Returning to his old home at the Blue Eagle Gym, Forthsky Padrigao made sure his emotions wouldn’t get in the way of business. The University of Santo Tomas guard showed poise and maturity in leading the Growling Tigers to a hard-earned 98–89 triple-overtime win over the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament.Facing his former school for the first time since transferring, Padrigao approached the game with calm determination. “I just needed to do my job and role with the team. Nothing personal for me. I treated this game as a regular game. I didn’t do anything special coming into the game,” said the UST guard, who previously played two seasons with Ateneo and captured a UAAP title in Season 85.Despite the emotional backdrop, Padrigao was met with respect rather than hostility. “I wasn’t expecting any boos. I have good friends here in Ateneo. They watched, they even asked for tickets from me,” he shared.

University of Santo Tomas–Gameville standout Josh Ybañez continues to prove why he’s one of the brightest young stars in Philippine volleyball. The versatile open spiker was named the Spikers’ Turf Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of November 5 to 7, after leading the Golden Spikers to a gutsy five-set victory over Alpha Insurance Protectors.Ybañez delivered a brilliant all-around performance in UST-Gameville’s thrilling 26-24, 25-22, 35-37, 19-25, 22-20 win last Friday, November 7, tallying 20 points on 18 attacks, one block, and one ace, along with an impressive 30 excellent receptions. His composure and consistency were key in helping the collegiate squad hold its ground against veteran opposition in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference.The Alas Pilipinas standout has been a driving force behind UST-Gameville’s strong campaign, guiding the Golden Spikers to a 3-1 win-loss record despite joining the tournament as a late replacement. His leadership and relentless energy on both offense and defense have made him the heart of the young team’s surprising success.Ybañez was a unanimous choice for the weekly citation, edging out his UST-Gameville teammates Al-Bukharie Sali and Edriel Alabar, along with other top performers such as Cignal’s Jay Rack Dela Noche, Criss Cross’ Jude Garcia and Noel Kampton, and Savouge’s Sherwin Caritativo.The award marks another milestone for the 21-year-old rising star, who continues to impress fans and analysts alike with his maturity, work ethic, and all-around play. As UST-Gameville gears up to face defending champion Cignal HD Spikers in their next match, Ybañez remains focused on leading by example.From collegiate standout to national team mainstay, Josh Ybañez’s latest recognition reaffirms his growing status as one of the future pillars of Philippine men’s volleyball.

The Philippines’ boxing campaign at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Manama, Bahrain, came to a close after Leo Mhar Lobrido settled for a bronze medal in the Boys’ 46-kg division.Lobrido, the country’s last remaining boxer in contention, bowed to Uzbekistan’s Abdugani Yorkinjonov in the semifinals. The Uzbek fighter capitalized on his height and reach advantage, edging out Lobrido with a 3-2 decision in the opening round before pulling away in the second with sharp, accurate combinations.Yorkinjonov’s dominance secured him a finals berth against Kazakhstan’s Arman Myrsabit, who earlier swept Tajikistan’s Damir Nazarov, 5-0.Despite the loss, the 17-year-old from Bago City, Negros Occidental, earned the Philippines’ best boxing result of the Games with his bronze finish, showcasing resilience and promise against Asia’s rising talents.Meanwhile, other Filipino boxers were unable to reach the medal rounds. James Justin Zampatti fell to Uzbekistan’s Diyorbek Murodilloev via referee-stopped contest in the Boys’ 75-kg quarterfinals, while Shairylle Porres exited after losing to Chinese Taipei’s Fang-yu Chen in the Girls’ 46-kg category.Jefferson Amaya (50kg), John Michael Estorba (54kg), and Ermallie Caballero (50kg) were earlier eliminated during the preliminaries.

