All news tagged Basketball

The Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) officially launched its inaugural professional season on Sunday, June 29, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, marking a major milestone for Filipina athletes in the sport of basketball.

Six pioneering teams—Batangas New Zealand Bluefire, Pangasinan Solar Home Suns, RK Hoops Quezon City, Discovery Perlas Rizal, San Juan Lady Knights, and Tagaytay Tol Patriots—are taking part in the league’s first-ever pro season.

The opening ceremony featured a powerful message from SBP Executive Director Erika Dy, who highlighted the significance of the moment for women in sports.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters finally snatched a win in Game 3 of their PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semi-finals series against the TNT Tropang 5G, 107-86, on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Anton Asistio scored a personal playoff-high 24 points to lead Rain or Shine in their first win of the best-of-seven affair. He also added six assists and a rebound to his stat line, shooting 7-of-9 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range and 2-of-3 from the four-point arc, in just 28 minutes and 11 seconds off the bench.

Caelan Tiongson followed with 16 markers, four boards, one assist, and a rejection, while Keith Datu tallied a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, along with two assists and one block.

Two more Elasto Painters scored in double figures—Leonard Santillan finished with 12 markers on top of eight boards, one assist, and one deflection, while Andrei Caracut added 10 points, four assists, and four steals.

As expected, the Dallas Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Flagg is now expected to elevate the Mavericks franchise to new heights following the departure of former franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić, who was traded to Los Angeles before last season's trade deadline.

The move to let go of Dončić sparked backlash from fans, but with Flagg now in the fold, there’s renewed optimism in Dallas — especially with a lineup that looks increasingly solid on paper.

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.

Roger Ray Pogoy poured in 28 points to lead the TNT Tropang 5G past the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 98-91, in Game 1 of their Semi-Finals series on Wednesday, June 25, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Aside from his 28 markers, the sharpshooting guard also grabbed two rebounds and dished out four assists while playing a game-high 36 minutes to anchor TNT’s victory.

Another battle for the ages is expected between the San Miguel Beermen and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel as they begin their highly anticipated best-of-seven semi-finals series on Wednesday, June 25, at 7:30 PM at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

These two PBA giants are no strangers to the big stage, and once again, they find themselves on a collision course—with pride, legacy, and redemption on the line.

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 University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers just made one of the biggest offseason moves in UAAP Men’s Basketball by securing the commitment of Collins Akowe, one of the most dominant big men in the UAAP high school ranks.

The 6-foot-10 Nigerian standout from National University-Nazareth School (NU-NS) officially joins UST after weeks of negotiation with head coach Pido Jarencio and team managers Waiyip Chong and Eric Ang.

Akowe will be eligible to play for the Tigers starting UAAP Season 88 and has a full five-year window to compete in the league.

He made headlines in UAAP Season 87, powering the NU Bullpups with averages of 20.9 points, 19.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and the Gilas Pilipinas national team are in a holding pattern as they await word from FIBA regarding the status of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, originally slated to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from August 5 to 17.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and Gilas Pilipinas are awaiting word from FIBA officials if the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 will push through in Jeddah as there is a tension rising between Iran and Israel.

The tournament’s staging is now uncertain amid growing tensions in the Middle East, particularly the escalating conflict involving Iran and Israel. With safety concerns looming, national federations and participating teams are left in a state of limbo, including the Philippines, which is among the 16 teams set to compete.

Another four-time PBA Most Valuable Player takes the spotlight in our series.

Alvin “The Captain” Patrimonio captured the league’s highest individual honor in 1991, 1993, 1994, and 1997—becoming only the second player to achieve the feat after “El Presidente” Ramon Fernandez, who won it in 1982, 1984, 1986, and 1988.

Patrimonio played his entire 17-year career with just one franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), staying loyal from 1988 to 2004. He became the face of the Purefoods/Magnolia franchise throughout those years, eventually passing the torch to his successors upon retirement.

In a Finals series that reached its pinnacle, a new team emerged as champions — OKC defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 7, 103-91, at the Paycom Center on Monday, June 23 (Philippine time).

As we continue our Player Profile Series featuring the greats from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), we now take a look at the contributions of the league’s 1990 Most Valuable Player.

Allan Caidic, known as “The Triggerman” in the PBA, entered the league in 1987 as the first overall pick by the Great Taste Coffee Makers. He immediately made an impact, winning Rookie of the Year honors and capturing a championship in his debut season.

Three seasons later, he claimed the league’s highest individual honor—his lone MVP award—and added a second championship to his resume that same year.

The TNT Tropang 5G kept their Grand Slam bid alive after surviving the grit and grind of the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, 89-88, on Wednesday, June 18, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

RR Pogoy came alive in the pivotal moments, finishing with 30 points to lead TNT to a crucial victory and force a knockout game on Saturday, June 21.

