Philippine Sambo Team Primed for Historic Run in Asia-Oceania ChampionshipsThe Philippines is set to take center stage in the international sambo scene as the country's top grapplers begin their campaign in the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Backed by months of intensive preparation, the 40-member national team enters the prestigious tournament with high hopes of delivering strong performances against nearly 500 athletes from 22 countries across Asia and Oceania.National head coach Ace Larida expressed confidence in the readiness of the Filipino delegation, emphasizing that the athletes are physically and mentally prepared for the challenge after six months of rigorous training.Hosting the continental competition for the first time in years presents a unique opportunity for Team Philippines to showcase its progress in the combat sport while competing before a home crowd.Leading the national squad are reigning champions Sydney Sy and Aislyn Agnes Yap, who are determined to defend their respective titles. Sy will seek another gold medal in the women's +80kg sport sambo division, while Yap aims to retain her crown in the women's -80kg combat sambo category.Also expected to contend for podium finishes are world-ranked standout Jomary Torres in the women's -50kg combat division and promising young athlete Sophia Novino in the women's -47kg youth class.Another athlete drawing attention is former Southeast Asian Games judo bronze medalist Carl Aneseta, who will make his international sambo debut in the men's +98kg sport sambo event. Aneseta believes his judo background will help him adjust quickly to the demands of the sport as he seeks to make an immediate impact on the international stage.Tournament organizers have also received praise for their preparations. Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio commended the organizing committee led by Pilipinas Sambo Federation President Paolo Tancontian, noting that the event is expected to become another milestone in Philippine sports hosting.The four-day championship not only highlights the country's growing strength in sambo but also reinforces the Philippines' reputation as a premier destination for international sporting events. With athletes arriving from countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, the tournament is expected to provide world-class competition and valuable exposure for local athletes.As competition officially begins, the spotlight now turns to the Filipino grapplers who carry the hopes of the nation and the opportunity to make history on home soil.

In Philippine volleyball, club rivalries fuel packed arenas and passionate fan bases. But when the country calls, even the biggest stars are expected to wear one uniform.That message was reinforced as the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) announced that players officially representing Alas Pilipinas will prioritize national team duties over participation in the upcoming 2027 PVL On Tour Showdown. The league's decision underscores a principle that extends beyond the preseason tournament: representing the Philippines remains the highest honor for any athlete.The policy is straightforward. Players included in the official Alas Pilipinas delegation will not be allowed to compete in the preseason event while fulfilling national team commitments, particularly during international competitions and training camps. Only athletes who are not part of the official delegation and have no national team obligations will be eligible to participate in the On Tour Showdown.The move highlights the growing coordination between the country's professional volleyball league and the national program. As Philippine volleyball continues to make strides on the international stage, ensuring that the national team receives full commitment from its players has become increasingly important.For clubs, the ruling presents a familiar challenge. Teams may have to navigate the preseason without some of their biggest names, giving coaches an opportunity to evaluate younger players, deepen their rotations, and prepare emerging talents for larger roles. While fans may miss seeing marquee matchups during the On Tour Showdown, the absence of national team standouts reflects a greater objective.For the players themselves, balancing club and country has never been easy. Many have become household names through their performances in the PVL, yet the chance to compete under the Philippine flag carries a different kind of responsibility. International tournaments demand months of preparation, chemistry-building, and sacrifice—elements that cannot be compromised.The league's decision also sends a strong message about unity within Philippine volleyball. Rather than creating conflicts between club and national schedules, the policy emphasizes collaboration, ensuring that the country's best athletes can focus entirely on representing the nation when called upon.As the 2027 PVL On Tour Showdown approaches, fans can still expect competitive matches and fresh storylines. New faces will have opportunities to shine, while established stars wearing the Alas Pilipinas jersey will focus on elevating Philippine volleyball on the international stage.In the end, the league's directive reinforces a simple but meaningful belief: club success is celebrated, but national pride comes first. For Philippine volleyball, every step toward international excellence begins with a shared commitment to putting the country above all else.

Things will be different when the PBA 49th Season Governor’s Cup opens on August 18 as it adopts a new format for the season-opening conference.The new format will divide the 12 teams in two groups; Group A is composed of reigning Governor’s Cup Champion TNT Tropang Giga together with Meralco Bolts, Converge FiberXers, Northport Batang Pier, Terrafirma Dyip and Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots while Group B is composed of crowd-favorite Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel, together with Blackwater Bossing, Phoenix Fuel Masters, Rain or Shine Elasto Painter, NLEX Road Warriors and San Miguel Beermen.Under the new setup that was announced by league Commissioner Willie Marcial, teams in each group will play each other twice in a double round robin.The top four teams from each group will advance to the crossover quarterfinals, with No. 1 taking on No. 4 and No. 2 battling No. 3 in a best-of-five series.The semifinals and finals will both be a best-of-seven affairs.Meanwhile, the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup and season-concluding Philippine Cup will have the same format as used in the previous seasons.