The University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses opened the inaugural Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) with a dominating 82-67 victory against the Discovery Perlas on Sunday, January 19, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Sampaloc, Manila.Freshman Karylle Sierba led UST with 14 points on 6-for-12 shooting from the field, while Nigerian center Oma Onianwa was named Best Player of the Game as she produced 13 markers and nine rebounds.On the other hand, former national team star and now Discovery assistant coach Allana Lim delivered 17 points and issued nine assists to pace the team.Lady Tigresses Nicole Danganan made history as the first-ever player to score a point in WMPBL history when she converted one of her two free throw attempts.

The Philippine women’s national futsal team is set for a challenging campaign after landing in a tough Group A with world No. 6 Argentina, No. 14 Poland, and No. 31 Morocco in the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup 2025. The official draw was held Monday night, September 15, at the Bonifacio Global City Arts Center in Taguig.This marks the third straight year the Philippines will host a World Cup, after successful stints in football and basketball. This time, futsal takes the spotlight as the country stages the historic inaugural edition of the women’s competition.The group stage is scheduled from November 21 to December 7 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City, which will serve as the sole venue following the Philippine Football Federation’s (PFF) decision to drop Victorias City from co-hosting duties due to logistical concerns.

Barangay Ginebra secured a 73-66 victory over TNT in Game 5 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Sunday night, March 23, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Scottie Thompson was named Best Player of the Game after delivering an all-around performance with 16 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block. His relentless hustle on both ends of the floor—something that doesn’t always show up in the stat sheets—was key to Ginebra’s success.Justin Brownlee was also impressive. Despite dealing with a dislocated thumb and scoring only two points in the first half, the Gin Kings' import still managed to finish with 18 markers, 14 boards, five dimes, and one deflection.Japeth Aguilar and Maverick Ahanmisi chipped in 11 points apiece to support Thompson and Brownlee, while Stephen Holt played a tremendous defensive role against Tropang Giga import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Although Hollis-Jefferson managed to score 19 points, he struggled with efficiency, shooting just 7-of-26 from the field.

Foreign reinforcements in the Premier Volleyball League are officially cleared for action after all International Transfer Certificates (ITCs) were signed and activated, paving the way for imports to suit up in the 2025 Reinforced Conference.The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) completed the endorsement process for all foreign and Filipino-American players by 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, ensuring that every team can now field its full lineup for the remainder of the tournament.

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.

Reigning national figure skating champion Maxine Bautista delivered a solid performance at the Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy 2025, finishing 11th overall in the senior women’s division as the five-day tournament wrapped up Tuesday night, August 5, at the Mall of Asia Skating Rink.Skating to “Now We Are Free” from Gladiator, the 24-year-old Chicago-based skater earned a total of 105.69 points, improving from her earlier short program.“This is definitely better than (what I did in) the short program,” said Bautista, who now places herself in strong consideration for a spot on Team Philippines for the upcoming Southeast Asian Games.“I’m happy about this. This is definitely an improvement,” she added, visibly pleased with her rebound performance.

The Philippine women’s national football team, known as the Filipinas, begins its title defense in the ASEAN MSIG Serenity Cup on Thursday night against Timor-Leste at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho, Vietnam. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. local time (8:30 p.m. Manila time).The Filipinas are eager to start strong after settling in Vietnam last Sunday. The tournament, formerly known as the AFF Women’s Championship, features a new name but the same high stakes. The Filipinas captured the 2022 title at home, with Sarina Bolden scoring eight goals and leading the squad to a 3–0 victory over Thailand in the final.Despite being heavy favorites against Timor-Leste—who qualified after Singapore’s withdrawal—head coach Mark Torcaso is focused on player development and preparation for the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup.“I’m not too worried about what the opponents are doing. We’re going to focus on our team and give every young girl a chance in this tournament,” said Torcaso.Several key players are unavailable due to the tournament falling outside the FIFA window, including Katrina Guillou, Sara Eggesvik, Meryll Serrano, and Sarina Bolden, who is recovering from injury. However, veterans such as Quinley Quezada, Chandler McDaniel, Olivia McDaniel, Hali Long, and Inna Palacios are set to guide a younger squad.“These veterans are vital—they’ll share their experiences from the AFF, World Cup, and Asian Cup with our younger players,” Torcaso added.New talents, including Jaycee DeFazio, Adelaide Wyrzynski, Azumi Oka, Aaliyah Schinaman, and several youth program standouts, are poised to make their senior debuts.As they open their Serenity Cup campaign, the Filipinas are not just aiming to defend their regional crown, but also to build the future of women’s football in the Philippines.

