George King led a regal performance of 44 points, while Sedrick Barefield added 32 more markers to give Blackwater the dub Tuesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.After delivering a 33-point, 19-rebound performance in his PBA debut against Barangay Ginebra last Frida, King made another impactful game as he exploded for his second double-double scoring 44 and grabbing 13 boards for the Bossing, which lead as much as 19.The local unit of Blackwater was led again by their top rookie Sedrick Barefield who hit a three-pointer at the final 1:10 mark of the game to seal the win for the Bossing, and marked the victory with another ‘night night’ gesture.RK Ilagan and Troy Rosario helped out also in the offensive end, scoring 14 and 12 respectively. Ilagan also added five boards and the same number of dimes to his name.

Filipina tennis player Alex Eala concluded her campaign after succumbing for the fourth time to German rival Tatjana Maria in the Round of 16 of the 2024 Women's Tennis Association or WTA Guadalajara 125 Open on Thursday, September 5 (Manila time).World No. 99 Maria was just too much for the 19-year-old Filipina as the German veteran punched in four aces in the two-set singles’ win. Maria also won 37 service points and 30 receiving points in a sheer display of expertise.The Rafael Nadal Academy graduate was just bewildered as Maria won the next four games, despite the former being able to go toe-to-toe early with the latter, with a 2-3 tally. The match was over after an hour and 35 minutes.Eala failed to overcome her German tormentor in their fourth encounter as Maria triumphed, 6-2, 6-2, in the WTA Thailand Open; then prevailed again in the WTA Madrid Open in Spain, 6-1, 6-1; and kept domineering over the Filipina in the WTA 250 Guangzhou Open in China, 6-3, 6-0.It was a double blow for Eala as she and Kimberly Birrelly of Australia also exited the doubles play after getting ousted by world doubles No. 83 Katarzyna Piter of Poland and world doubles No. 99 Fanny Stollar of Hungary, 6-4, 6-4, also on Thursday.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters denied the NLEX Road Warriors a game win as Adrian Nocum delivered a late-game surge to secure a hard-fought 123-114 overtime victory in the 2024 PBA Governor’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Tuesday, September 17.The Elasto Painters bounced back from their beatdown from Barangay Ginebra San Miguel as they bravely conquered the standout performances of Road Warriors import DeQuan Jones posting a 49-point explosion and Robert Bolick tallying 28 markers, 11 boards, and nine assists. Adrian Nocum steered the overtime gameplay as he dropped seven points that gave the team a six-point cushion at 120-114. Anton Asistio then made the final say after making his 25th point, sealing the team’s sixth win. 

TNT solidified their hold as the top team in Group A of the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup after defeating Magnolia in the second round of eliminations with an 84-82 decision on Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the Tropang Giga with his monstrous performance. He produced 29 points alongside his career-high 25 rebounds.It was a bounce-back game for RHJ as he missed a double-double performance for the first time in his PBA career. In their last game against Meralco he still produced 22 points and nine assists, one shy away of his usual double-figures in either boards or dimes.Hollis-Jefferson said he came to the game prepared and made an effort to step-up as TNT was shorthanded in personnel as Rey Nambatac and Kim Aurin were out due to injuries.

Barangay Ginebra swept rival Meralco Bolts, 113-106, in their best-of-five quarter finals series last night, September 30, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium to get the first ticket to the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup semi final round.Justin Brownlee led the Gin Kings in scoring by producing 23 points including two booming four-pointers that started their ‘never-say-die’ comeback after being down as much as 12 points.Stephen Holt, who was named Best Player of the Game, together with RJ Abarrientos and Maverick Ahanmsi helped Brownlee in their fightback as they also delivered from the two rainbow countries.Holt had a total of 19 markers which include a triple that gave the Gin Kings their largest lead at 105-98 with 2:36 left in the game.Abarrientos produced 17 points, while Ahanmisi contributed the same numbers including three 3-pointers.

The Choco Mucho Flying Titans had a tough game win against the Farm Fresh Foxies on Thursday evening to wrap up the year with an important win in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.Choco Mucho squandered a two-set advantage but rediscovered their touch in the final frame to pull off a tough 25-20, 25-21, 21-25, 25-27, 15-12. Sisi Rondina was the catalyst of their breakaway in the fifth set, as the explosive spiker fired back-to-back hits that gave the Flying Titans a 13-8 advantage. The former league MVP dropped 26 points,13 digs and 13 receptions.Kat Tolentino added 18 on 10 attacks, a whopping six blocks, and two aces, while Cherry Nunag finished with 10 points and playmaker Mars Alba was credited with 25 excellent sets.

Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala and seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams opened their partnership in impressive fashion, cruising into the quarterfinals of the Bad Homburg Open doubles competition with a straight-sets victory on Tuesday.The newly formed tandem defeated Alexandra Osborne and Catherine Harrison, 6-3, 6-4, on Court 1 to secure a winning start and move one step closer to a deep tournament run.Eala and Williams immediately established control of the match, breaking early and racing to a commanding 4-1 lead in the opening set. Their aggressive play and strong court coverage kept their opponents under pressure as they comfortably claimed the first set, 6-3.The second set presented a tougher challenge. Harrison and Osborne found their rhythm and capitalized on key opportunities to take their first lead of the contest at 2-1. The unseeded pair continued to battle, matching Eala and Williams point for point and eventually drawing level at 4-4.With the match hanging in the balance, the Filipino-American duo showcased their experience and composure. Eala and Williams elevated their game in the closing stages, winning the final two games to seal the victory and complete a dominant debut performance together.The win sets up a quarterfinal clash against second-seeded pair Tereza Mihalikova of Slovakia and Olivia Nicholls of the United Kingdom.For Eala, the victory marks another significant milestone as she continues to share the court with one of tennis' greatest champions. Their successful opening performance has generated excitement among tennis fans, with the pair now aiming to build momentum as they pursue the Bad Homburg Open doubles crown.

Evan Nelle has been traded from the Phoenix Fuelmasters to the NLEX Road Warriors. TNLEX welcomed the guard on their official Facebook Page, highlighting the contributions he is expected to bring to the team for the upcoming season. "A floor general who thrives under pressure, sees every play before it unfolds, and keeps the offense rolling, you’re built for the road ahead," they wrote. NLEX receive:- Evan NellePhoenix receive:- Sidney OnwubereNelle averaged 8.08 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 4.5 per game in the PBA Commissioner's Cup. The Fuel Masters reached the quarterfinals but were eliminated by the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, which eventually won the conference title. Jimmy Alapag, the current head coach of NLEX, had already made key moves to strengthen the core as the Road Warriors aim to contend for a title. He and Nelle are already familiar with each other, as he personally trained Nelle in California before the PBA Season 49 Draft, where Evan was selected as the No. 14 pick. Alapag was still the developmental coach of the Sacramento Kings at that time. 

Alex Eala will return in the Philippines for a brief visit and hold a meet-and-greet for her fans following her latest achievements in tennis, and in Philippine sports history.The event will take place at the Glorietta Activity Center on July 15, and will be open to the public. Eala will share her experience from her Wimbledon campaign, and deliberate her preparations for the next Grand Slam Tournament, the US Open, which will be held from August 30 to September 13 in NY.This will be her second visit to the country this year, with her first being during the WTA 125 Philippine Women's Open this previous January, where she reached the quarterfinals, before falling short to Camila Osorio, 4-6, 4-6. Osorio eventually won the singles champion of that tournament. The Filipina tennis ace made history by becoming the first Filipina player to advance to the Round of 16 in a Grand Slam Tournament as a seeded player. 

In John Amores' return to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), he posted on his Facebook account following his comeback game against the Terrafirma Dyip.“Psalms 62:1-8,” he wrote.Amores scored five points in nine minutes of action, but his team fell short, 113-100.Amores was involved in a shooting incident in 2024, which led to the league banning him for two years and revoking his professional basketball license.He later regained his license and is now cleared to play in the country's premier professional basketball league.

The PLDT High Speed Hitters are off to a winning start in Pool A of the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference, with the Creamline Cool Smashers absorbing a rare opening-day loss on Tuesday, July 16, at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.The Rald Ricafort-coached squad snatched a 16-25, 25-22, 24-26, 25-19, 15-12 triumph against undermanned Creamline.Russian import Lena Samoilenko was the standout in the clash and took charge of the offense after tallying 34 points on 32 attacks and two aces, while Kath Arado displayed brilliance by protecting their side of the taraflex with 24 digs.Completing PLDT’s setup was Kim Fajardo, who made the plays after tallying 19 markers.The High Speed Hitters played without Savannah Davison, who is out due to a knee injury that would sideline her indefinitely. Also, not available were Rhea Dimaculangan, who is on leave, and Dell Palomata, who is training with the national team.“That was absolutely a hard-fought win. That is what we prepared for, to be mentally prepared in this type of competition,” Ricafort told the media during the post-game press conference.“We know it is troublesome to have fewer players available; even the Creamline team got inadequate numbers of players, but they still proceeded with the match. Definitely a good win for us,” he added.The Cool Smashers, on the other hand, played without stars Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos, while Jema Galanza’s absence was expected due to her commitment to Alas Pilipinas.Creamline American reinforcement Erica Stauton led her pack with 20 points and 10 receptions, while Bernadeth Pons and Michele Gumabao added 18 and 16 points, respectively.This marks the first time that Creamline lost a tournament opener in the PVL since 2019.Up next for PLDT is Galeries Tower on Saturday, July 20, while Creamline matches up with Farm Fresh on the same day. 

