Few months before the start of the 87th season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women's volleyball tournament, Dr. Obet Vital filed his resignation as the head coach of UE women's volleyball team last Tuesday, December 10. Although for Dr. Vital, it was a tough decision he made, but there are things beyond their  control. According to the chief tactician of the Recto-based volleyball squad, there were differences in vision, particularly regarding the program of development, especially in grassroots initiatives, and the long-term direction of the team. Also, the approach is not maintained and no longer aligned. 

The William Jones Cup crown is back at the hands of the Filipinos after Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas trounced hometown bets Chinese Taipei and secured a 83-79 victory on Sunday, July 21, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.The Philippine representative completed a title sweep after going undefeated eight times and achieved what they fell short last January when they finished runner-up in the 33rd Dubai International Championship with a team reinforced by former NBA player Dwight Howard. SGA lost to Al Riyadi in the final.In the championship game against Chinese Taipei-A, Tajuan Agee lead the pack with game-high 21 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, a block, and a perfect nine-of-nine from the free throw line, following him was DJ Fenner who contributed with 15 markers, nine boards, and four steals.RJ Abarrientos tallied 14 on four-of-eight shooting from the three-point line in his last game before joining crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra in PBA.Also standing out is veteran guard Kiefer Ravena as he provided nine markers on a 3-of-6 clip along with four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.Chris McCullough, on the other hand, finished with 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting.McCullough was later named the tournament Most Valuable Player, averaging 21.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks in Strong Group’s eight-game sweep.Robert Tsang Hinton led Taiwan’s failed attempt at the title with 16 points, Cheng Yin Chun followed with 13, while Brandon Gilbeck had a double-double of 11, 13 boards along with five blocks as the host team settled for the runner-up finish with its 7-1 record.Strong Group became the seventh Philippine team to rule the annual Jones Cup. The last time the country reigned supreme was in 2019 under the Mighty Sports squad, which incidentally, was also coached by Charles Tiu.

Team USA has dominated their Olympic opponents both in the men’s and women’s divisionThe Americans led by NBA superstars LeBron James and Kevin Durant defeated Serbia 110-84 in their opening game of their group stage.LeBron James tallied 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds while Durant scored the game high 23 points coming off a perfect field goal from the first half of play.On the other hand, Nikola Jokic paced the Serbian team with 20 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.The win placed Team USA on top of Group C after one set of games. Their next opponent will be the uprising and first time Olympian South Sudan team on July 31.

PLDT returned to their winning ways after pulling off a 25-20, 25-21, 20-25, 25-22 victory over Cignal in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Tuesday, January 28.The High Speed Hitters retaliated fiercely after the HD Spikers won the third set, gaining a 16–6 lead in the fourth set and appearing poised to win the match easily.The Cignal team, led by Vanie Gandler and Ishie Lalongisip’s aggressive performances halfway through the frame, even got within one at 22-21, but Majoy Baron and star spiker Savi Davison’s kills helped the High Speed Hitters regain their rhythm and end the game.Davison put up her usual output with 24 points along with 12 excellent digs and 10 excellent receptions as PLDT now holds a 5-3 record. 

Australia claimed the gold for the third straight time in the FIBA Asia Cup after surviving a nail-biting finish against China, 90-89, on Monday morning, August 18 (PH time), at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.The Boomers, who have been undefeated in the tournament since joining the Asia Cup in 2017, once again proved their resilience on the biggest stage. But before clinching their third consecutive crown, the Australians had to claw back from a double-digit deficit as they trailed by as many as 15 points through the first three quarters.

