TNT narrowly defeated Rain or Shine, 81-79, to have a commanding 3-1 lead in their PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup semi-finals series.Tropang Giga import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson made the final basket of the game with a slam dunk with 37.3 seconds remaining on the game clock.Hollis-Jefferson also led TNT with his 23 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, five steals, and five blocks.

Filipino cue artist Johann Chua was crowned king of the Hanoi Open Pool Championship 2024 after defeating Chinese Taipei's Ko Pin Yi, 13-7, in the race-to-13 finals last Sunday. It was Chua's first 9-ball world title at the Hanoi Indoor Game Gymnasium in Vietnam.Before entering the finals, Chua first defeated his compatriot Carlo Biado, 11-5 in the semifinals. At the beginning of the match between Chua and Ko, the two players were still going toe-to-toe because their easy shots in the 3-ball and 7-ball were still missing.Yi was the first to win the first rack but Chua didn't give in despite of nervy start, who didn't get a chance so he immediately took four wins in a row until he claimed the crown.His Chinese Taipei bet committed a foul on the 2-ball on rack 16 which gave the opening for Chua to once again regain the table to restore his lead.This is where Chua gained momentum and was careful with his turns and also took advantage of the opportunity to get the 19th rack, until the 20th rack, and his turns became more smooth and here he claimed the expected title after falling short in the World Pool Championship semifinals and in the Europe Open finals.Chua, a 32-year-old cue master, emotionally receives the prize of his labor amounting to $30,000 cash prize and he wants to show the Vietnamese and Filipino fans the skill and the talent of Pinoys in the field of billiards. “Sa Vietnam last night, ang dami ng tao but iba pa rin yung mag-perform ka sa sarili mong bansa and my family and friends talaga. Yun yung mga bagay na sobrang excited ako ngayon and hindi ko maantay na makapag-perform ako bukas (Reyes Cup),” said Chua.

Seeing the performance of his former players’ makes Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao happy after Game 3 against TNT last Sunday night, October 13, in Dasmariñas, Cavite.Even though Rey Nambatac, Calvin Oftana, and Paul Erram were considered by Guiao as problems in Game 3 because of the tight defense they showed, he’s still thankful that the Elasto Painters got the narrow 110-109 win over the Tropang Giga.

Sixteen young Filipino jiu-jitsu fighters bag gold medals in the recent Sports Jiu-jitsu International Federation World Championship in Nagoya, Japan.Brielle Bartolome, playing as a kindergarten featherweight in the no-gi category, won both in the gi and no gi divisions. Bartolome overcame Peng Nian of China via armbar to win the gold in the first round. She also outpointed Nishimoto Wakana of Japan to win the kindergarten gi rooster-weight division gold medal.Aside from Bartolome, Marcus Dela Cruz under light featherweight in the no-gi category, submitted all his opponents en route to the gold. He defeated China's Ma Haisen in the final round.Another young Filipina fighter who is Youth gi featherweight champion Cesca Lepiten also submitted all her opponents to capture the gold, acquiring her last two including the final against Kimura Alana Liu via armbar in the second round.Pre-teen no-gi middleweight Thiago Bartolome also submitted his way to the championship after forcing Laptev Maksim to tap out after an Americana hold.Also going home as champions are the following: Claudia Lepiten in the toddler GI light featherweights, Tessa Joson in the junior teen featherweights, Ali Joson in the kindergarten GI rooster weights, Tomas Joson in the youth rooster weights, Ethan Ramos in the pre-teen lightweights, and Uno Ordona in the pre-teen medium heavyweights.Universal Reality Combat Championship founder and president Alvin Aguilar said that he was very happy on behalf of the Philippine Junior Grappling Team, composed of different DEFTAC chapters because they saw everyone how hard they work and how good they really are in the competition. According to Aguilar, the champions are also members of the Wrestling Association of the Philippines-RP Junior Grappling Team.“I am very happy that our Philippine Junior Grappling Team, composed of different DEFTAC chapters, are showing everyone how hard they work and how good they really are,” Aguilar said.

