After an impressive showing against Gilas Pilipinas, the Macau Black Bears are aiming to join the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) as a guest team.Fresh from their competitive Gilas send-off game, the Black Bears have formally expressed interest in participating as a guest squad for one or two conferences in the PBA’s upcoming 50th season. In a letter to PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, Black Bears president of basketball operations Lukas Peng emphasized their commitment to building a highly competitive, professionally managed team that will proudly represent Macau and its vibrant Filipino community, while expanding the PBA’s reach in Greater China and the broader Asia-Pacific region.Commissioner Marcial responded positively, confirming that discussions will soon begin to explore the partnership. He also met with Black Bears general manager Kevin Connelly, who is responsible for team operations and is the brother of NBA Minnesota Timberwolves president Tim Connelly.As part of their proposal, Peng requested special consideration for player eligibility, asking the PBA to allow players from China, Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to register as locals under a "Greater China Rule." He also cited precedent from the Bay Area Dragons, who fielded players of documented Chinese heritage as locals, and inquired about the eligibility of Filipino and EASL-registered players to play as locals for the Black Bears.While no formal agreement has been reached yet, the potential entry of the Macau Black Bears—a familiar name in the ASEAN Basketball League—could be a major step in the PBA’s push for greater international relevance. If approved, the Black Bears would follow the path of the Bay Area Dragons, who became the PBA’s first foreign guest team in nearly two decades and reached the 2022–23 Commissioner’s Cup finals.

Choco Mucho hiked its winning streak to four after achieving a sweet success against Akari, 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 25-15, in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Saturday night, February 8, at the Philsports Arena.The Flying Titans sealed the game, reestablishing their groove after the second set hiccup. Choco Mucho went into overdrive in the fourth set, after thumping Akari in a close third set, swiftly establishing an 11-4 lead thanks to the efforts of Cherry Nunag, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, and Isa Molde.Before concluding the game, the Flying Titans kept up their pace and increased their lead to 21-9.

Bianca Yasmine Cuevas has emerged as a standout figure in Philippine women’s ice hockey, making significant contributions to the national team’s success on the international stage. Cuevas began her journey on ice as a figure skater before transitioning to ice hockey. Because of her passion for the sport, it led her to represent the Philippines in the 2017 IIHF Women’s Challenge Cup of Asia. She quickly made her mark by leading the team in scoring with five goals and four assists over six games and captured a 7-4 victory against hosts Kyrgyzstan.In 2018, Cuevas was chosen as Tournament MVP finishing first scoring with 8 goals and 1 assist in 3 games, where she earned a total of 13 goals and 4 assists in 9 international competition games for the Philippines. In the 2019 IIHF Women’s Challenge Cup of Asia Division I, Cuevas played a pivotal role in the Philippines' gold medal victory. She led the tournament in scoring with 11 points and was named the Best Forward by the IIHF Directorate. 

For the first time, James Buytrago and Jude Garcia teamed up, claiming the men's title in dominant fashion after fellow Alas pair Ronniel Rosales and Rancel Varga were forced to retire in the Final due to injury.Buytrago and Garcia secured the first set, 21-14, and were leading 9-5 in the second when Rosales suffered muscle cramps, rendering him unable to continue. The match was awarded to Buytrago and Garcia, capping off an undefeated campaign.Buytrago and Garcia were in control throughout the tournament, going 5-0 without dropping a set. In pool play, they defeated University of the Philippines’ Christian Pitogo and Angelo Lipata (21-16, 21-11) and Intra Asian Volleyballista’s Krung Arbasto and Dominique Gabito (21-15, 21-14).In the knockout rounds, Buytrago and Garcia overpowered College of Saint Benilde's Mark Jun Garcia and Alvin Sulayman, 21-14, 21-15, before defeating Alas teammates Ranran Abdilla and Edwin Tolentino, 21-15, 21-17, in the semifinals.Meanwhile, Rosales and Varga earned their spot in the Final with a hard-fought 21-17, 20-22, 15-13 victory over NUNS’ Alex Cabatuan and Sky Gemarino in a gripping semifinal battle.Abdilla and Tolentino concluded their podium with a bronze medal finish.

