On Friday, March 28, 2025, Islay Erika Bomogao is set to make her return at ONE Friday Fights 102 in Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand.The pride of Baguio City will once again put her undefeated record on the line against Spain’s Nerea Rubio in 103-pound Muay Thai action.Bomogao has endeared herself to fans abroad, particularly the Thai crowd at Lumpinee, after showcasing her carefree “Pinoy style” Muay Thai.She dazzled in her two matches last year, defeating Ran Longshu and Fuu in convincing fashion to make a strong impression in the promotion.In her social media post, Bomogao called for support for her fight along with her fellow Filipino fighters who will also compete on Friday.“Please support me and my team, including my fellow Filipinos Jean Claude Saclag and Marwin Quirante, who will be opening the show,” said Bomogao in her post.The main event features a 130-pound Muay Thai bout between Rambong Sor Therapat and his Thai compatriot Pompet Panthonggym, with major implications. Rambong is riding a seven-fight winning streak ahead of this clash, while Pompet, having lost back-to-back fights, has nothing to lose and everything to gain.Additionally, Scotland’s Rudy Da Silva, Japan’s Takuma Ota, and Russia’s Torepchi Dongak all return to action.Meanwhile, multiple SEA Games kickboxing gold medalist Jean Claude “The Dynamite” Saclag of Team Lakay makes his MMA return alongside his Filipino compatriot, rising MMA star Marwin "Green Goblin" Quirante, who will also showcase his skills at ONE Friday Fights 102."Green Goblin" secured two first-round finishes in ONE Friday Fights, while Saclag earned two TKO wins over Lee Jun Young and Fajar. He looks to follow in the footsteps of Carlo Bumina-ang as a winner.

As we kick off our Player Profile series highlighting the pioneers and icons of Philippine basketball, we begin with a name synonymous with scoring brilliance and resilience—William “Bogs” Adornado.

That’s what former PBA player and current Lyceum Pirates head coach Gilbert Malabanan emphasized in an exclusive interview with Scoreline.ph. Malabanan is set to join the Masters Pinoy Pilipinas Basketball team, competing in the World Masters 45+ category from May 17-30, 2025 in Taiwan.Malabanan shared that commitment is the biggest challenge he and his teammates face as they juggle work, basketball, and other responsibilities. However, as a professional, he has learned to manage his time effectively, driven by his dedication to the game—especially when representing the country.“First of all, the most challenging part is commitment. Of course, all of us have jobs. But when it comes to commitment, how do you manage it? Especially with our practices,” Coach Gilbert said.“We want to be complete during training because this is our preparation for the Masters tournament in May,” he added.

Joshua Yerro, the 6’1” versatile forward and former Adamson University captain, has officially declared for the 2025 PBA Rookie Draft, bringing a wealth of experience and proven clutch ability to the professional ranks.Yerro’s basketball journey began in grassroots competitions with the UV Baby Lancers (CESAFI Juniors) before he made his mark with Team Cebu (NBTC).Transitioning to the UAAP, he became a key contributor for the Adamson Soaring Falcons, earning the captaincy and showcasing leadership on and off the floor. One of his most memorable collegiate moments came last year when he executed a buzzer-eating alley-oop against the National University, a play that highlighted his timing, composure, and ability to perform under pressure.

The Gilas Pilipinas has released its list of 15 players who will compete in the 2025 FIBA ​​Asia Cup Qualifiers on November 21 and 25 to be held at the Mall of Asia Arena.Among of those were: June Mar Fajardo, Ange Kouame, Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Japeth Aguilar, Mason Amos, Justin Brownlee, Aj Edu, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Kevin Quiambao, Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo and Scottie Thompson.Ange Kouame has been included in Gilas Pilipinas after the Samahan ng Basketbol ng Pilipinas confirmed it.According to SBP executive director Erika Dy, Kouame will also participate in the Gilas camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba City Laguna starting November 15.Dy also said that having multiple naturalized players in the first pool submitted to FIBA is allowed, until the eve of the game where a technical meeting will be held to finalize the roster.“The night before [a game], there’s a technical meeting. You have to have only one naturalized [player],” Dy said.

Imports are essential for the league as they bring dynamics to each team that they play for and local players will have a glimpse on how to play with international players. In the Governors’ Cup, the usual third conference of the league that allows each team to get one reinforcement, will be the first conference to be held by the PBA this year.This year, the conference will have a 6’6” height limit for imports - a little difference from the 6’5” limit from last year.They will also bring excitement to the fans as some of the imports are former NBA players whom they can only watch from television before but now they can have a chance to watch them live in the basketball venues.

