Defensive specialist Justine Jazareno emerged as the Philippines’ lone awardee in the second leg of the SEA V.League, earning Best Libero honor Sunday night, August 10, — her first international award.Jazareno anchored Alas Pilipinas’ streak of having at least one individual honoree alive for five straight legs of the tournament. She joined Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen (MVP and Best Opposite Spiker), Vi Thi Nhu Quynh (Best Outside Spiker), Tran Thi Bich Thuy (Best Middle Blocker), and Thailand’s Pornpun Guedpard (Best Setter), Chatchu-on Moksri (Best Outside Spiker), and Thanapan Wimonrat (Best Middle Blocker) in the list of top performers.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial announced that the league and its 12 member ballclubs will extend assistance to victims of the recent calamities in Cebu and Masbate.The decision was reached during the PBA Board of Governors meeting, with Marcial confirming that aid will be given not just to Cebu, which suffered a magnitude 6.9 earthquake last September 30, but also to Masbate, placed under a state of calamity after Severe Tropical Storm Opong caused widespread damage.Marcial said the relief drive will mirror previous efforts, with contributions coming from both the PBA office and all 12 teams. “Hindi na nalalayo dun galing sa PBA mismo, galing sa iba’t ibang teams, sa 12 teams ‘yung itutulong natin sa kababayan natin na nasalanta,” he explained.The PBA has a long history of mobilizing aid in times of crisis. In October 2024, the league raised nearly ₱2 million in relief funds for victims of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.

Fresh off their historic Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Championship win, the Petro Gazz Angels were brought back down to earth in their first match on the continental stage, falling in four sets to Chinese Taipei’s Kaohsiung Taipower, 15-25, 16-25, 25-19, 20-25, at the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League on Monday afternoon, April 21, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.Despite the momentum of a landmark local title just over a week ago, the Angels couldn’t find their rhythm against the well-drilled and youthful Taipower squad. The nine-time Top Volleyball League champions leaned on the consistency of 21-year-old outside hitter Hsu Wan-Yun and 23-year-old wing spiker Tsai Yu-Chun to maintain their unbeaten record (2-0) and clinch the top spot in Pool B.

The University of the Philippines (UP) and National University (NU) had contrasting fates in the UAAP Season 87 volleyball tournament on Wednesday, March 26, with the Fighting Maroons securing a massive upset in the women’s division while the Bulldogs regained their winning form in the men’s competition.  

The Meralco Bolts will try to strengthen their hopes of getting to the Final Four of the East Asia Super League (EASL) 2024-25 season when they meet the Ryukyu Golden Kings on Wednesday, January 22, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.In their first meeting on October 16, 2024, Ryukyu opened their season with a narrow win against Meralco, 77-74, at the Okinawa Arena in Japan.Last season, the two teams split their head-to-head match-up with the Golden Kings winning the first encounter with a dominating 89-61 triumph behind Keita Imamura’s game-high 19 points, while the Bolts get their vengeance through Chris Newsome heroics in their second battle to get a 97-88 overtime victory.This coming Wednesday, Meralco will be determined to duplicate the feat versus Ryukyu on home turf as they aim to be part of the semifinals cast for the very first time.

The Creamline Cool Smashers began their 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League campaign with a dominant straight-sets win over Al Naser Club, 29-27, 25-20, 25-19, on Sunday, April 20, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.After a shaky start in the opening frame, the Cool Smashers showed poise under pressure. Trailing 14-18 due to early miscues, they turned the tide with a 6-1 run to take the lead at 20-19. Jema Galanza delivered two key hits late in the set, and Pangs Panaga sealed it with a decisive block on Natiele Marques Gonçalves.Riding the momentum, Creamline dictated the pace in the second set. With the score tied at 5-all, the Cool Smashers gradually pulled ahead. A scoring burst, led by three straight attacks from Anastasiya Kudryashova and an ace by Panaga, widened the gap and gave Creamline a commanding 2-0 lead.