National University (NU) asserted its dominance in the UAAP Season 87 volleyball tournament, securing victories in both the men’s and women’s division against the University of the Philippines (UP) at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, March 9.After dominating the first two sets, the Bulldogs struggled in the third, allowing UP to build a commanding 12-5 lead and eventually force a fourth set. However, NU regained control in the final frame, breaking an 18-18 tie with a decisive 4-0 run to defeat the Fighting Maroons,  25-12, 25-15, 15-25, 25-22, improving to a 4-1 record in the men’s tournament.NU head coach Dante Alinsunurin admitted that unforced errors cost them the third set, saying, “We lost our momentum whenever we gained it.” He emphasized also the importance of confidence in the fourth set, ensuring the team played with certainty and avoided self-doubt.  Buds Buddin led the charge with 22 points, while Leo Aringo and Leo Ordiales added 16 and 14 markers, respectively. 

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters finally broke their two-game skid, securing a crucial 103-98 victory in Game 3 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Semi-Finals series against the TNT Tropang Giga on Sunday night, March 2, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Import Deon Thompson led the charge for Rain or Shine, delivering a double-double performance with 19 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block in over 44 minutes of action. His dominance in the paint and relentless effort on both ends of the floor helped RoS stay competitive throughout the game.Caelan Tiongson also played a vital role in the win, contributing 18 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Adrian Nocum, who started once again, showcased another impressive outing with 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.Supporting the trio was Anton Asistio, who chipped in 12 points, including two clutch three-pointers, while Gian Mamuyac added nine points and was perfect from the free-throw line, sinking all four of his attempts.

Jodi Catherine Dino, who was born on the 11th day of January 2002, is a forward on the Philippine National Women’s Ice Hockey Team who brings a valuable blend of agility, speed, and offensive intuition to the ice.In 2024, Dino was part of the Philippine Women's Ice Hockey Team that competed in the International Ice Hockey Federation Asia and Oceania Championship, where they defeated Kyrgyzstan and clinched the championship.Whether she’s weaving through defenders or setting up critical plays, Dino consistently provides the team with reliable forward momentum and sharp execution in the offensive zone.Her skating finesse and quick transitions make her a constant threat on fast breaks, while her ability to read the game allows her to find opportunities to support her teammates and capitalize on scoring chances.

Former world champion Keith Thurman has significant credibility when discussing Manny Pacquiao and Mario Barrios, especially since he has faced both fighters. With their matchup just two weeks away in Las Vegas, Thurman’s insights hold weight.The 36-year-old boxer had different experiences against the two: he lost to Pacquiao by decision in 2019 but secured a victory over Barrios on the scorecards three years later. Now, as Barrios prepares to defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight title against Pacquiao at the MGM Grand on July 19, Thurman’s perspective is drawing attention.Thurman shared his thoughts during a recent interview with Fighthype.com. He expressed confidence in the 46-year-old Pacquiao's ability to compete against the younger Barrios.“It’s hard to know, with the age of Pacquiao, what we’re gonna get from him,” said Thurman.“But I’ll tell you this, depending on his conditioning, depending on how much he can pop in on that in-step that he brought to me, that notorious fast in-step — if he can pop that and if he can get in, I know he can hurt Mario Barrios,” he added.However, Thurman pointed out a crucial aspect of Barrios’ fighting style that could give him an advantage over the legendary Filipino boxer: his jab. This fundamental punch has historically been a weak point for the aggressive Pacquiao.“That’s the big thing in Pacquiao’s favor; Barrios was hurt against [Abel] Ramos, and that’s the thing — the defense of Barrios is still suspect. He’s not hard to find. But one thing I took away, even though I beat him, is that he has a really good jab,” Thurman continued.At six feet tall, Barrios benefits from both youth and size compared to the smaller Pacquiao, who has been less active in the ring recently. As a result, oddsmakers have made the Mexican-American the favored contender. According to Thurman, Barrios possesses the necessary skills to fulfill his role as the favored fighter heading into the bout.“He (Barrios) used that jab when he beat [Yordenis] Ugas, and Ugas beat Pacquiao because he stayed long. So I think if Barrios works that jab of his, makes the old man use his legs and work really hard to get inside, I think he can pull it off,” Thurman finished.