University of Santo Tomas in their domination against the University of the Philippines, 84-57, in the second round of their UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Tournament on Sunday afternoon, October 14, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.The Growling Tigresses now have a 7-1 record bolstered by their fourth straight win led by their veteran guard Tacky Tacatac who finished with a game-high 23 points.

National University Lady Bulldogs prevail over Ateneo Lady Blue Eagles, 82-62, to make their perfect winning record intact in the second round of the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Basketball Tournament on Sunday, October 13, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.The 20-point outburst of NU was led by rookie Cielo Pagdulagan who contributed with 16 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and five steals, including a +27 rating coming off the bench. She also didn’t commit a single turnover.NU head coach Aris Dimaunhan said that the one week break that they have between the first and second round helped them prepare for this particular game as they had been given a lot of time to process and lay down their game plan.The Lady Bulldogs also capitalized the absence of Ateneo’s leading player Junzie Calago, who fouled early in the third period where they also erected their largest lead at 56-34.Aloha Betanio and May Canuto also scored 11 markers each to supplement the game of their prized-rookie Pagdulagan.On the other hand, Kacey Dela Rosa led Ateneo with her eight consecutive double-doubles by producing 22 points and 17 boards.NU will put their unblemished record on the line once again on October 20 when they face the UP Fighting Maroons at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion, while the Blue Eagles will try to end their two-game losing skid against the reigning Season 86 champions UST Growling Tigresses at their own turf on October 19.

The Philippine Men’s National Football Team earned a podium finish in the 2024 King’s Cup after defeating Tajikistan, 3-0, on Monday, October 14, at the Tinsulanonda Stadium in Songkhla, Thailand.Gerrit Holtmann (47') placed the nation on the scoreboard after the first half ended without a goal. Jefferson Tabinas (58') immediately followed with a 54th minute header from a corner, and Zico Bailey's goal in the 62nd minute sealed the victory for the Nationals, making it a 3-to-love score.The triumph marks the Philippines’ first podium place in the competition and their first win under Albert Capellas since he took over as head coach of the men’s national football team.

Filipino Olympic boxer Hergie Bacyadan dominated the women’s K1 -70kg category in the Asian Kickboxing Championships in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Saturday, October 12.Bacyadan’s frustrated attempt to clinch a medal in the women’s boxing tournament of the 2024 Paris Olympics only strengthened her to pursue glory in other combat sports. The 29-year-old Kalinga fighter delivered one of the Philippines’ four gold medals in the event, overwhelming her opponent Chinese Jinwei Teng via abandonment. Bacyadan’s triumph in the continental kickboxing championships earned her a spot in the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China.“Everybody wants to be there in the World Games and I’m glad that I’ve qualified,’’ said Bacyadan.

“They call us the Mighty Beermen, but they are the Kings.”A statement from San Miguel Beermen assistant coach Peter Martin that resonated truth and lament as Justin Brownlee once again essayed another one for the books with his 5-of-6 four-pointer that propelled Barangay Ginebra to secure an impressive 122-105 victory in the best-of-seven series opener of the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup on Wednesday, October 9.In a special interview conducted by Scoreline.ph, the Beermen were able to share their sentiments regarding game play assessments and essential adjustments they have to produce in order to deliver a comeback blow against Ginebra’s offensive strategy.Despite June Mar Fajardo and import EJ Anosike fueling the Beermen’s offensive pace, forward Jeron Teng expressed that Ginebra did a pretty good job at scouting them and learning their strategy.“They really had a great game plan against us. They were able to contain our big man, June, and our import (EJ),” Teng said. “We missed a lot of three-point shots, so we just have to regroup and make those shots in Game 2.”Additionally, Teng stated that they need to improve their defense since it is currently lacking, particularly on the perimeter, which is one of Ginebra’s core abilities.