Brooke Van Sickle and Wilma Salas joined forces to power the Petro Gazz Angels past the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference held at PhilSports Arena on Thursday, July 18.The Angels moved past newcomer Thunderbelles securing a spot in the win column of Pool B with a 25-16, 25-21, 25-21 victory to open Day 2 of the tournament.Sickle, last conference’s MVP, took charge after tallying 22 points on 18 attacks, three aces, and a block to go along with 11 excellent digs and six receptions.“I am excited to be back. It is the beginning of the season. It is super exciting. It was a great game,” Van Sickled told reporters after the game.Petro Gazz import Wilma Salas backstopped the winning cause with 15 markers. Chie Saet also made the plays, registering 12 astounding sets.This conference, the Angels are honoring Janisa Johnson with an angel wing placed beside her No. 10 on their kits. Johnson, a late import who alongside Salas led the team to the 2019 championship, passed away on May 24 after battling colon cancer. She was 32.“I am sad because of Janisa’s passing. I am dedicating this conference to her, so every point, every decision we make as a team, we can think about Janisa,” said Salas.Meanwhile, Japanese import Asaka Tamaru stepped up for the Thunderbelles netting 17 markers, eight receptions, and five digs. Michelle Gamit and Jade Gentapa supported her with seven points apiece.Petro Gazz will face Capital1 on Tuesday, July 23, while ZUS Coffee aims for their first win against Cignal on the same day, both at the PhilSports Arena.

LeBron James was selected by his Team USA peers across all sports to be their 2024 flag bearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics.James became the first men’s player selected as a flag bearer following women’s basketball stars Dawn Staley in 2024 Athens Games and Sue Bird for the Tokyo Games in 2021.The four-time NBA champion and all-time NBA leading scorer who will make his fourth appearance in the Summer games will lead a boat of American athletes down the Seine River where the Olympic Opening Ceremony will be held.

France prevailed in their nail-biting Olympic men’s basketball clash against Japan 94-90 in a game that went to overtime.In the closely contested ballgame, the No. 9 ranked Les Bleus was trailing by four points in the dying seconds of game until Matthew Strazel threw a desperation three-pointer that went in and was fouled by Yuki Kawamura of the ranked 26 Japan Akatsuki Five. Strazel converted the bonus free throw that tied the game at 84 and forced overtime.During the extension, Victor Wembanyama scored eight of the 10 overtime points of France to overcome his game struggles and led Les Bleus to victory.Wembanyama started the game with eight points, then had his woes for the rest of the game before overtime came. The San Antonio Spurs superstar still led the French team in scoring with 18 markers, added 11 boards, six assists, two steals and two block shots.Strazel who bailed them out with his four-point play in the regulation that forced overtime tallied 17 markers and three dimes.Meanwhile, Yuki Kawamura led the Akatsuki Five in scoring with 29 markers. He also grabbed seven rebounds, dished off six assists, and tallied one steal.Los Angeles Lakers Rui Hachimura added 24 points (7/11 on 2-point shots, 3/5 on 3-point area, and 1/2 on free throws) for the Japanese team. He also grabbed three boards in his 28 minutes of play before his ejection after receiving his second unsportsmanlike foul with 8:31 left in the fourth quarter.France now has a 2-0 slate in their group while Japan went down to 0-2.The Akatsuki Five next assignment will be on August 2 against Brazil while the host team Les Blue will face Germany on August 3 to cap off their match-ups in the Group Phase.

After achieving a historic win for the Philippines. The Filipino-Britain bronze medalist Jake Jarman expressed his desire to represent the Philippines in the 2028 L.A Olympics. Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) president Cynthia Carrion confirmed in an interview. According to Carrion, it is going to be easy for Jarman because he already has his Philippine passport.They will also seek permission from the International Gymnast Federation if Jarman receives a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from FIG. 

The Office of the President prepares a simple yet meaningful heroes’ welcome once the 22 Filipino Olympians return to the Philippines on Tuesday.According to Reichel Quiñones, Chief of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs, two-time Olympic champion Carlos Yulo and the rest of the Filipino Olympians will arrive in the Philippines in the evening of Tuesday, August 13, via chartered flight, where they will be received by their families at the Maharlika Presidential Hangar at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.They will be welcomed by the First Family in Malacañang, and after that, an awarding ceremony and dinner reception will be held in a simple yet meaningful way for them.