Rachel Anne Daquis overcame cramps and played a vintage performance, scoring 19 points, including the final one of the game to lead Farm Fresh to 18-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-19, 15-12, victory against Capital1 in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday, February 18, at the Philsports Arena.Daquis, who came out of retirement last year to bolster the Foxies tournament campaign, provided the spark that the Foxies needed to turn the two-set deficit to a sweep of the next three.“I just wanted to help the team and do my job,” said Daquis in Filipino, reflecting on her performance. “I struggled in the first two sets, but we adjusted as a team, and that’s how we were able to recover.”The Foxies also missed the services of Trisha Tubu due to a back injury, making way for Daquis to take over and showed leadership by steering the team to the comeback victory.

Converge gained a head start in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals showdown after earning a 130-118 victory over Rain or Shine on Wednesday, February 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Justin Arana delivered an outstanding performance after recovering from a knee injury that saw the FiberXers overcome a 17-point deficit to win the first game of the best-of-three quarterfinals. He finished with 22 points and eight rebounds off the bench.Import Cheick Diallo led the charge, firing 35 markers on top of 17 boards and three rejections in the win which saw him and the FiberXers take advantage of the early withdrawal of Rain or Shine counterpart Deon Thomspon in the third frame due to six fouls.

Another bronze medal was delivered by Rosegie Ramos for the six-man Philippines team in the IWF World Championships in Bahrain. The 20-year-old weightlifter achieved a total lift of 88kgs in the snatch and 105kgs in the clean-and-jerk for a total lift of 193kgs in the 49-kg category.Ri Song Gum of North Korea dominated the women’s 49-kg event after lifting a total of 213kgs behind a snatch of 91kgs and a clean-and-jerk of 122kgs.Meanwhile, Linxiang Xiang setteled for a silver after lifting a snatch of 92kgs and a clean-and-jerk of 120kgs for a total lift of 212kgs.Her success was followed by another bronze medal for the Philippines when Fernando Agad Jr. excelled in the men’s 55-kg category.After receiving the medal, the weightlifter from Zamboanga City expressed her gratitude in a long post on her official social media page.

Rain or Shine came back strong from a tough Game 1 loss to win the next two and book a ticket to the semifinals for the third straight conference after dismantling Converge in Game 3 of their quarterfinals match-up of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup, 112-103, on Sunday night, February 9, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.The Elasto Painters reinforcement Deon Thompson made up for his early exit in their first QF encounter when he fouled out of the game just as early as the third quarter.Last night, Thompson showed his might finishing with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. He was supported by Adrian Nocum who fired 25 markers. These two were also the reason why they won Game 2, when they combined for a total of 55.RoS head coach Yeng Guiao said they were happy with the victory and their hard work paid off."We're very happy. The past two conferences we made the semifinals so it would be a pity if we did not make the semifinals this conference," Guiao shared."It's also a validation of all the hard work the guys put in, the togetherness and the camaraderie that they have," he added.

Aaron Fuller, a native from Mesa, Arizona, started playing basketball during his college years in the University of Iowa and University of California before he became a professional player, and played in Portugal, New Zealand and Mexico, and later in the Philippines.In 2017, Fuller decided to play basketball in the Philippines where he signed with the NLEX Road Warriors as an import for the 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup where he averaged 22.6 points  17.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks in 11 games.After a year, Fuller re-joined the NLEX Road Warriors in August for the 2018 PBA Governors' Cup as replacement for Olu Ashaolu who suffered an injury. Fuller also played for Blackwater Elite in 2019 and in TNT Tropang GIga in 2021-2022.In July 2024, Fuller returned to the Philippines for the fifth time, this time playing as an import for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the 2024 PBA Governors' Cup. This is Fuller's fourth team in the PBA. He also reunited with coach Yeng Guiao who coached him during his stay with the NLEX from 2017-2018. In an exclusive interview of Scoreline.ph, Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao expressed that Aaron Fuller was the type of their import that is a simple and quiet person, not showy or flashy.Guiao has confidence in Fuller in terms of being proactive and reactive. He also believed that his import can always contribute in offense, as Fuller was able to produce around 20 points, 15-20 in rebounding and can play defense too, plus he has a strong body.

