Petro Gazz finally ended their three-game losing skid with a quick sweep of Choco Mucho to end their first round campaign in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference.The Angels end their campaign on a high note after defeating the Flying Titans through a straight-set win, 25-18, 25-21, 25-18, placing them fourth in Pool B and will face the top three teams from Pool A in the crossover second round.Petro Gazz’s Cuban import, Wilma Salas, paced the scoring for the Angels with 18 points and 18 excellent receptions, while Brooke Van Sickle supported Salas with 17 and two digs.Veteran playmaker Chie Saet also made sure the embattled Angels got their act together just in the nick of time, finishing with four markers and 15 excellent sets and seven digs, while Myla Pablo delivered 11.On the other hand, Choco Mucho’s Dindin Santiago-Manabat had a double-digit scoring output with 13 attacks, while Greek reinforcement Zoi Faki was only limited to three points.Choco Mucho ended their first round with a 1-4 record as the fifth-seed with its lone win over hapless ZUS Coffee. They will face a similar path of the Angels in the next round.

Coming off a loss to Chery Tiggo last time, PLDT redeemed itself by blanking Farm Fresh to end its Premier League Volleyball (PVL) Reinforced Conference first round duties on a high note at PhilSports Arena on Thursday, August 8.The PLDT High Speed Hitters ended their Pool A run with a sweeping victory against the Farm Fresh Foxies, 25-20, 25-23, 25-23.The High Speed Hitters relied on Russian import Elena Samoilenko who finished with 22 points, supplemented by nine excellent receptions. Fiona Ceballos provided backup on offense and defense with 11 markers, 10 digs, and nine receptions, while veteran playmaker Kim Fajardo made 12 excellent sets and contributed on offense with three points. Mika Reyes also added eight points, half of which coming from blocks.

Stephen Curry waxed hot in the Olympics men’s basketball tournament finals tallying 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting from behind the arc to lead Team USA in capturing the gold medal.The Americans became the Olympic champions for the fifth consecutive time after weathering the 26-point effort of France’s 20-year-old phenom Victor Wembanyama to grind out a 98-87 over the host team on Sunday early morning (PH time) at the Bercy Arena in Paris.Curry’s 24-point explosion included the four 3-pointers he made in the final 2:43 of play with one sealing the game with 1:19 remaining. It put the Americans up by 93-84. He also put the final nail in the coffin by draining one more with 30 seconds left - with his signature “night night” move where he puts his hands on the side of his face.

The women’s Grand Slam main draw remained elusive for Filipina tennis player Alex Eala after bowing out in the final round of the 2024 US Open qualifiers.Eala fell in the third round of qualifying, blowing a one-set lead against world No. 123 Elena Gabriela Ruse of Romania in three sets,  6-3, 1-6, 4-6.After winning the opening frame, the Filipino prodigy lost steam as the 28-year-old Romanian dominated the second set with a 4-0 start before Eala scored a point but took a medical timeout.The world No. 123 got the better of the 19-year-old Filipino in the end game to enter the US Open main draw against Julia Grabher of Austria in the first round.Eala stayed optimistic despite another close call.

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters wiped out an early 21-point deficit to pummel the NLEX Road Warriors, 124-105, on Wednesday night and became the lone undefeated team in the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup.The Elasto Painters fell behind early, 45-24, but managed to still take the lead at the half 58-54 on their way to a 19-point victory at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.Rain or Shine fell behind, 40-24, at the end of the first quarter and went on an 18-0 run at one point in the second quarter to turn it around and finished the game with a convincing victory.

Arvin Tolentino scored his career-high 51 points in a romp made by NorthPort Batang Pier against Converge FiberXers, 135-109, on Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Tolentino’s career-best broke the previous franchise record 50 points established by NorthPort’s former gunner Stanley Pringle during the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup.It was also the last 51-point production in the league since Asi Taulava had the same score back in 2004 where TNT won over Purefoods, 131-105 during the Fiesta Cup.According to PBA statistics chief Fidel Mangonon, Allan Caidic and Rudy Distrito were the last two homegrown players to hit more than 50 points. Caidic recorded a league-high 79 points on November 21, 1991 while Distrito scored 54 in Tivoli’s 162-149 over Ginebra.Adding flavor to Tolentino’s career game was his 15-of-27 shooting from the field - 10-of-14 from two-point range and 5-of-10 from beyond the arc while nailing a perfect 16-of-16 from the stripes.The First Mythical Team Member for the 48th Season breached the 50-point barrier with 2:01 left in the fourth on a jumper from the left wing, and was replaced shortly thereafter, receiving high fives from NorthPort coaches and players.

The University of the Philippines will be left with a significant hole when the UAAP Season 87 begins with one of their top guns set to miss out the entire women’s basketball tournament.Reigning Rookie of the Year Favour Onoh will sit out her supposed sophomore season as she continues to recover from injuries to both knees. The UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development confirmed the development on Tuesday, September 3, signifying that they are keeping an eye on Onoh’s complete recovery instead of constraining her to join the team in pursuit to end a four-decade title drought.The Fighting Maroons hoped Onoh’s return would have been possible even in the later schedule, but their camp ultimately decided to do what’s best for the young hooper’s career.

Reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quimbao leads the De La Salle Green Archers to defeat the National University Bulldogs in their toe-to-toe battle, 78-75 in the opening game of the UAAP Season 87 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.The Green Archers superstar scored nine of his 22 points in the clutch including the winning triple with 9.8 seconds left that basically ended the game.

Two-time Olympian and pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena insisted that the Philippines should not wait until the end of his career to find his heir apparent.Returning to top form is still the top priority, but Obiena is pouring his time and efforts by advocating for increased interest in his sport, aiming to share his expertise to children who want to follow in his footsteps.With the positive response of Filipino youth in sports especially after the Paris Olympics, the world No. 3 pole vaulter said the nation’s sports authorities responsible for grassroots developments should take advantage of this and make its move to make sports accessible.

Alas Pilipinas Men braces for tough challenges as they face strong adversaries in Pool A of the 2025 Fédération Internationale de Volleyball, or FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship.Host Philippines was grouped with Iran, Egypt, and Tunisia in the first round of the world championship following the culmination of the drawing lots on Saturday, September 14, at Solaire Grand Ballroom in Parañaque City.Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni recognized the big responsibility and big challenge for the No. 64 Alas Pilipinas in the international championship scheduled for next year.

After an embarrassing 49-point beating from SMB, Barangay Ginebra bounced back big through a boost by RJ Abarrientos to deliver a 112-96 victory against Phoenix on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Abarrientos produced a career-high 24 points highlighted by a four-pointer and three triples, together with five rebounds and five assists to lead the Gin Kings in clinching a quarterfinals berth.Japeth Aguilar joined the fray by firing 21 points, while Scottie Thompson added 20. Justin Brownlee and Maverick Ahanmisi contributed 13 and 12, respectively to balance the scoring for the crowd-favorite team.Ginebra now has a 6-3 win-loss record, half-game behind the joint leader San Miguel and Rain or Shine which both 6-2 slates.

The Elasto Painters team is now ready for their competition against Magnolia Hotshots in another do-or-die game tomorrow, Saturday, October 5, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City. Coach Yeng Guiao firmly believes that through this match, their desire to end the eight-year hunger for a title will be strong and soon to get hold of it. It can be remembered that last Tuesday in their intense Game 4 against the Hotshots, Rain or Shine failed to get the third win and they were dumped by Magnolia, 129-100. Guiao said that his team's stability as well as their resiliency and character will be tested in their clash tomorrow (Saturday) against the Hotshots. “Yung experience of playing a Game 5, of being in a winner-take-all situation, sa akin, kasama na ng build up yun. We're always getting better every playoff game that we played,” said the head coach of Rain or Shine. “So investment namin ito sa future ng team na para lalo kang tumitibay pag ka ganitong sitwasyon. So a Game 5 would be good for us as a team. This Saturday pag balik namin kailangan mas prepared kami for a very physical game, noting how the Hotshots played physically in the previous game.” Guiao added. “On our end, siguro kailangan kaming mag step up in terms of being a little bit more aggressive defensively and medyo yung transition game namin, yung running game namin, I don’t know if we’re tired or we’re a little slower or not able to get into the pace that we would usually be playing,” told Guiao. The winner of the series will play TNT Tropang Giga in the best-of-seven semis that begins on Wednesday, October 9, 2024.

The first-ever father and son duo happened on the opening night of the NBA's 2024-25 Season when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated Minnesota Timberwolves, 110-103, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.The historical feat happened in the latter part of the first period when LeBron and Bronny James were fielded in together. They shared the court for more than two minutes.According to LeBron, family is the reason why he wanted to play together with his son in the league.

Stefanie Fejes and Jana Milutinovic of Australia will return to the country to defend their titles as Alas Pilipinas competes for podium spots in the 2024 Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Championships, which will begin on November 5 at the Nuvali Sand Courts in the City of Santa Rosa, Laguna.Together with 19 other women’s tandems, the Australian duo, who won the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open in April, has confirmed their attendance at the six-day competition sponsored by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation or PNVF.

In a momentous turning point, ZUS Coffee claimed its first Premier Volleyball League (PVL) win after a four-set victory, 19-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-15, over Nxled in the All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday, November 19, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.The Thunderbelles at long last broke through after enduring a winless reputation since its debut in the league, ending its 20-game losing streak."We're only starting. Even at our first conference, we had a few months to train. Even though it's All-Filipino, somehow the veterans are like late additions," said ZUS Coffee head coach Jerry Yee.

La Salle-EcoOil concluded its 2024 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference campaign with straight sets, 25-19, 25-22, 25-18, victory over VNS on Sunday, December 1, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.The Green Oilers missed out on the Final Four despite a strong start that included four straight victories."I said just enjoy it. It was somehow disappointing in a sense that we didn't make it to the Final Four, but I'm hoping that with all our losses, we have learned something," said head coach Jose Roque, reflecting on the team's campaign.