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.

Kenneth Llover, one of the country’s brightest hopes for a world title, makes his much-awaited return after scoring back-to-back first-round knockout wins when he battles Panamanian two-division champion Luis Concepcion on 17 August at the Winford Resort and Casino in Manila.Coming off brutal wins over Japanese Tulio Dekanarudo and Keita Kurihara, Llover is looking at the Concepcion clash as a stepping stone towards a world title crack.“I am excited to fight in front of my kababayans again. Luis Concepcion is a warrior; he is aggressive and experienced. I expect him to bring the fight. This is going to be an explosive night,” said Llover. Concepcion paraded a 40-11 mark with 29 knockouts, and promoter Gerry Penalosa, also a two-division world champion like the Central American puncher, believes the Cavite-based Llover, nicknamed “Lover Boy,” will be in for a rough ride.“Concepcion is the most decorated foe yet for Llover. He brings a wealth of experience with over 50 fights. This fight will show how ready is for the next level. Fans can’t miss this one,” Penalosa said.Penalosa is teaming up with Kameda Promotions to stage a mouth-watering showdown on local soil, with the boxing outfit’s chief Koki Kameda arriving to watch the action.Owing to his sensational performances in Japan, Llover is highly ranked by The Ring magazine.    

Alas Pilipinas is setting its sights on the top prize in beach volleyball at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games this December in Thailand.“Gold is what we’re aiming for in Thailand,” said Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon “Tats” Suzara during the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge at Nuvali Sands Court in Santa Rosa, Laguna. “We’ve had plenty of SEA Games bronze medals, and while we know it won’t be easy, we believe it’s possible. I’m hopeful our athletes can turn their Nuvali experience into a gold-medal run in Thailand.”Thailand and Indonesia have historically dominated SEA Games beach volleyball, while the Philippines has earned six bronze medals—three each in the men’s and women’s divisions—since 2003.PNVF head coach Joao “Kioday” Luciano Simao Barbosa confirmed the SEA Games lineups: Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, and Dij Rodriguez and Sunny Villapando for the women; and James Buytrago and Ran Abdilla, and Ronniel Rosales and Rancel Vergara for the men.Each country can field two pairs per division. The 33rd SEA Games opens December 9, with beach volleyball running from December 12 to 19 at Bangkok’s Huamark Sports Complex.“We’re working very hard to fight for the gold,” said Kioday. “All teams are strong, but with a few more months of preparation, we’ll take it step by step—and reach for that gold.”

The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) will make history as they feature the first ever Finals match-up in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.The Pampanga Giant Lanterns that swept the North Division playoff round will face the South Division champions Quezon Huskers that only lost one game in their own playoff bracket.Game 1 of the best-of-five Finals series will begin on December 1 at the Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdam Indoor in Dubai at 7:00 PM Gulf Standard Time (11:00 PM Philippine Time), while Game 2 will be on December 3, same tip-off time at the same venue.During the playoffs, Pampanga averaged 79.3 points, 55.5 rebounds, 21.8 assists, 7.5 steals, and 4.3 blocks in six games, while Quezon averaged 75.1 markers, 44.1 boards, 20.0 dimes, 7.6 deflections, and 2.9 rejections in seven games.The two teams' numbers were almost identical except that the Giant Lanterns dominated the rebounding department but also turned the ball over a lot times that the Huskers could take advantage of.Pampanga’s prized center Justine Baltazar will once again be the focal point of the Giant Lanterns offense but he will not be alone to carry the load for their squad.