Congratulations poured in for Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo as he closed out 2024 with an impressive fight.Magsayo remained on track for a title shot after he demolished Ecuador’s Bryan Mercado inside two rounds in their lightweight bout last Sunday (Manila time) in Long Beach, California.Magsayo dropped Mercado four times with left hooks to the body.Currently ranked third in the WBC super featherweight division, Magsayo is targeting a world title eliminator against Eduardo Hernandez of Mexico, where his promoter Sean Gibbons is working hard to seal the fight.The pride of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, has garnered admiration from fans and fellow Filipino boxers, but he has a lot of work to do to prepare for bigger fights in 2025.He once held the WBC featherweight strap after edging Gary Russell Jr. by majority decision in January 2022 before losing to Vargas on points six months later.The 29-year-old is rated in the top five by the four major sanctioning bodies, including No. 3 by the WBC and WBO. He is highly likely to contend for a belt next year.Magsayo was aggressive from the get-go and was just simply too good for Mercado (11-7-1, 6KOs). He knocked down Mercado for the first time late in the first round with a vicious left hook to the body.Magsayo has been on a resurgence since suffering back-to-back defeats at the hands of two-division champions Rey Vargas and Brandon Figueroa.

The FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025 will begin on September 12 with the opening match between the host nation, the Philippines, and Tunisia at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.The 64th-ranked Philippine men’s volleyball team will play world No. 24 Tunisia, an 11-time African champion, to round out the largest edition of the global tournament.After its tournament debut, Alas will take a four-day break before starting its home campaign against the current African champion and world No. 20 Egypt.The host team will play Iran, the second-highest ranked Asian team, on September 18 to wrap up pool play in what may be a make-or-break matchup for a berth in the Round of 16.The remaining eight-pool, 32-team field will be divided across the Pasay City site  and the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.Pools D featuring USA, E piloted by Slovenia, and H starring Brazil will play at the MOA Arena with Alas and Pool A.Meanwhile, Pool B with top-ranked Poland, C with second-seeded France, F with powerhouse Italy and G with fan-favorite Japan will stage pool play at the Big Dome.The knockout stage will take place in Pasay over eight days, from September 20 to September 28.

The University of the East (UE) has appointed Chris Gavina as the new head coach of their men’s basketball squad in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).UE announced the development on Thursday, February 13.Gavina will take over the reins from Jack Santiago, who has been calling the shots for the Red Warriors in the past four seasons.“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Chris Gavina to the Red Warriors family. His leadership, passion, and experience in both local and international basketball will be instrumental in molding our new breed of champions,” UE President Zosimo Battad said at the signing held in UE Manila.UE officials led by Vice Chairman David Chua and Senior Vice President Florence Siy were also present during the signing of the 46-year-old mentor.“I am honored to coach the UE Red Warriors, a program that has produced legends of Philippine basketball. For those who cherish basketball history, I am humbled to step into the role once held by the phenomenal Coach Baby Dalupan, who led this institution to its golden era,” shared Gavina, who edged Gilas Pilipinas Boys head coach Josh Reyes for the role.Gavina’s coaching career in the Philippines began in 2016 when he was given the task of being the lead assistant for the Mahindra Enforcer, which later on became Kia Picanto and is now known as the Terrafirma Dyip.