The Philippines is set to welcome the world’s top junior gymnasts for the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships, taking place from November 20 to 24 at the Manila Marriott Hotel in Pasay City.Organized by the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) and sanctioned by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and Asian Gymnastics Union, the event will feature male athletes aged 16–18 and female athletes aged 14–16 from around the globe.GAP President Cynthia Carrion announced that nearly 1,000 athletes from 79 countries have registered—far surpassing the previous edition’s turnout of 283 gymnasts from 64 nations in Antalya, Turkey. Even more entries are expected as the event draws near.Carrion described the championship as a “breeding ground for future stars,” highlighting the global appeal of gymnastics and the inspiration of champions like Simone Biles and Carlos Yulo, who claimed two golds for the Philippines at the Paris Olympics last year.“The Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships will be a showcase of young talent never seen anywhere before,” Carrion said at the official launch at Newport World Resorts Mall on Thursday.The event’s slogan, “Leap High, Flip Strong!”, was also unveiled, promising an exciting blend of athletic excellence, Filipino hospitality, and festive spirit.PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio, FIG MAG Technical Committee President Andrew Tombs, WAG Technical Committee President Donatella Sacchi, and FIG officials Stepane Detraz and Celine Cachemaille attended the launch and inspected the venue.The Manila Marriott Grand Ballroom, which hosted the 2015 Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournament, will once again serve as the competition venue.With strong global interest, the Philippines is poised to deliver a world-class event spotlighting the next generation of gymnastics stars.

If there's a basketball referee today who belongs to the elite ranks of FIBA, it is none other than Filipino referee Glenn Cornelio.One of Cornelio's greatest aspirations is to officiate in the FIBA World Cup. Currently, he holds a FIBA Black License, allowing him to officiate both men's and women's competitions.He was also part of the recently concluded East Asia Super League (EASL) championship finals in Macau.Aside from Cornelio, five other Filipino referees are accredited by FIBA—Totie Celeste, Aaron Canete, Harry Santos, Ralph Moreto, and Christian Penaojas. However, Cornelio is the only one recognized at the elite level for the 2023-25 cycle.“My goal is to officiate in the World Cup’s main competition. In the last World Cup, I was only a reserve referee,” Cornelio said.For Cornelio, being a basketball referee is no easy task. He believes that referees must always be ready, well-prepared, and highly knowledgeable about the rules, while also maintaining top physical condition."Readiness and preparedness in terms of rule knowledge and physical conditioning should always be a referee’s mindset. Our motto is ‘learning never stops’ because basketball is constantly evolving and improving. Referees must continue studying to stay updated. Basketball knowledge and refereeing expertise should go hand in hand,” he added.Cornelio began his officiating career in 2002 during his third year in college. He later advanced to officiate in prestigious leagues such as the UAAP, NCAA, FilOil, Liga Pilipinas, PBA, and FIBA.His international experience includes officiating in the SEA Games (twice), FIBA Asia and World Cup qualifiers, the FIBA Asia Cup, BCL, WASL, ABL, EASL Final Four (twice), EASL Terrific 12, PBA 3x3 and 5x5, and the FIBA U19 World Cup.Cornelio’s journey serves as an inspiration to fellow Filipino referees who aspire to reach the highest levels of the profession.

Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala continued her dream run at the Miami Open, pulling off a stunning 6-2, 7-5 victory over World No. 2 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek on Wednesday, March 26 (Thursday, March 27, Manila time).The 19-year-old wildcard entry displayed poise and resilience, adding Swiatek to her growing list of high-profile upsets, which already includes 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko and reigning Australian champion Madison Keys.

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.

Petro Gazz reignited its campaign in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League with a commanding straight-sets victory over Hong Kong’s Hip Hing, 25-8, 25-12, 25-12, on Tuesday, April 22, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.The win not only marked their first in the tournament but also secured them the final quarterfinal berth, setting up a high-stakes clash with Chinese powerhouse Beijing Baic Motor.After dropping their opening match to Pool B leader Kaohsiung Taipower in four sets (15-25, 16-25, 25-19, 20-25), the Angels bounced back in emphatic fashion, delivering a near-flawless performance against the winless Hong Kong side. From the first whistle, Petro Gazz established its dominance, allowing Hip Hing no room to build momentum during the swift one-hour, 13-minute match.

Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu Volleyball Club completed a flawless campaign at the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League, emerging as champions after a 3-1 victory, 25-14, 20-25, 25-23, 25-18, over Vietnam’s VTV Binh Dien Long An in the gold medal match held Sunday, April 27, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.Zhetysu, the nine-time Kazakhstan Women’s National League champions, showcased their dominance throughout the tournament, going undefeated and dropping just one set—the second frame of the final—on their way to the title.The Kazakh squad showcased their firepower and height advantage, out-blocking the Vietnamese side 15-2 and delivering 10 service aces to just one from their opponents. The match lasted 87 minutes.

Barangay Ginebra gave a wonderful Christmas gift to their die-hard fans by defeating the Magnolia Hotshots, 95-92, in their Christmas Manila Clasico duel on Wednesday night, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Magnolia seemed inspired to win their first back-to-back victories in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup as they erected a 55-41 halftime lead and even established a game-high 22-point lead in the third period.But the Gin Kings displayed their never-say-die attitude to put the game in a cliffhanger showdown.

Ramil Gallego is one of the Philippines' most respected professional pool players, known for his skill, composure, and international presence—particularly in Asia.A seasoned competitor, Gallego has represented the Philippines in numerous tournaments abroad, with a strong focus on the Japanese billiards circuit. Filipino fans began to recognize him more widely during his appearances in the Motolite International Tournament (won by Francisco Bustamante) and the Rising Stars Tournament (won by Edgar Acaba).Over the years, Gallego has proudly carried the Philippine flag in competitions overseas, with Japan being one of his most frequent battlegrounds. He is fluent in Japanese and often serves as a translator for fellow Pinoy players during events.One of his most memorable career moments came on July 28, 2008, when the then 41-year-old Gallego delivered a stunning performance at the Manny Villar Cup Bulacan leg, held at the Event Center of SM City Marilao. He edged out Francisco Bustamante in the semifinals, 10–9, and went on to defeat Carlo Biado, 11–7, in the finals to secure the championship.

Many were surprised when Manny Pacquiao officially announced his return from retirement to challenge World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Mario Barrios.This bout will be Pacquiao's first in four years, and at 46 years old, he faces a significant challenge: Barrios, who is 16 years younger and stands six inches taller than the 5-foot-6 Filipino legend.However, "Sugar" Shane Mosley—a fellow boxing great and former opponent who recently joined Pacquiao's training camp in Los Angeles—believes Pacquiao can emerge victorious at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 19. Mosley, who lost to Pacquiao by unanimous decision in 2011 while defending his WBO welterweight title, noted that Pacquiao is in great shape both physically and mentally.

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).

Rhianne Hailie Jade Alix is already turning heads as a forward for the Philippine National Women’s Ice Hockey Team at the age of 16. She is known for her speed, agility, and smart puck control, Alix brings youthful energy and a fresh edge to the team’s offensive lineup.She is also a product of the Philippines’ growing grassroots ice hockey movement, Alix exemplifies the sport’s expanding reach among the youth. Her journey began in mall skating rinks, where curiosity quickly turned into passion—and then into national-level performance. Despite her age, she has earned the respect of her teammates and coaches with her relentless work ethic, sharp instincts, and playmaking ability.

Zamboangueña weightlifting standout Angeline Colonia is setting her sights on greater achievements after clinching a gold medal in the snatch event at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships held from July 4 to 10 in Astana, Kazakhstan.Competing in the Junior Women’s 48kg division, Colonia lifted 77 kilograms in the snatch to top the category and earn gold. She also placed fourth in both the clean and jerk (88 kg) and overall total (165 kg)."I'm so happy. I just prayed for a good performance. I did not expect to win the gold in snatch," Colonia shared in an interview on Wednesday, July 30, her voice reflecting both gratitude and surprise.The victory in Kazakhstan comes just months after Colonia’s strong showing at the World Youth and Junior Championships in Lima, Peru last May, where she bagged a silver in snatch and bronze in total while competing in the Junior 45kg division.Colonia was among a group of young Zamboangueño athletes honored by Mayor Khymer Olaso during the city’s flag-raising ceremony on Monday, July 28, at Zamboanga City Hall. 