Farm Fresh emerged victorious over sister team ZUS Coffee off a four-set decision, 26-24, 13-25, 25-21, 25-19, in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Thursday, December 6, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. After barely winning the opening set and getting slumped in the second, the Foxies regained their rhythm and immediately corrected the mistakes in the last two frames to secure the win and post an even 2-2 win-loss record.Jovelyn Gonzaga's attack error at 19-15 gave the Foxies a four-point lead after the game had started neck and neck in the fourth set.With momentum on their side, Trisha Tubu propelled Farm Fresh ahead to gain its largest lead at 23-16.“We observe how they move, and if we see something that doesn’t align with their usual play, we need to correct it immediately, and that’s what happened earlier,” said Farm Fresh head coach Edson Bocboc. “In the first two sets, they were really off, so those are the things we need to fix. They still need to get used to competing and playing in more matches,” he added.

Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) on Thursday maintained before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that no employer-employee relationship existed between the university and former Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin during the continuation of the clarificatory hearing.Baldwin and ADMU President Fr. Roberto C. Yap, SJ did not attend the proceedings, but were represented by the university's legal counsels, Atty. Philippe Quimbo and Atty. Krishna Santos.During the hearing, Ateneo presented Baldwin's consultancy agreement, arguing that he served as a consultant rather than a regular employee. It was also disclosed that Baldwin initially entered the Philippines on a tourist visa before the university assisted him in obtaining the appropriate work visa to legally work in the country.However, DOLE Undersecretary Gerard Mosquera questioned Ateneo's position after noting that Baldwin's contract contained specific duties and restrictions, which could indicate that the university exercised substantial control over his work—a key factor in determining the existence of an employer-employee relationship.

The international volleyball community is mourning the tragic loss of Venezuela men's national team captain Willner Rivas, his wife Mariángel Pérez, and their young son, Theo, following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24.The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) confirmed that the family's deaths were verified on July 5, after an 11-day search that drew support and prayers from the global volleyball community.In a statement, the FIVB extended its deepest condolences to the family's loved ones, teammates, and the entire Venezuelan volleyball community, honoring the legacy of Rivas both as a national team leader and a respected figure in the sport."Rest in peace, Willner, Mariángel, and Theo. Your legacy will never be forgotten."

A championship-caliber team is often measured not by how it performs with a complete roster, but by how it responds when key players are unavailable. Nxled passed that test with confidence on Saturday.Despite missing three-time PVL Most Valuable Player Brooke Van Sickle, the Chameleons delivered a convincing 25-17, 25-23, 25-18 victory over Capital1 in the 2026 PVL on Tour Showdown in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.Rather than relying on a single star, Nxled showcased the depth and balance that every contending team strives to build. Veteran Myla Pablo led the offensive charge with 17 points built on 12 attacks, four blocks, and one service ace, while Jonah Escamillan turned in an outstanding all-around performance with 13 points, 17 excellent digs, and eight excellent receptions.Their performances underscored a simple reality: winning teams are rarely dependent on one player. When one contributor is unavailable, others are capable of stepping into bigger roles.The same could not be said for Capital1.The Solar Spikers entered the match without three of their biggest offensive weapons—Erika Santos, Vanie Gandler, and reigning Rookie of the Year Bella Belen—all of whom are currently serving with Alas Pilipinas Women. Their absence was evident throughout the contest as Capital1 struggled to generate consistent offense.No Solar Spiker reached double figures in scoring, with Shaya Adorador leading the team with just six points. Trisha Genesis, Sydney Niegos, and Ysa Jimenez added five markers apiece, but the team was unable to establish any sustained rhythm against Nxled's organized defense.Statistically, the Chameleons dominated nearly every department.Nxled finished with a commanding 45-34 advantage in attacks, overwhelmed Capital1 at the net with a 10-3 edge in blocks, and controlled the service line with five aces compared to the Solar Spikers' lone ace. Those numbers reflected not only superior execution but also the team's ability to dictate the pace from the opening set until the final whistle.While Capital1 deserves understanding given the absence of several key national team players, credit should not be taken away from Nxled. The Chameleons did exactly what quality teams are expected to do against an undermanned opponent—they remained focused, minimized mistakes, and never allowed the match to become competitive.The victory also sends an encouraging message for Nxled moving forward. Brooke Van Sickle remains one of the league's premier talents, but Saturday's performance proved the Chameleons possess enough depth to remain competitive even without their biggest star.As the PVL on Tour continues, that depth could become one of Nxled's greatest strengths. Long tournaments inevitably test every roster through injuries, national team commitments, and player availability. Teams capable of adapting to those challenges often separate themselves from the rest of the field.For the Chameleons, this win was more than another mark in the standings. It was evidence that success can be built on collective effort, balanced production, and trust in every player on the roster—qualities that every championship contender hopes to possess.