Filipino Olympic golfer Dottie Ardina took to social media to recall and speak up about the uniform issues and equipment during the Paris Olympics. This, after a video of her raising concerns about the lack of proper uniforms and gears for the Philippine golfers during the Olympic stage became trending and center of controversy. Ardina says that the video was posted by her mother where she aired her frustrations over the lack of proper uniforms and equipment at the Games. She alleged that their official competition shirts from the Philippine Olympic Committee did not arrive and also, the alternatives provided for them did not comply with the rules of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).“Several boxes of apparel containing competition gear were sent through courier directly to Paris. However, the French customs held the package carrying the competition gear and despite the best efforts made by the officials, the gear was not released in time,” POC said in a statement.Ardina took it upon herself to buy the required apparel for her and her teammate Bianca Pagdanganan. The golf duo ended up using their own plain shirts, and Ardina shared patches with her teammate to match their outfits as best as they could.Despite the incident, Ardina says she has no intention to cause any trouble and told her story in the hope that future athletes will get the gear they need and is required of them - on time and in the proper configurations - in the 2028 LA Olympics. 

One of the country’s biggest collegiate leagues is making sure that esports will become a mainstay in its tournaments.University Athletic Association of the Philippines or UAAP Esports Commissioner Monique Monasterio says they are looking at “continuity” of the league after a critically-acclaimed start.“We decided on popular titles so that at least the schools wouldn't have a hard time comingup with their teams as well to be able to participate,” Monasterio told Scoreline in a phone interview.“So, we also looked at titles that are popular but would also have longevity because, as you know, with anything, there is a cost. So, we also didn't want to just come up with a title this season that wouldn't have continuity for next season,” the Commissioner explained. For the inaugural season, three major categories were selected to represent various gaming platforms: Console (NBA 2K), PC (VALORANT), and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Mobile).And while esports is considered as a demonstration sport - meaning the title won’t be part of overall championship competitions yet - the new endeavor by the league has been met with support from school administrators, students, parents, and even game developers.

In a battle of two teams with contrasting playstyles, TNT Tropang Giga prevailed against Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, 88-82 on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.TNT emerged victorious behind the near triple-double performance of import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson who contributed 32 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists.Hollis-Jefferson's performance was highlighted by his three-pointer and a breakaway dunk from a steal in the homestretch of the game to help TNT bounce back from their sorry loss from their last game against Converge and regained the lead in Group A with a 3-1 record.Jayson Castro and Poy Erram joined RHJ in a 10-0 run that pushed the Tropang Giga to an 88-80 lead, after finding themselves trailing by two points going to the final four minutes of play.Using TNT’s signature threes to its advantage, Rondae knocked down one from beyond the arc to recapture the lead, 81-80, then stole Magnolia’s defensive identity when he closed the game with a winning fast break slam after deflecting the pass of Glenn Robinson III with 31.4 seconds remaining.

Newly-elected Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) president Ramon “Tats” Suzara pledged to work hard to further develop and improve the men's and women’s national team.This, as he also will now head of the organizing committee for the country’s hosting of the FIVB Men’s World Championship in September next year,  as well as continuing with his duties as  chief of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation. “We need to improve, improve, improve. I want them to go up higher in the rankings like what Gilas Pilipinas is doing,” adding that improvement should not only come from players but the coaches as well. said Suzara. As he came on board as PNVF president, the Philippine teams were ranked No.117 in the world. After nearly three years under his watch, the men’s team is now at No. 56 and the women’s team at No. 63.Suzara says he intends to look for more international exposure for the team and wants to strengthen the grassroots while looking for up-and-coming volleyball talent.“We will go back to the grassroots in Luzon Visayas and Mindanao. There’s still a lot of tall players in the provinces. I’m sure madami pa, Our national teams need 30 international matches a year.  And we will do this. Kung maaari lang na one year wala sila dito we will do that though it’s expensive,” Suzara added. 

The 30th edition of the PBA Press Corps Annual Awards will be full of history when they conduct it on September 24 at the Novotel Manila.First on the list will be the presence of former Commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios as he will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker on the awards night, and finally reconnect with his PBA family.Barrios was the longtime deputy commissioner to the late Emilio “Jun” Bernardino before becoming the main man of Asia's first pay-for-play league in 2008.He left the league in 2010 but continued to work hand-in-hand with the PBA when he became the executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP). He held the position from that year until his retirement earlier this year.Barrios, along with the entire Press Corps led by its president Vladi Eduarte of the Abante Group, will recognize the PBA's top performers who made the previous season a memorable one.

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.