Down by as many as 18 points, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel still managed to take Game 1 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals against the San Miguel Beermen, 73–71, on Wednesday night, June 25, at the Mall of Asia Arena.Scottie Thompson was named Best Player of the Game after tallying 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, along with eight rebounds, one assist, and a steal.Japeth Aguilar also provided steady production despite being in foul trouble, finishing with a team-high 18 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and a block. Jamie Malonzo added 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

As the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semi-finals open on Wednesday, June 25, the grand slam-seeking TNT Tropang 5G and the "gate-crashing" Rain or Shine Elasto Painters will begin their best-of-seven clash at 5:00 PM at the Mall of Asia Arena.It will be a battle between two teams with contrasting styles. TNT prefers to limit opponents to under 100 points per game, while Rain or Shine thrives on a fast-paced game and aims to put up big numbers whenever possible.Both teams posted identical 8-5 records after the elimination and quarterfinal rounds. They also overcame twice-to-beat disadvantages to secure their spots in the Final Four.

The UAAP is exploring ways to compress its men’s basketball Season 88 second-round schedule to help Gilas Pilipinas prepare for the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. League officials are considering options such as quadruple-headers to finish the season by late November, similar to adjustments made in 2019 for the SEA Games."[UAAP Executive Director] Rebo [Saguisag] and I recently met with the SBP executive director [Erika Dy] on ways to maybe finish the UAAP basketball tournament early so that UAAP players can participate in the SEA Games. There will be a decision soon." said the FEU representative to the Board of Managing Directors UAAP vice president Mark Molina said the league is coordinating with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to support the national team. "We always communicate to the SBP that the UAAP is always willing and ready to help the national team in all levels," Molina said.The compressed schedule would allow select UAAP standouts, including Veejay Pre, to join Gilas preparations ahead of the SEA Games basketball tournament, which tips off December 13. Gilas coach Norman Black is expected to finalize his 12-man roster soon as the Philippines aims to maintain its regional basketball dominance.

Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), will lead the nation's biggest-ever delegation to the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China. As it prepares for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, the Philippines hopes to obtain vital international exposure with 20 athletes competing in a variety of disciplines.Tolentino expressed confidence in the 19-member group, which is primarily made up of Filipino-foreigners from the Philippines who have acclimated well to winter circumstances and sports that aren't typically offered in the country.

As the reigning NCAA champions, the Mapúa Cardinals step into Season 101 with a target firmly on their backs. Every opponent will be eager to knock them off the throne, making each game a battle of pride and precision. Their opening assignment against the Lyceum Pirates is already being billed as a statement game, a chance for Mapúa to show that last season’s breakthrough was no fluke. With the new group-stage format limiting room for error, the Cardinals know they cannot afford early slipups if they want to stay in control of their title defense.One of Mapúa’s biggest strengths is the championship confidence they now carry. The team has already proven it can thrive under the brightest lights, and that winning culture should give them an edge in close contests. Clint Escamis, who delayed his professional dreams to lead the Cardinals one last time, provides the leadership and stability that every championship-caliber squad needs. Alongside him, veterans like JC Recto, Yam Concepcion, and Cyrus Cuenco give the team balance and continuity, while new additions like Cyril Gonzales, Cyrus Nitura, and Icee Callangan bring fresh talent into the rotation.

A well-balanced offense pushed the Converge FiberXers to a 127-109 victory over Blackwater Bossing on Sunday, January 19, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, securing sole second place in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup.As the FiberXers edged closer to a playoff incentive with an 8-3 record, 6-foot-9 big man Justine Baltazar delivered an impressive play for the team, recording a new career-high 20 points along with 10 rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocks to earn him Best Player of the Game plum.Jordan Heading provided firepower, leading the charge for Converge with 22 markers, from 3 out of 5 shooting, along with five dimes, and three boards.