Alas Pilipinas Men are expected to be at full strength with the anticipated return of star spikers Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas just in time for the country's hosting of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship this September.Bagunas, who has been sidelined for nearly a year due to a left knee injury suffered during the 2024 SEA V.League against Indonesia, is steadily progressing in his recovery. Meanwhile, Espejo sustained a left ankle injury during the 2025 AVC Nations Cup loss to Pakistan in June.Both captains are optimistic about their recovery timelines and are aiming to be match-ready by the time the world championship kicks off.“Okay naman po. Every day rehab at naka-recover naman na po,” said Espejo. “Target ko po talaga is maging 100 percent sa darating na World Championship.”Bagunas shared similar confidence. “On track naman yung therapy ko. This week, may hop test na ko so malalaman na kung makakapag-full training na ako with Alas.”Despite their individual recoveries, Espejo acknowledged that the team still has a long way to go before contending with the world’s best.“Honestly speaking po, super layo pa talaga. Pero yun nga, one day at a time, one tournament at a time. Ibibigay namin yung pinaka-maximum potential ng team na hopefully, mailabas namin,” he added.The return of Espejo and Bagunas brings a massive boost to the national team’s morale and competitiveness as the Philippines hosts the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship for the first time, with hopes of making a strong impression on the global stage.

Converge FiberXers opened the Philippine Basketball Association Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup curtain with a victory against the Terrafirma Dyip, 116-87, on Wednesday, November 27, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.The much awaited debut of former top overall pick of the special Gilas draft Jordan Heading has come to fruition already.Heading scored his first basket in the PBA off a tip-in in the 2:52 mark of the first period. He finished with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field, four rebounds, and six assists against three turnovers in almost 24 minutes of play.The stats might not be as high as expected of the Filipino-Australian sweet shooting guard but enough to get the nod of Converge head coach Franco Atienza.

Filipina MMA champion Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga has withdrawn from her scheduled ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship defense at ONE 173 on November 16 due to “medical reasons.”Zamboanga was set to defend her title against Japan’s Ayaka Miura at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. "With a heavy heart, I need to share some difficult news… I was truly excited to defend my belt at ONE 173 against Ayaka. I know how strong and talented she is, and I was looking forward to testing myself against such a worthy challenger. This was a fight I have been preparing for and one I deeply wanted to give to the fans," she said.Her withdrawal leaves former strawweight champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio as the sole Filipino representative on the card.Zamboanga apologized to Ayaka and her sponsors in the same post, but vowed to return stronger, underscoring her love for the sport."This sport means everything to me, and I promise I am fully committed to coming back stronger. My passion for fighting has not changed, and I will continue to work hard so that I can once again represent ONE at the highest level when I return."Pacio, 28, will move up in weight for a high-stakes challenge against local favorite Yuya Wakamatsu for the ONE Flyweight MMA World Championship.Zamboanga’s absence marks a temporary setback after her recent title win and shifts the spotlight to Pacio’s quest to reclaim world title glory in Tokyo.

Gilas Pilipinas officially earned a spot in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals after escaping host country Saudi Arabia in overtime, 95-88, at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Monday, August 11 (Tuesday, August 12, Manila Time).Justin Brownlee produced another miracle as he drained the contested triple to force OT and finished with 29 points, five assists, and four rebounds for Gilas, setting up a date with two-time defending champion Australia on Wednesday, August 13. With 3.7 seconds remaining, Brownlee tied the score to 79-all before Kevin Quiambao sank a pair of triples in the extra frame to complete a 17-point performance, including three dimes, and three deflections. 

Larga Pilipinas is officially set to roll out this weekend as the country’s premier cycling race series flags off in Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Pangasinan on November 29 and 30.More than 3,000 cyclists are expected to compete in both road bike and mountain bike events across seven major categories: Pro Elite, MTB Men’s Open, Road Bike Boys 18U, Road Bike Boys 23U, Road Bike Men’s 23U, MTB Amateur Boys 18U, and the demanding Fix Gear division, where riders compete on brakeless bikes in the ultimate test of control and endurance.Larga Pilipinas president and race director Gary Role revealed during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum that organizers expect additional last-minute registrants. The event, originally scheduled for August, was postponed due to typhoons and impassable routes.The Pro Elite division has drawn 105 riders, while the MTB Men’s Open has the highest turnout with 845 participants, highlighting the nationwide excitement for the revived event.Operations and creative head Snow Badua announced an exciting addition this year—the Titan Ultra 1-on-1 Challenge, a head-to-head battle between rising star Junjun Cabadido and continental rider Marc Ryan Lago to push local cycling performance.“As part of Larga Pilipinas’ innovation and niche to be the trail blazer in Philippine cycling, we’re coming up with this one-on-one race. Paghaharapin natin sila in our bid na gawing continuous yung Titan Ultra Challenge natin. It’s an event within an event ng Larga Pilipinas.” Badua said. Stage 1 will run through the Nampicuan-to-Nampicuan course, while Stage 2 covers Nampicuan, Nueva Ecija, to the Sitio Baag Highlands in San Jose, Tarlac.Winners in all categories will receive cash prizes, medals, and trophies, with ₱20,000 going to the Titan Ultra 1-on-1 champion.