The Masters Pinoy Pilipinas Basketball has officially arrived at Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan to compete in the World Masters Games 2025, which runs from May 17 to May 31.The team is accompanied by its full coaching staff, including Head Coach Arlene Rodriguez, along with a roster of notable Filipino basketball legends such as Roger Yap, Gilbert Malabanan, Marlon Basco, Paul Reguera, Oliver Agapito, Guinness Nabung, Arvin Aguila, Edwin Manabat, Ricky Ricafuente, Estong Ballesteros, Romel David, Rendel Dela Rea, Milo Bonifacio, and Justice Jose Midas Marquez.Veteran coach Rodriguez shared how the Masters Pinoy Pilipinas 45UP were formed and began in October of last year in collaboration with Team Manager Architect Rey Punongbayan, and assistant coaches Dann Michael Ceneba and Albert Valbuena. The team officially began their practice and training in mid-December and continued into January 2025.“The Masters Pinoy, we started last October. But we started practice the second week of December, then we had a conversation. Then we decided to start it again this January,” said Coach Rodriguez.The team’s primary goal is to proudly represent the Philippines in this prestigious international event. Coach Rodriguez expressed confidence in their preparation and emphasized their commitment to bringing pride and honor to the country.Coach Rodriguez is confident that they have prepared adequately for the said tournament and that they will try to bring honor to the country.“We’ve trained hard, and we’re ready. We’re here not just to compete, but to showcase Filipino talent and spirit,” he added.

The Philippine weightlifting team is set to begin its campaign at the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships in Bahrain this weekend.The pride of Cebu City, Fernando Agad Jr. will see action in the men’s 55 kg class at 1 AM on Saturday, December 7 (Philippine time), followed by two-time Asian Junior Championships gold medalist Rosegie Ramos in the women’s 49 kg division.This will serve as Ramos’ first international competition after she failed to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics due to a tie-breaking tenth with the Dominican Republic in the IWF World Rankings, where only the top 10 advanced.Dave Pacaldo, meanwhile, will see action on Sunday, December 8, in the men’s 67 kg division.On the other hand, two-time Olympian Elreen Ando will take her leap in the women’s 64 kg on Wednesday, December 11, together with 2019 SEA Games gold medalist Kristel Macrohon in women’s 71 kg and John Dexter Tabique in the men’s 89 kg competition.

Jamie Malonzo made a triumphant return as Barangay Ginebra eked out an 86-63 win over the Blackwater Bossing in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday night, January 12, at the Ynares Center Antipolo.The Gin Kings missed the services of the 6-foot-7 athletic wingman due to a calf injury that had sidelined him for nine months. Malonzo registered eight points on top of three rebounds and a steal that saw the return of the crowd darling back to the win column, sitting at 6-3 in the team standings, tied with Converge and guest team, Hong Kong Eastern. Ginebra head coach Tim Cone admitted that they are still gradually reintroducing Malonzo into their lineup, with limited to just 10 minutes of action off the bench.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is set to deliver a more dynamic and inclusive grassroots sports program with the upcoming Batang Pinoy 2025, scheduled to take place from October 25 to 30 in General Santos City.This year’s edition of Batang Pinoy aims to further encourage Filipino youth to engage in sports, develop their athletic potential, and embrace the values of discipline, sportsmanship, and teamwork.According to PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann, the 2025 Batang Pinoy will showcase competitions in 27 sports disciplines, including Aquatics (Swimming), Archery, Arnis, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball (3×3), Boxing, Chess, Cycling, Dancesport, Futsal, Gymnastics, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Kickboxing, Karate, Muay Thai, Pencak Silat, Soft Tennis, Tennis, Sepak Takraw, Table Tennis, Weightlifting, Wrestling and Wushu. Chairman Bachmann also emphasized that this year’s event will be grander and more organized, with modern equipment and facilities, and better logistics and accommodations for all participating athletes.“Our main objective for this year’s Batang Pinoy is to provide the delegates an excellent experience as if they are already competing in a global level of competition they usually see in televisions and social media,” Bachman said. In addition to upgrading the overall competition experience, the PSC is committed to expanding participation from regions across the country, ensuring that young athletes from various provinces have the opportunity to compete and grow.“Batang Pinoy is not just about discovering future champions,  It’s also about instilling values that shape character—discipline, hard work, and sportsmanship.” Bachman added.

