Philippines eyes triumph vs. Argentina in World Cup farewell

The schedule for the FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2027 was announced today by FIBA through its official Instagram account.

Cebu will serve as the host city for the tournament, with the games set to be held at SM Seaside Arena. It will mark the second time the Philippines has hosted the FIBA Women's Asia Cup since 2013 FIBA Asia Cup in Manila.

The Philippine national team was drawn into Group B alongside powerhouse countries China, Japan, and Lebanon.

Gilas are set to face China today, Japan on July 13, and Lebanon on July 14.

PBA rookie Geo Chiu and the Terrafirma Dyip are off to a good start in the PBA Governor's Cup after defeating the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 113-100, on July 10 at the Ynares Center.

Chiu finished with 19 points and a career-high 23 rebounds, showcasing his dominance on the offensive end while controlling the boards early in his professional basketball career.

With that performance, he earned the Best Player and Rebounder of the Game awards.

Terrafirma also outclassed Titan on the boards, recording 94 rebounds compared to Ultra's 52, setting a new PBA record for most rebounds in a game.

The previous record holder was Gibby's Gin (now Barangay Ginebra), which grabbed 87 rebounds against Toyota in 1983.

Import Justin Strings also contributed 25 points, while JM Bravo, Didat Hanapi, Juami Tiongson, and Maverick Ahanmisi added 15, 14, 13, and 11 points, respectively.

The Dyip are scheduled to face the NLEX Road Warriors on July 12. NLEX also opened their campaign with a dominant 114-75 victory over the Macau Giant Pandas, with new head coach Jimmy Alapag looking to keep the team's momentum going.

Jamie Malonzo is heading back to Japan after signing with Earthfriends Tokyo Z for the 2026-27 season, the team announced in an Instagram post.

"Earth Friends Tokyo Z would like to inform you that we have reached a basic agreement with Jamie Malonzo for the 2026-2027 season," the club wrote.

Malonzo left Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in 2025 to pursue a professional basketball career abroad and signed with Kyoto Hannaryz last season. However, he was later waived by the team.

He played only five games in the organization before being released, averaging 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds per game during his stint.

Dwight Ramos has agreed to a basic contract with the Levanga Hokkaido for the 2026-2027 season, the team announced on Instagram.

He averaged 12.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game during the previous season. 

Ramos has been with the organization since 2022 after his rookie year contract with the Toyama Grouses expired.

Filipino-American NBA player Jordan Clarkson has re-signed with the defending champion New York Knicks on a one-year, $3.9 million contract.

Clarkson averaged 10.8 minutes per game during the Knicks' championship run. His role as a scoring spark off the bench helped ease the workload of the team's starters and provided valuable depth throughout the 2025-2026 NBA season.

His impact and influence played a crucial part in helping New York contend for and ultimately win the championship during the previous season.

The Knicks captured the 2026 NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs, ending a championship drought that lasted nearly half a century.

He also posted on his Instagram account following his extension with the Knicks. 

"still in this dream, NY! run it back!  love ," he wrote.