The Pampanga Giant Lanterns made history by being the first-ever back-to-back champions of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League or MPBL after sweeping the Quezon Huskers, 65-61, on Saturday, December 7, at the Bren Z. Guiao Sports Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.Justine Baltazar, who also made history by becoming the league’s first back-to-back MVP, led the charge with his monster double-double performance of 19 points and 19 rebounds, to go along with two assists and a block.Archie Concepcion also scored 19 points and grabbed five boards to support Baltazar, while Encho Serrano who’s back from a one-game suspension, supplemented 15 markers, six boards, three assists and one steal to complete sweep of the best-of-five series.

The two best words in sports—Game 7—will happen in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Friday, March 28, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.It was made possible when the TNT Tropang Giga forced it after defeating Barangay Ginebra in Game 6, 87-83, on Wednesday night, March 26, in front of 17,654 fans.In Game 5, the rare minutes given to Gin Kings veteran LA Tenorio inspired Ginebra to take a 3-2 series lead. But last night, it was TNT’s injured leader, Jayson Castro, who motivated his team.Read: https://scoreline.ph/news/tenorio-inspires-ginebra-tnt-misses-castro-pba-finals

Rain or Shine Coach Yeng Guiao expressed confidence in the team's future, despite the disappointment of another semifinal exit.“We couldn't close it out, we couldn't make the big plays when we needed them most.But we still look at it as a positive development for the team. I think it adds to the experience and knowledge of our young players.”He firmly believes that rather than a sweeping overhaul, the current roster simply requires targeted enhancements, particularly with the anticipated return of key players Beau Belga, Luis Villegas, and Felix Pangilinan-Lemetti from injury.

As the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) continues its aggressive push towards becoming a fully professional and sustainable league, officials are now setting their sights on launching an official player trade system-potentially in place before the 2025-26 season.Following the successful debut of its first-ever rookie draft in 2024, the PVL is taking the next major step in solidifying its infrastructure. PVL competition director Sherwin Malonzo revealed the development during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday, June 3, at the Rizal Memorial Complex in Manila.“Rookies cannot be traded, but we’ve already floated the idea of trading to teams,” Malonzo said in Filipino.“Rookies need to stay for one season before being eligible for trade. Rookie draft rights also cannot be traded.”The trade policy, while still under discussion, is already being shaped with clear-cut rules aimed at maintaining parity across all franchises—starting with a firm ban on rookie trades and draft pick swaps.To further avoid potential abuse of the system, especially echoing the controversial “conduit” trades that have plagued Philippine basketball, the PVL is also ruling out transactions between sister teams. This move affects prominent franchise pairs such as:Creamline Cool Smashers and Choco Mucho Flying Titans (both under Rebisco),PLDT High Speed Hitters and Cignal HD Spikers (owned by Manny V. Pangilinan),Akari Chargers and Nxled Chameleons (linked through appliance business affiliations),Farm Fresh Foxies and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles (both under Strong Group Athletics).

The Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) is hopeful that Alex Eala will represent the country at the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok this December.“We’re hoping she could play for the Philippines. Let’s all pray she does,” said Philta Executive Director Tonette Mendoza.Mendoza said Eala’s participation will depend on her schedule, as the world No. 65 is working on arrangements but is eager to compete.“She’s just trying to fit it into her schedule, but she seems very excited, so we really hope she can make it,” Mendoza added.If Eala joins, she will be gunning for her first SEA Games gold medal after bagging three bronze medals at the 2021 Hanoi edition.Mendoza also confirmed that the same men’s team will banner the country in the Bangkok Games, while the women’s roster is still being finalized.“Yes, we have the same team in the men’s, but for the women’s we’re still trying to put them together. Preparations for the biennial meet will start by November,” Mendoza said.Members of both squads are also set to compete abroad as part of their training leading to the Games. 