South Sudan men’s basketball team brushed off all obstacles to get a historic first win in the Paris Games.In the first battle from the Group Phase C, the world’s No. 33 ranked team shocked world’s No. 16 Puerto Rico by winning their first foray in Olympics men’s basketball 90-79 at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on July 28.Carlik Jones led the South Sudan in victory by tallying 19 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists while Marial Shayok added 15 markers.The team overcame an 8-0 start from Puerto Rico and only managed to taste the first lead of the game in the 7:13 mark of the 3rd quarter of play when Noni Omot made a three-pointer to give them a two-point cushion 56-54.From there, South Sudan never looked back and got their first ever Olympic win. The African nation qualified for the Paris Games after qualifying as Africa’s top finisher in last year’s world cup.Anthem Blunder before gameBefore the game began, an anthem blunder was made by the Paris Games organizers. They inadvertently played the neighboring Sudan’s anthem - and they later apologized for their mistake.The nation of South Sudan has gained independence from Sudan after a referendum in 2011 but violent clashes between the two nations continued to spark as the dispute over borders, natural resources and political power.Before their win, the organizers inadvertently played the anthem of neighboring Sudan – and later apologized for the mistake.South Sudan gained independence from Sudan after a referendum in 2011 but disputes over borders, natural resources and political power have continued to spark violent clashes between the two.No indoor basketball courtsIn South Sudan, there were no indoor basketball courts according to NBA All-Star Loul Deng, who’s also the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation.Deng was instrumental in putting the Bright Stars together to form the South Sudan men’s national basketball team.He also said that South Sudan has some of the tallest people in the world. Height usually is always might in the game of basketball as it gives a huge advantage.However, the country lacks resources to even have an indoor basketball court.

Filipino cue artist Jefrey Roda secured the championship in the 3rd Universal Chinese Taipei Open and the World Nineball Tour (WNT) ranking event title against Ko Pin Yi of Taipei in the finals.In the finals, Roda was down 8-11 to Ko Pin Yi but won the next five racks to seal the win 13-11.It was Roda's first WNT ranking title. He first defeated Johann Chua in the quarterfinal round, 11-3,and dominated Spain's Francis Sanchez Ruiz in the semis, 11-2.In his social media post, Roda expressed his gratitude to those who supported and believed in his skills and ability to win the competition and to become champion. 

When you talk about pioneers and pure scorers in Philippine basketball, one name always comes up—Fortunato "Atoy" Co, also known as "The Fortune Cookie."The nickname, a play on his first name “Fortunato,” was popularized by PBA commentators and fans not just because it sounded catchy—but because he delivered results, night in and night out, like a sweet fortune waiting to happen. When Crispa needed a bucket, Co was the guy who cracked the code.Born on October 15, 1951, in Pasig City, Atoy Co was already making noise before the PBA even existed. But it was in 1975, during the PBA’s inaugural season, that he formally entered the pro scene as part of the Crispa Redmanizers. And he didn’t disappoint. On April 22, in his first-ever pro game, Co dropped 34 points, leading Crispa to its first franchise win after starting 0-3.He would go on to become a vital part of Crispa’s dynasty, playing from 1975 to 1984 and helping steer the team to two Grand Slams. In 1976, he was honored with the All-Filipino Sports Award for Basketball, further cementing his place among the league’s elite.When Crispa disbanded, Co played briefly for Manila Beer (1985) and later joined Great Taste/Presto Ice Cream in 1987 and 1988, before calling it a career.Across 13 PBA seasons, Atoy Co racked up 15 championships, one MVP award (1979), and a scoring title in the same year. He was a 9-time Mythical First Team member, known for his smooth jumpers, crowd-pleasing style, and unshakable confidence on the floor.