Losing Game 1 of their semi-finals series against Ginebra was tough for San Miguel Beermen as they went from a grinding five-game quarterfinal match-up against Converge and another face-off in EASL but the coaches do not see their schedule as an excuse for their loss.In an exclusive interview with Scoreline.ph, SMB assistant coach Peter Martin his piece on why they lost the game and on how they can bounce back from their loss and tie the series come Game 2.First he shared about the lesson learned in their Converge series. He shared that the whole team relaxed and they thought that it would be an easy series for them but when they have given a little chance to the FiberXers, they put them to a grueling do-or-die game.Martin added that even though they were a little bit tired against the fresh Ginebra squad, they don’t see it as a big factor on why they lost the opening game of the series. But that’s the price they have to pay off on being relaxed in their previous series.“Despite the fact that we played 5 games, and we even played against EASL last Wednesday, we don't make that an excuse. Maybe it's just one small factor. But it's the Brownlee effect,” said Martin.If you watched the game last night, he had 5 four-point shots and scored 20 points in the third quarter. That cannot happen against a team like Ginebra,” he added.Asked on what they need to do in the next game in order for them to cope up against the Gin Kings, Martin said in jest, “Maybe don’t let (Justin) Brownlee hold the ball.”He also said that they just need to have a defensive scheme against the six-time PBA champion import so that Brownlee’s explosion will not happen again, especially that they are not going up against a weak team.“They are one of the strongest teams. If not the strongest team, the strongest team in the PBA right now because of Justin Brownlee. So he's the focal point. We saw it last night and we have to adjust,” Martin said.The SMB assistant coach also told Scoreline.ph that they lacked in their schemes during Game 1 and needed to improve their effort level and surpass the effort level of Ginebra.

Seasoned senior chess players Chito Garma and Efren Bagamasbad will compete for the Philippines in the 32nd FIDE World Senior Championships in Portugal next month.The two Filipinos will compete in the Porto tournament from November 16 to 29 with the goal of achieving the Grandmaster titles.Garma, a two-time Olympian, is competing in the 50-and-up group, Bagamasbad in the 65-plus category, and another member, Mario Mangubat, has also entered the 50-plus division.In their appearance at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday, October 8, Garma, Bagamasbad, and Philippine delegation member Marlon Bernardino discussed and assessed the country’s chances of contending against the world’s best senior chess players next month.“It would be nice to hear that you are a world senior champion and also a grandmaster,” said Garma in Filipino, who competed for the nation in the Chess Olympiads in Manila in 1992 and Yugoslavia in 1990.“This also serves as an inspiration to the young players because if we could do it, then they could, too,” he added.

The Philippine Squash Academy is set to host two international tournaments later this month, capitalizing on the opportunity to raise its profile and expose its players to world-class action in anticipation of larger competitions. Philippine Squash chairman Robert Bachmann told the Philippine Sportswriter Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday, October 8, that everything is set for the Philippine Satellite on October 22-25 and the Philippine Challenger Classic on October 27-31.Both competitions will be held at the PSA Academy, which is located inside the Rizal Memorial Complex in Manila.“Our top athletes can improve their world rankings by competing here and for the rest, this is a chance to get some exposure by playing with the best,” Bachmann said.The tournaments, according to Bachmann, will help the Philippine squad get ready for the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand in 2025, the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan in 2026, and the qualifiers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 

The Philippine Volcanoes made history over the weekend after both securing the men’s and women’s title in the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu, Nepal.The men’s national rugby team, led by Darryl Suasua, exhibited their excellent teamwork to prevail over Chinese Taipei with a 27-12 victory in the finals, while their women counterpart, coached by Samantha Scott, followed suit, eking out a 7-5 win over India. “We are immensely proud of both our women’s and men’s teams for their performances and dedication,” said Ada Milby, president of the Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU). “Winning double gold is a historic achievement for Philippine Rugby and reflects the hard work of the athletes, coaches, and support staff. We are excited to see the continued growth and success of rugby in the Philippines.”