The Philippine Sports Commission has begun the preparations for the 11th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games scheduled in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on December 1 to 5.The tournament aims to foster excellence and camaraderie in sports among young people in the sub-region.PSC commissioner Walter Torres on Thursday, July 18, assured the successful production of the games, which features athletics, archery, badminton, karate, swimming, sepak takraw, pencak silat, and e-sports.City Tourism Department (CTD) chief Demetrio Alvior Jr. said representatives from BIMP-EAGA visited the country last May to discuss the friendship games, as there are specific requirements that need to be met, particularly because most of the attendees will be Muslims.One of the requirements is halal certification, which Puerto Princesa City and Palawan currently do not have. However, according to Alvior, they are already taking measures to address this issue before the friendship games.“The only challenging part for us is accommodating those coming from Muslim countries since we don’t have a large halal restaurant here. However, we already have strategies in place to address this,”said Alvior.The CTD chief also mentioned that the federation handling the event initially wanted all food to be halal and uniformly served to all Muslim delegates, regardless of the hotel they are staying.“This is a significant and somewhat delicate event, but it is also a test to see if we are serious about advancing in sports. We need to participate in these major events to identify what we still lack and what needs improvement,” he added.Puerto Princesa City will host the BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games for the second time. The first was in 2003.Brunei Darussalam’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan played host in the last edition of the games.

As Typhoon Carina pummeled the Philippines, causing a lot of difficulties for the Filipinos who were left stranded in the floods, a glimmer of hope from heroes both outside and inside the game tried their best to uplift the diminished morale of their fellow kababayan.Some well-known esports and gaming personalities have allocated their time and effort to offer a helping hand to their countrymen who are in dire need.Content creator Elyson Caranza, also known as GHOST Wrecker, and his team traveled across the floods of Araneta Village in Malabon to offer their support. They brought four boats that can transfer eight individuals. They also sought help from the community if they could provide ropes.Wrecker then posted on his social media page hoping that more volunteers can offer their services.“Sino pa may kilalang pwede mag rescue diyan? May apat na bangka pa ako dito, at saka lifevest 20pcs. Pahinga ko lang team ko. Need lang more rescuers along Malabon,” posted Wrecker on his Facebook page.Meanwhile, Aurora’s Royal Duo of Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna and Danerie James “Wise” Del Rosario have received donations from the community.Wise then posted a photo of the total collection amount they received while also giving instructions to those who are willing to support their cause. Together with V33nus, Wise was able to prepare relief goods to be delivered to the communities affected by the super typhoon.Gamer and streamer Setsuna “Akosi Dogie” Ignacio offered support for those who are impacted by the flood crisis by announcing on his social media page that he is prepared to send donations based on the outcome of his live stream session."Mga guys mamayang live ko, kung magkano na talo ko, ganun halaga ibibigay natin sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo at kung magkano napanalo ko ayun din ibibigay natin na tulong sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo. INGAT PO KAYO AT MAG DASAL PO MGA KABABAYAN," as stated on his Facebook post.On the other hand, it is not only players and gaming personalities who had their say in the current crisis. Team Secret has reminded the community of the emergency protocols by posting photos of phone numbers coming from government agencies on their social media sites.Secret has also emphasized that animal lives are just as important as the humans, advising the community to be responsible in taking care of their pets as the heavy downpour and floods can be a struggle for animals who could be abandoned in the middle of the calamity as well.In times of catastrophe, the Bayanihan spirit remains alive in the hearts of Filipinos and with the efforts of these notable people in the world of gaming, perhaps others as well would feel inspired to aid the victims of Typhoon Carina. 

Hergie Bacyadan bravely took the challenge but ultimately succumbed to top seed Li Qian of China in the Round of 16 of the women’s 75kg at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Wednesday, July 31, at North Paris Arena.The 34-year-old Chinese, a two-time Olympic medalist, scored long jabs and quick combinations in taking unanimous 5-0 decision against the 29-year-old Filipina, who was making her Olympic debut.The Igorot boxer tried to match up with the more seasoned Chinese boxer in the opening round, but Li was able to impose her will against the debutant, earning the nod from all five judges.Bacyadan, a first-time Olympian, would connect combination shots against Li in the third round, also putting the Chinese bet on the ropes, but it proved too late as the latter secured the victory with a dominant performance.The loss of Bacyadan came just hours after Olympic medal bet Eumir Marcial bombed out in the men’s light-heavyweight class.