Far Eastern University (FEU) snapped its losing streak by outlasting Ateneo de Manila University, 25-15, 20-25, 25-17, 24-26, 15-11, in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament on Sunday, March 2, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.Coach Tina Salak expressed satisfaction with her team’s performance but emphasized the need for consistent readiness. “It was a convincing win, but we want to push them further so that by the second round, we’re fully prepared to fight back against all the struggles we’re facing now,” she said.  FEU’s strong net defense played a crucial role in the win, dominating Ateneo in blocks with a 20-2 advantage. The victory improved their record to 2-2 after back-to-back defeats.  Gerzel Petallo led the Lady Tamaraws with 18 points, including 14 attacks and four blocks, while also contributing 14 excellent receptions. Ateneo extended the match to a fifth set after Petallo leveled the fourth frame at 24 with a precise drop ball. However, Lyann de Guzman answered with a strong attack that deflected off an FEU defender’s hand, securing the point after a successful block touch challenge.Yvana Sulit then stepped up with a crucial service ace, forcing a deciding set.  

The Philippine Men’s Curling Team won its first ever gold medal today, February 14, in the ongoing 2025 Harbin Winter Olympics in China.This marks the country’s historical achievement in the Winter Olympics this year, and the first ever medal for the Philippines in the Asian Winter Games. The team composed of Alan Frei, Enrico Pfister, Christian Haller, Marc Pfister, and Benjo Delarmente led the Philippines to a 5-3 win over South Korea.The Men’s Curling Team made the once impossible possible as they ensured the country would go home with a historic medal in the quadrennial event.Earlier, Filipino curlers Christian Haller and Alan Frei defeated their Taiwanese opponents 11-3 to set up a knockout qualification match against the Japanese squad of Ryo Aoki, Haruki Watanabe, Ayumu Hemmi, and Rin Kyotoh.The Men’s Curling team also defeated Japan 10-4, and the Philippines recently defeated host country China 7-6, qualifying the country for the finals to face South Korea.The country's Men's Curling team cannot help but be overjoyed because, for them, winning the first gold medal at the Winter Olympics in this type of sporting event is a historic achievement.

Filipino gymnastics star Carlos Yulo has opted to skip the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December to focus on the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, where he is competing only in floor exercise and vault due to a left wrist injury.“I still want the taste of competition,” Yulo said “That is the most important for me right now.”Yulo, a double gold medalist in vault and floor at the Paris 2024 Olympics, officially announced his SEA Games withdrawal through Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) president Cynthia Carrion-Norton. According to Carrion-Norton, Yulo’s decision was motivated by two factors: SEA Games rules now restrict elite gymnasts to only one event, and Yulo’s desire to give other Filipino gymnasts a chance to shine.“It’s a selfless decision because he likes to give others a chance. He’s now focused on winning in the world championships,” Carrion-Norton said. She added that the SEA Games organizers also scrapped the all-around competition, limiting medal opportunities for top gymnasts.Yulo revealed his wrist injury occurred two months ago while working on a difficult new dismount on the parallel bars. “I kind of did it too much,” he admitted.Despite his limited participation in Jakarta, Yulo remains committed to showcasing beautiful, graceful gymnastics. “My goal is to perform beautiful gymnastics, to be really graceful,” he shared.Yulo is joined at the world championships by fellow Filipino gymnasts Miguel Besana and Ivan Cruz, the latter fresh off a gold medal at the Cambodia SEA Games.

Alex Eala’s US Open campaign ended in the second round with a 4-6, 4-6 defeat to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa on Thursday morning (Manila time) at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.Despite strong support from Filipino fans on Court 7, the 20-year-old Filipina couldn’t build on her dramatic first-round win over world No. 14 Clara Tauson. Eala, ranked No. 75, led 4-3 in the opening set but lost momentum after a crucial forehand error, allowing the 95th-ranked Bucsa to take control and save three break points to secure the set.The second set slipped away after a 2-2 tie, as Eala’s unforced errors and a double fault proved costly. The result evened their head-to-head at 1-1, with Eala’s lone win over Bucsa coming in 2021.Despite the loss, Eala’s round-of-64 finish marks her best Grand Slam result to date, improving on earlier exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.Her breakthrough run to the US Open main draw came after a strong showing at the Miami Open, which propelled her into the WTA Top 100.Next up, Eala is slated to compete as the third seed at the WTA 250 São Paulo Open in Brazil, starting on September 8.