Wello Lingolingo saved the UE Red Warriors on Sunday night, October 6, by knocking down a game-winning buzzer beater jumper to take a thrilling 63-62 victory against Adamson Soaring Falcons at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.Lingolingo got a timely offensive board off a Nico Mulingtapang miss, then double-pumped in the air before taking a bank shot at the buzzer that sealed the game and extended the University of the East win streak to five games.UE finished the first round of eliminations with a 5-2 record to place solo third.

Tachiana Mangin became the first Filipina world champion after dominating the 2024 World Taekwondo Junior Championships in Chuncheon, South Korea.The 16-year-old Filipina jin conquered local bet Kim Hyang-gi in the final of the women’s 49-kilogram category. Mangin secured the gold after three rounds of sparring via a 14-8, 3-4, 7-6 decision.Mangin is the first Filipino female world titlist of the tournament and the second Filipino athlete since Alex Borromeo triumphed in the 47-kilogram class in the first edition of the competition in 1996 held in Barcelona, Spain. 

The PBA Commissioner’s Cup will feature a one-import format with unlimited height.There will also be a guest team in Hong Kong Eastern which is close to finalizing their entry for the said conference.Each team will be allowed to field one import with unlimited height, including HKE as the 13th team of the tournament after they formalized their entry.

Adamson University ended the first round of the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Basketball Tournament, securing a solo third place following a 63-51 win against University of the East on Sunday, October 6, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.The Lady Falcons delivered a stellar performance for their Season 87 campaign, closing out the first round with a 5-2 record. The last time they achieved this much success was when they finished third place after losing against De La Salle University back in Season 75 in 2012.“I’m very happy with how the first round went for us. It’s all about the effort of the players. On our part, we’ll just guide them,” said Lady Falcons head coach Ryan Monteclaro.The third quarter became a challenge for the Lady Falcons as they had to weather UE’s charges. The Lady Warriors kicked off the second half with a 16-6 run fueled with Ivy Yanez’s eight-point surge to cut the deficit to 47-37.However, Adamson was able to quickly regain their composure with nine unanswered points in the final period as their lead ballooned to 56-37 advantage eventually sealing the game to secure their fifth win of the season. Monteclaro fielded all of 16 of his players, with 13 of them getting on the scoresheet.Kim Limbago tallied 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting with three assists, two rebounds, and one steal for the Lady Falcons. Kim Adeshina supplemented seven markers, 11 boards, three blocks, one deflection, and one dime, while Angela Alaba contributed seven points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.Yanez led the Lady Warriors with 16 markers, six boards, three dimes, and one block, while Katherine Ruiz and Aliyah Ronquillo supplied 12 and 10 points, respectively, in the losing effort.

The University of Santo Tomas blasted Mapua University for a back-to-back win in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-Season Championship on Sunday, October 6, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. The Golden Tigresses swept the Lady Cardinals with a straight set 25-18, 25-17, 25-20 victory, securing them the second spot behind Pool B leader University of the East with a 3-0 record. “We enjoyed the game. We played the first set in a relaxing manner and we carefully played our game,” said Kyla Cordora who posted nine points on all kills.Xyza Gula contributed eight markers and Margaret Alta scored seven, while Jona Perdido and Regina Jurado supplemented six apiece. Bianca Plaza drove UST at match point, 24-17, before three continuous points from Mapua impeded the Tigresses’ victory. Cordora, however, prevented them any chance of a comeback, halting the Lady Cardinals’ late rally and delivering the final point.

San Miguel averted disaster after dispatching the Converge FiberXers in the toe-to-toe Game 5 of their quarterfinals match-up, 109-105, on Sunday night at the Ynares Center, Antipolo.June Mar Fajardo showed why he's an eight-time MVP by producing a monster double-double of 40 points and 24 rebounds to lead the Beermen in entering the semis of the PBA Season 49 Governors' Cup.Fajardo went 15-of-27 from the field and shot 10-of-12 from the free throw line to carry much of the load in SMB's triumph.Though having a lot of contributions, JMF said that they all step-up in their do-or-die victory.