The winningest coach in the history of the Philippine Basketball Association has entered the Finals once again and will try to win his 26th title while leading Ginebra to the Promised Land.In an exclusive interview with Scoreline.ph, Coach Tim Cone shared how he established a winning culture to every team that he handled.

Boxing legend Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire is set to make another run at history as he faces Seiya Tsutsumi for the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight championship on December 17 in Tokyo — a bout that could make him the oldest bantamweight world champion in history.The Donaire-Tsutsumi clash will headline a tripleheader event promoted by Teiken Promotions, according to multiple reports.Tsutsumi (12-0-3, 8 KOs), the reigning “champion in recess,” previously captured the WBA title after defeating Takuma Inoue but was sidelined due to injury following a draw with Daigo Higa. Meanwhile, Antonio Vargas — who was elevated to full champion — withdrew from a planned consolidation bout due to personal reasons, opening the door for Donaire’s shot at glory.Donaire (43-8, 28 KOs), now 43 years old, earned his interim champion status after a ninth-round technical decision victory earlier this year, marking a triumphant return following a two-year layoff.A victory in Tokyo would not only unify the title but also cement Donaire’s place in the record books — and in the hearts of Filipino boxing fans worldwide.“Age is just a number when you have the heart for greatness,” said Donaire, who remains one of the most respected names in the sport.

Despite acknowledging the pressure, rising Filipino gymnast Karl Eldrew Yulo is confident he can deliver a strong performance in front of a hometown crowd when the 3rd Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships unfold from November 20 to 24 at the Manila Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom in Pasay City.“I hope I can make a good performance because I want to be one of the best junior gymnasts in the world,” said the 17-year-old Yulo. “This is my major international competition this year, and, with the help of God, I want to show the world my best,” he added.Yulo recently trained in Nagoya, Japan under the guidance of esteemed coach Munehiro Kugimiya, as part of his final preparations for the prestigious tournament. Alongside him during his media appearance was Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) President Cynthia Carrion, who emphasized support over pressure.“I won’t be putting any pressure on Eldrew, so I would be happy if he wins a silver at the world juniors,” said Carrion.The Philippines earned the hosting rights for the Junior World Championships after a successful bid during the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Congress last year in Doha, Qatar. Carrion credited FIG President Morinari Watanabe for championing the country’s bid, especially following Carlos Yulo’s Olympic triumph in Paris.Nearly 80 countries and 600 athletes are expected to compete in the five-day event, which marks a milestone for Philippine gymnastics.  Joining Yulo as the country’s female representative is US-based Elisabeth Antone, who earned a bronze medal at the Asian Junior Championships last June in South Korea. Due to the Philippines not participating in the previous edition in Antalya, Turkey, only one male and one female gymnast can compete under the FIG rules for this edition.Carrion remains hopeful that both gymnasts will rise to the occasion, bolstered by the energy of the Filipino crowd.“You know how inspiring our Filipino fans are, so we expect them to root for both Yulo and Antone during the world juniors,” she added.For Karl Eldrew, this competition carries extra meaning, as it will be his final outing in the junior division before moving up to the senior ranks next year.“This is going to be my first and last time competing in the world juniors and in the Philippines. Next year I will be competing as a senior, so may konting pressure,” said Yulo.Carrion emphasized the long-term goal of preparing Yulo for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, with plans for continued training under coach Kugimiya in Japan.“I believe that he can be our best now at the world juniors, although other countries will also be putting their best foot forward,” she added.Carrion summed it up best: “It would be fantastic for us Filipinos if Karl can pull this off. It would be nice for the Philippines to see a world champion crowned on our home soil.”

Alas Pilipinas’s impressive performance at the FIVB Men’s World Championship has been seen as a key moment for Philippine volleyball, securing the nation’s spot on the global stage. “It was a dream come true,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, after the Philippines defeated world No. 21 Egypt, 29-27, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21, in front of an enthusiastic home crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Tolentino stressed that this victory was more than just a win—it was a moment in history. “These men have made their mark in volleyball history, and their success will inspire the next generation to follow in their footsteps as role models,” he said. The POC chief acknowledged that Alas Pilipinas exceeded all expectations. “It was a long shot. We never aimed that high for Alas Pilipinas in this world championship, but they did better than we hoped. I commend the PNVF and the entire sports community for this success.”