Meralco Bolts import Allen Durham has decided to retire from playing basketball to spend more time with his family.This was confirmed by Bolts head coach Luigi Trillo, during the send off party given by his team. “AD has decided to retire and he just feels it’s the right time. He wants to spend time with his children,” said Trillo.The Meralco Bolts head coach believes that the participation of Durham in the team was  considered a big part in turning the Meralco Bolts into what it is today. The Bolts coach also believes that their losses in this conference laid the foundations for their team to become stable and strong in their next journey.

The TNT Tropang Giga has dominated Game 5 of their best-of-seven series against Barangay Ginebra, 99-72, on Wednesday night, November 6, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.TNT moved closer in clinching the championship as they now lead the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals series, 3-2.Kelly Williams, who started for the first time in the Finals for the Tropang Giga was vital in providing the spark early as he produced the first seven points for the team and ended up with 13 markers and three rebounds.

Chezka Centeno surrendered her World 10-Ball women’s title in the semifinals of the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World 10-Ball Women’s Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico.Centeno fell 0-2 behind familiar South Korean opponent Seo Seoa on Saturday, November 16, in the round of four, triumphed in the third frame but was outplayed again 1-4 in the succeeding match.Seo then lost 1-4, 4-3, 3-4, 4-3, 4-0 to eventual champion Kristina Tkach of Russia, ultimately settling for second place.

Gin Kings longtime import Justin Brownlee will lead Gilas Pilipinas in its homecourt campaign against visiting squad New Zealand in the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers tonight, Thursday, November 21 at the Mall of Asia Arena. Gilas head coach Tim Cone described Brownlee as “highly motivated” following a loss in the recently concluded PBA Governors’ Cup Finals against TNT in game six.“Talking to him after the Finals, he is highly-motivated. When you see Justin highly-motivated, we’ve seen him highly-motivated in the past and what he could do. I don’t think anybody has anything to fear about Justin. He is ready. He is ready to go. I think he is going to put up some real nice performances for the country coming up.  I think you are going to see a really motivated Justin coming into this New Zealand (game),” Cone said.Cone also stated that Brownlee’s struggle in the PBA Governors’ Cup was a tough one although he is healthy and only needed a rest. “He struggled, we all struggled in the series. People started thinking that he was having injuries or not. It was just a tough, long playoff going through Meralco and San Miguel. And then having to go against Talk ‘N Text and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. It was a tough road,” said Cone.Despite Brownlee being motivated, Cone warned that being motivated is only half the battle as Gilas is in for a tough outing in the window especially against New Zealand, which is ranked No. 22 in the world and No. 3 in the FIBA Asia zone.“I think Justin is going to be ready to play. That doesn’t mean he puts up big numbers. That means he is going to be locked in to what we do, get his teammates involved, and play the game the right way, which he does 99 percent of the time,” Cone added..

Choco Mucho defeated Capital1 in four sets, 25-20, 26-24, 26-28, 25-9, to record its second consecutive victory in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Thursday, November 21, at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.Choco Mucho launched an 8-1 blitz to start the fourth frame after an unsuccessful attempt to rally in the third set. Dindin Santiago-Manabat's cross-court kill would give the Flying Titans their largest advantage, 24-7.Luth Malaluan's swift attack in the middle would then seal the victory.

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup will open with a lot of twists tonight, November 27, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.Terrafirma and Converge will open the curtain at the 5:00 PM encounter.The Dyip will be parading Terrence Romeo and Vic Manuel whom they recently acquired via trade with San Miguel Beermen in exchange for Juami Tiongson and Andreas Cahilig.They will be joined by Stanley Pringle, Kevin Ferrer, Aldrech Ramos, Mark Nonoy, Keith Zaldivar, Mark Sangalang, Tommy Olivario, CJ Catapusan, Aljun Melencio, Paolo Hernandez, Didat Hanapi, Kemark Carino, Brent Paraiso, and import Ryan Earl Richards.Terrafirma’s center Christian Standhardinger, on the other hand, is relegated to the injured/reserve list.The Dyip will also parade a new head coach in Raymond Tiongco.Meanwhile, the FiberXers will also have new weapons that coach Franco Atienza can utilize.Converge taps the services of former NBA player Cheick Diallo to be their reinforcement in mid-season conference, while also securing the sweet-shooting guard Jordan Heading, who was a former top overall pick in the special Gilas draft.They will be joining the Justin Arana and Alec Stockton duo, together with veteran Alex Cabagnot, Kevin Racal, Inand Fornilos, Kamron Vigan-Fleming, Bryan Andrade, Mike Nieto, Deschon Winston, Paolo Javillonar, Jeo Ambohot, JL Delos Santos, Bryan Santos, and King Caralipio. Patrick Maagdenberg is the one relegated to the injured/reserve list.