest moments, the No. 14-seeded Jovic held her nerve and closed it out.
And yes, it hurts.
But let's not turn a heartbreaking loss into a story of failure.
Because Alex Eala is doing something Philippine tennis has rarely seen.
She is making the world's biggest stages feel like home.
Every Grand Slam match adds another layer to her game. Every painful loss gives her another lesson. Every deep run raises the expectations—and the possibilities—for Philippine tennis.
Today, Jovic gets the win.
But Alex gets something too:
Experience. Belief. And another reason to come back stronger.
The dream didn't end in Arthur Ashe.
It just got another chapter. 🔥🇵🇭
Remember the name.
Alex Eala isn't done. Not even close.
Before Ernie Gawilan became a champion, he was a young boy from Paquibato, Davao City, growing up in circumstances that could have easily broken his spirit.
He was born without legs and with an underdeveloped left arm. He lost his father at a young age.
Life gave him every reason to believe that some dreams were simply out of reach.
Then he found swimming.
In the water, Gawilan discovered something more powerful than what he lacked — what he was capable of.
Stroke by stroke, race by race, he transformed himself from a boy facing extraordinary challenges into one of the Philippines’ most inspiring para-athletes.
🥇 The Philippines’ first Asian Para Games gold medalist
🇵🇭 Three-time Paralympian — Rio, Tokyo and Paris
🏊 A champion who turned adversity into fuel
But Gawilan’s story has never been just about medals.
It is about opportunity.
It is about refusing to let circumstances write the ending.
Every time he dives into the pool, he carries more than the hopes of a nation. He carries the story of someone who was once told, by circumstance if not by words, that his possibilities were limited.
Yet he kept moving.
Some athletes race against the clock.
Ernie Gawilan raced against the circumstances that tried to define him before he even started.
And he won.
His greatest victory may not be a gold medal hanging around his neck.
It may be the fact that every stroke he takes tells another Filipino with a dream:
Your starting point does not have to determine your finish line.
The hardest starting line is sometimes the one nobody sees.
And Ernie Gawilan has shown the world what can happen when you refuse to stop at it. 🇵🇭💪
A champion. A fighter. A symbol of Filipino resilience.
Scottie Thompson made the mistake that everyone saw.
But apparently, some fans also missed everything else he did.
The Gilas Pilipinas veteran became an easy target after committing a crucial five-second inbound violation with seven seconds left in the Philippines’ thrilling 82-81 win over Jordan. The error gave Jordan one final chance to steal the game—only for Kai Sotto to come up with the game-saving block.
The mistake was real. The criticism is understandable.
But reducing Thompson’s entire performance to one turnover? That’s where the criticism misses the bigger picture.
Head coach Tim Cone knows exactly what Thompson brings, and it goes far beyond scoring.
He rebounded. He chased loose balls. He defended Jordan’s best guards, including Jalen Harris and Freddy Ybrahim. More importantly, his presence helped settle Gilas after the team fell behind by a staggering 18 points, 26-8, in the first quarter.
Thompson finished with a +13 efficiency, another indication of the impact that doesn't always appear in the traditional box score.
As Cone put it, people tend to dismiss the “Scottie things”—the dirty work, the defense, the rebounds and the little plays that help a team win.
And that may be the biggest misunderstanding about Thompson.
He doesn't have to be the star to be important.
Basketball isn't always about who scores the most. Sometimes, it's about who does the jobs nobody else wants to do.
So yes, criticize the five-second violation.
But don't let one mistake erase everything Scottie Thompson contributed to the comeback.
Gilas didn't need another scorer that night. It needed a worker. And Scottie did what Scottie does.
Gilas Pilipinas is proving that this team is not one that folds when the pressure rises.
The Nationals overcame another double-digit deficit and stormed back to beat Iran, 68-56, on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena, securing their second straight victory in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
It was far from a perfect performance, but that may be exactly what makes the win more impressive.
After escaping Jordan in an overtime thriller, 82-81, last Friday, Gilas once again found itself in trouble early. Instead of panicking, however, the Filipinos responded with the kind of defensive intensity and composure that ultimately turned the game around.
The victory gives Gilas its fourth win in eight games in Group E and, more importantly, another confidence boost heading deeper into the qualifying campaign.
Two games, two comebacks, two statement wins.
Gilas may still have plenty to fix, but one thing is becoming increasingly clear: this team has learned how to fight back.
And when the Philippines plays with that kind of heart and hustle, no lead feels completely safe against Gilas.
The comeback kings are making noise again. 🇵🇭🏀🔥
Michael Martinez may no longer be competing on the ice, but his impact on Philippine figure skating is far from over.
After being offered a coaching role by the Philippine Skating Union, Martinez has embraced a new chapter as a figure skating coach, mentoring young Filipino skaters and sharing the knowledge he gained from years of competition.
And honestly, there’s something inspiring about that transition.
Michael admitted that he still wants to skate, especially when he watches his students and other athletes compete. But coaching has given him a different kind of fulfillment — helping young skaters improve and preparing them for the future.
“As a skater, I get to represent and show what I can really do. But when you’re a coach, you get to share your knowledge.”
That may be Michael Martinez’s next legacy.
He once carried the Philippine flag on the world’s biggest skating stages. Now, he’s helping prepare the next generation of Filipinos who might one day do the same. 🇵🇭❤️
The champion may have stepped off the competitive ice, but he never really left the sport. He’s simply helping others find their own way to shine. ⛸️✨