Johann Gonzales Chua was born and raised in Bacolod, in the central Philippines, on May 31, 1992. He began playing pool at the age of nine, often accompanied to the local pool hall by his father, who gave him the nickname “Bubwit” or “little mouse,” because he was too small to be seen behind the pool table.At 13, Chua quit school to pursue his passion for billiards and turned professional at 19. He is also known by the nickname “Bad Koi.” A 2023 World Cup of Pool champion alongside James Aranas, Chua is a two-time All Japan Championship winner, having claimed the title in 2015 and 2017.Chua placed ninth overall in the 2011 BSCP National Open Pool Championships. That same year, he finished 17th at the Manny Pacquiao International Ten-ball Championship held in General Santos. In November 2012, he achieved his first major international breakthrough, placing third at the Japan Open.In 2013, he placed 17th at the China Open and returned to third place at the Japan Open. The following year, he reached the top 16 in the China Open before falling to Taiwan’s Chang Jung-Lin. At the 2014 WPA World Nine-ball Championship days later, he made it to the quarterfinals for the first time but lost to fellow Filipino Elmer Haya. In September 2014, he placed seventh in the Manny Pacquiao Cup.Chua made his Southeast Asian (SEA) Games debut in 2017, capturing a bronze medal in Malaysia after losing to Vietnam’s Duong Quoc Hoang in the semifinals.He remained active in international competition. In September 2017, he and partner Warren Kiamco brought home a bronze medal at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Before the year ended, Chua clinched his second All Japan Championship title, dominating Jundel Mazon, 11–2, in the final. He is currently ranked 13th in the world by the World Pool-Billiard Association.

As we continue our Player Profile series highlighting the icons of Philippine basketball, we now shine the spotlight on one of the league’s most underrated yet highly decorated players—Alfredo “Freddie” Hubalde, the 1977 PBA Most Valuable Player. Known as a silent operator, Hubalde built a legacy not through fanfare but through consistent excellence, smart plays, and championship-caliber performance across 16 seasons in the PBA.

Rookie sensation AC Miner continued her emergence as the centerpiece of ZUS Coffee’s campaign, powering the Thunderbelles to a gutsy 19-25, 25-22, 18-25, 25-19, 15-6 comeback win over Chery Tiggo in the PVL On Tour Tuesday night, July 29, at the Candon Arena in Ilocos Sur.The No. 5 overall pick proved once again why she is considered the future of the team, erupting for a game-high 19 points—seven of them in a pivotal fourth set that swung momentum back to ZUS Coffee’s side and set up the deciding frame.Miner, also tallying four blocks, then teamed up with Chinnie Arroyo to ignite a blistering 9-3 start in the fifth set, dealing a heavy blow to the Crossovers’ outright quarterfinal hopes and forging a three-way tie at 3-2 in Pool B.“I think our biggest weapon was not giving up, especially that fourth set,” said Miner, who finished with 15 attacks and four blocks. “If we didn’t give it our all there, the match would’ve been over. But we pushed until the end.”Head coach Jerry Yee didn’t hold back his praise for the former Ateneo middle blocker.“She’s different. It’s only recently that we’re starting to really bring out her game,” said Yee in Filipino. “Hopefully, she keeps it going.”

Filipina triathlete Kira Ellis delivered a golden performance in her international return, ruling the junior women’s division of the 2025 Europe Triathlon Junior Cup over the weekend.The 20-year-old national team standout clocked 1:05:07 in the sprint-distance race, which featured a 750-meter swim, a 22-kilometer four-lap bike course, and a 5.1-kilometer two-lap run. Ellis powered through the opening swim leg in 12:09, sustained her pace with a 34:27 bike ride, and sealed her victory with a 17:41 run, plus two transition times of 27 seconds each.Belgium’s Luca Vanderbruggen trailed by just 10 seconds at 1:05:17 for silver, while Germany’s Sarah Walter settled for bronze at 1:05:22.

In a sea of rising stars in Philippine volleyball, one name continues to shine brighter with each spike and block—Thea Gagate. Born on July 26, 2000, the towering middle blocker from De La Salle University (DLSU) has carved her own path from a promising rookie to a key figure in both the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) and the Philippine national team.Gagate’s first taste of collegiate volleyball came in 2020, wearing the green and white jersey of the DLSU Lady Spikers. It was a dream come true, but the dream was short-lived. The UAAP Season 82 was abruptly canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, putting a halt to her much-anticipated debut season.But even when the world paused, Thea didn’t stop. She trained, stayed ready, and waited for her moment.In 2022, the UAAP roared back to life. Thea, now no longer a rookie but still with much to prove, stepped onto the court with focus and fire. Her performance in Season 84 spoke volumes.She helped lead the Lady Spikers to a runner-up finish, losing only to the dominant National University (NU) lady Bulldogs in the Finals. Despite the loss, Thea’s impact didn’t go unnoticed—she was named the 1st Best Middle Blocker, a testament to her defensive prowess and court awareness.It wasn’t just a personal victory. It was a statement: Thea Gagate had arrived.

NorthPort extended its campaign in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup by securing a 108-103 victory over Barangay Ginebra in Game 4 on Wednesday, March 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.After suffering blowout losses in the first three games—losing by an average of 20.6 points—the Batang Pier finally found a way to stay alive and force a Game 5 on Friday, March 7.