Carlos Yulo ranked 12th in the all-around finals of the men’s artistic gymnastics to cap off the first of his three medal events in the 2024 Paris Olympics at the Bercy Arena in France on Thursday, August 1 (Manila time).The 24-year-old gymnast, who is a three-time all-around gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games, failed to land a podium finish by placing 12th out of 24 qualifiers with a total score of 83.032.Still, it was a remarkable performance for Yulo as he reached his first individual all-around finals of the Olympics – a far reach from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games where he finished the all-around qualification at 47th place.Yulo showed significant improvements in the different apparatuses, highlighting his improvement from just being a floor exercise world champion in 2019.Yulo netted his highest score in vault with 14.766 points, then garnered 14.500 points in parallel bars and 14.333 points in floor exercise to bounce back from an unfavorable start that saw him fall during his pommel horse routine.Oka Shinnosuke of Japan bagged the gold medal with a total of 86.832.The 2020 Tokyo gold medalist Zhang Boheng of China failed to defend his crown, finishing second with 86.599 points.Zhang’s teammate, Xiao Ruoteng snatched the bronze medal with a close score of 86.364.Yulo will look to bring his upgraded routines, but with cleaner execution, in the apparatus finals of the floor exercise and the vault medal rounds on August 3 and 4, respectively.

Cignal executed a near perfect game to continue its dominance of Pool B in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference on Thursday, August 1, at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.The HD Spikers dismantled the struggling Petro Gazz Angels in straight sets, 25-19, 25-19, 25-22, bringing them close to sweeping Pool B with a perfect 4-0 record.This is also the HD Spikers’ best start in two years since the Invitational Conference in 2022 to secure their places among the top three teams.

Aira Villegas gifts herself with the best possible present on her 29th birthday as she advances to the women’s 50kg quarterfinals in the Paris Olympics early Friday, August 2 (Manila time).The Filipina boxer stunned the No. 2 seeded Roumaysa Boualam of Algeria when she showcased her quick movement and counterpunching.Villegas repeatedly backed off her Algerian foe with her stinging left jabs and quick combinations, enabling her to get all of the five judges’ nod in the first round. While the next two frames were closer, it was Villegas’ clean blows that spelled the difference.It was the second straight unanimous decision win for Villegas, who has been impressive so far in her Olympic debut. She gave the Philippine boxing team a winning start in the Paris Olympics on Monday, July 29, with a victory over Yasmine Mouttaki of Morocco.The 29-year-old’s win set up a date with home bet and seventh seed Wassila Lkhadiri of France as they duel for a spot in the semifinals on Sunday, August 4 (Manila time).Villegas joins Tokyo silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam among the Filipino boxers who remain in the medal contention. 

Filipino pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena pulls through a shaky start as he continues his hunt for the Philippines’ first Olympic athletics medal in 88 years.The world’s second-best pole vaulter advanced to the men’s pole vault finals after reaching the Top 12 of the qualifiers on Saturday, August 3 (Manila time) at the Stade de France in Paris. Obiena nearly saw his dreams and years of hard work go down the drain after a seemingly uncharacteristic performance in his first two attempts. He surprisingly fumbled both of his opening jumps in the 5.60 meters bar.The University of Santo Tomas product held his nerve and decided to disregard his third try in the 5.60m level and opted to raise the bar to 5.70m. Obiena hurdled the height in a single attempt to stave off elimination.Obiena rediscovered his form and easily surpassed 5.75 meters to finish seventh overall and claim his place in the 12-man finale headlined by reigning Olympic champion and world record holder Armand Duplantis of Sweden.The 28-year-old Obiena seeks to bounce back from his 11th-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics as he competes in the final set on August 6 (Manila time).The Philippines last bagged an athletics medal in the Olympics in 1936 when Miguel White finished with a bronze medal in the men’s 400-meter hurdles held in Berlin.

The Philippine bet Ernest John “EJ” Obiena came so close to ending the country’s 88-year Olympic medal drought in athletics as he placed fourth at the Paris Olympics men’s pole vault at the Stade de France early Tuesday, August 6 (Manila time).The world No. 2 and acclaimed as one of the Philippines’ strongest medal hopefuls, Obiena, who owns the Asian record of 6.0 meter clearance, failed to clear 5.95 meter height in the 12-man final and lost the bronze to Emmanouil Karalis of Greece.Like Obiena, Karalis, ranked world No. 8 in the sport, also cleared 5.90m but nipped the Filipino for the last podium spot due to fewer attempts.

The 32-year-old PBA rookie Caelan Tiongsion is ready to bring his bountiful overseas experience to his new team Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and prove that it’s never too late to pursue his dreams.During Monday's Media Day at the Le Parc Event Hall of the Metropark in Pasay City, Tiongson told the sportswriters, “You guys saw a 32-year-old rookie last year emerging as a top newcomer, so I don't know if you're forgetting about that so fast, but yeah, I'm excited." The seventh pick overall in the recent draft was referring to Stephen Holt, who made an impact last season and helped the Terrafirma Dyip reach the Philippine Cup playoffs.