A new basketball team has emerged from the Far East.Here, we will see its uniqueness because the team from the Philippines is composed of veteran and well-known basketball players in the country, together with the professionals in their chosen field that are able to compete in the sports.It is led by one of the legendary coaches in Philippine basketball, none other than Coach Arlene Rodriguez.In an exclusive interview with Scoreline.ph, Rodriguez shared and identified the formation and humble beginning of the Masters Pinoy Pilipinas 45up Basketball, as well as how he managed to coach the team. He also shared his thoughts about the country's upcoming participation in the World Masters Games to be held this coming May.Coach Arlene told Scoreline that they started the Masters Pinoy Pilipinas 45up Basketball in October last year, through the help and initiative of their team manager, Architect Rey Punongbayan. Together with coaches Dann Michael Caneba and Albert Valbuena, they started planning and organizing the structure of the basketball team from the second week of December until this January, and the players also started practicing.“Masters Pinoy was created in October. But we started practicing on the 2nd of December, then we had a talk. Then we decided to start it again this January,” said Rodriguez. One of the things that Coach Arlene considered was the conditioning of the players who are already at the age of 45 years old and above, but still have the skills, passion, and effort to play competitive basketball.The former assistant coach of the now defunct Formula Shell added that their team is composed of ex-professional players, amateurs, varsity players, and even businessmen who are passionate about basketball.Coach Arlene also shared that he did not have any difficulty in handling his players because of the amount of basketball experience they had.“Actually, they understand the game better as they already have a lot of experience playing. Mentally, they are prepared, they can pick the instructions easily, unlike the young ones that need details of everything. The only thing that we need to work out is their conditioning, including team effort from both offense and defense.”And the World Masters tournament will be an avenue for Coach Arlene and his players to showcase Filipino talent once again.In the end Coach Arlene asked our countrymen to support the Masters Pinoy in their upcoming tournament.“I hope you support us. Masters Pinoy in the World Masters tournament in Taiwan from May 17th to 30th. And those who haven’t been part of the Philippine team before, still work hard, especially when you’re 40 and above, because maybe in the future you can be part of the team,” coach Rodriguez concluded.We can say that Coach Arlene has dedicated his life to the field of basketball since he started playing for the JRC Heavy Bombers until he became an assistant coach to famous teams in the PBA, such as Formula Shell and the crowd-favorite Ginebra. Coach Arlene is also currently the coach of TUP Greyhawks and shaping the future of Philippine basketball through his grassroots programs.

The Philippines marks its historic Olympic return to Paris, 100 years since the country debuted in the world’s biggest sporting event in the French capital.With the Filipino contingent edging closer to showcase the fruit of their labor and bring home glorious laurels on the nation’s centennial anniversary, one sport that has been in a deep slumber in over three decades finally punctuated its return because of one Filipina athlete.Samantha Catantan ended a long drought for Philippine fencing with her entry to the Paris Olympics 2024.Catantan demonstrated resilience during the daunting challenge of the Asia-Oceania Zonal Olympic Fencing Qualifier that sealed her pathway to Paris, a feat that would make her the first fencer from the Philippines to compete after 32 years.No Filipino fencer has ever reached the Olympics since the 1992 edition.Percival Alger and Walter Torres were the first and last Filipino fencers to do it when they donned the national colors in the 1988 and 1992 Summer Games, respectively.

Aiza Maizo-Pontillas’s rise in Philippine volleyball is a story of passion, leadership, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Born on a leap day, February 29, 1988, Aiza’s journey began at Passi National High School, where the seeds of her volleyball dreams were planted. But it was at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) that she truly blossomed — transforming from a back-up setter into one of the fiercest opposite hitters the country has seen.Her collegiate years with the UST Golden Tigresses were nothing short of remarkable. Starting in UAAP Season 68, she was a bench player, quietly learning the ropes. But by the next season, her coach August Sta. Maria saw her potential and shifted her to opposite hitter — a position that would showcase her explosive attacks and fierce presence on the court.In UAAP Season 69, she helped lead UST to their 15th championship, marking her first taste of glory. But Aiza was just getting started. As team captain in Season 71, she guided the Tigresses to a bronze finish, personally earning the Best Attacker award. Then came Season 72, a season to remember, as UST claimed their 16th UAAP championship by toppling fierce rivals De La Salle University. Aiza’s leadership and skill were instrumental in this triumph.Her final collegiate season ended with a bittersweet silver finish after a hard-fought series against La Salle, but she was recognized as both the Best Scorer and Best Receiver — a testament to her all-around game.Aiza’s dominance extended beyond the UAAP. In the Shakey’s V-League, she led UST to five championship titles, including a historic three-peat. She earned accolades across the board: Best Server, Best Blocker, Conference MVP, and Finals MVP. She was the first Filipina to win both Finals and Season MVP twice in a single conference, a feat that cemented her legendary status in the league.

The first time Olympian Filipina fencer Samantha Kyle Catantan shared her advice on how to achieve our dreams and pursue our passion.