"Mindset ko lang eh ayaw ko magpatalo, ayaw ko mag-bakasyon," said Pogoy, who helped erase a 13-point Magnolia lead.

Supporting Pogoy in the must-win game were Calvin Oftana and Jordan Heading, who chipped in 21 and 10 points, respectively.

Veteran Kelly Williams and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser also came up big, scoring 12 and 10 points. They drained back-to-back triples in the dying minutes to help seal the win.

The Oklahoma City Thunder started and finished strong to secure a 120-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of their best-of-seven finals series on Tuesday, June 17 (PH time).

The East Asia Super League (EASL) and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) are set to launch Future Champions Philippines this September, a program aimed at young basketball enthusiasts across the country.

Under the EASL Future Champions Philippines program, the initiative promotes high-quality basketball training and elite-level competition, offering young players meaningful community engagement and opportunities for success not only in national competitions but also on the international stage.

This marks a significant step by SBP in focusing on youth development in Philippine basketball.

The EASL Future Champions initiative consists of two main components:

1. Grassroots Program

This will focus on talent development camps and community outreach, strengthening the foundation of basketball starting at the youngest levels.

2. Elite Program

Launching in March 2026, this will become the premier youth performance program across Asia. Selected athletes will receive world-class coaching, international exposure, and continuous career development support.

The goal of both programs is to provide a structured pathway for young Asian players to find basketball opportunities both within and beyond the ASEAN region.

Through this initiative, SBP aligns itself with the EASL’s mission—a mission that is also recognized and supported by FIBA at all levels of basketball, from grassroots development to the national team.

According to Henry Kerins, CEO of EASL, SBP is fully committed to developing young talent and providing them with leadership experiences that foster both personal growth and basketball skills.

“SBP brings the leadership, experience, and infrastructure to make EASL Future Champions the premium youth development program in the Philippines,” said Kerins.

He added that EASL leadership is proud of SBP’s initiative and willingness to collaborate for the benefit of Filipino youth.

“We’re proud to be working alongside them to build something that can create real impact,” Kerins added.

Meanwhile, SBP President Al Panlilio emphasized that EASL’s vision for Filipino youth aligns closely with SBP’s goals for nurturing the next generation of basketball players.

“EASL’s vision matches our commitment to the next generation. We’re excited to help shape the future of grassroots basketball together,” said Panlilio.

Currently, the Philippines is the first country in the region to be part of the EASL Future Champions initiative. Macau and Hong Kong are set to follow, as EASL continues its efforts to raise the level of youth basketball across Asia.

With two major tournaments fast approaching, the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s team found itself in uncertainty as three veteran players are still committed to their duties with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP.)

With Janine Pontejos and Chack Cabinbin serving in the Philippine Army, while Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) MVP Afril Bernardino in the Philippine Navy, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is now working to obtain the necessary AFP clearances for the trio to compete in the Jones Cup and FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in July.

The SBP insists it is closely monitoring the situation, but uncertainty lingers as the clearance process for the players remains stalled.

Still, Gilas Pilipinas Women’s head coach Pat Aquino says the team is ready to adapt to whatever happens, noting that for now, they are maintaining the status quo with Pontejos, Cabinbin, and Bernardino.

The Philippine Basketball Association officially approved on Monday, June 2, the one-on-one trade between guards Jordan Heading and Mikey Williams.

With the trade finalized, Heading will now be wearing the TNT Tropang 5G jersey, while Williams is set to don the Converge FiberXers colors.

After 25 years of waiting, the Indiana Pacers have returned to the NBA Finals stage.

The Pacers did it on Sunday, May 6 (Philippine time), when they defeated the New York Knicks in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference Finals series, 125-108, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Nicknamed as the "Batang Mamaw" and often compared to NBA’s Ja Morant for his explosiveness and flair on the court, Andre Jamgellad Ugaddan is one of the most electrifying young basketball players emerging from the Philippine youth circuit today especially in the region of Calabarzon.

At just 17 years old, Andre’s résumé is already filled with standout performances and accolades across national youth tournaments which includes the following: Palarong Pambansa, MBTC (Metro Basketball Tournament Circuit), Junior MPBL Multiple MVP Awards, Multiple Championships, Best Player Honors, Champion – Dunk Contest. 

He’s not just performing—he’s dominating.

As Ugaddan continues to make waves in youth basketball circles, his name is increasingly mentioned among the next generation of future collegiate and professional stars in the Philippines. With each game, he proves that he's not just playing for today—he’s building a legacy for tomorrow.

Ugaddan’s game is marked by powerful drives, highlight dunks, and an impressive shooting touch that makes him a constant threat on the floor. Whether leading fast breaks or draining shots from deep, he brings intensity, energy, and entertainment every time he steps on the hardwood.

With standout performances across major youth tournaments and a growing list of accolades, Andre Ugaddan is a name to watch in the next generation of Philippine basketball. He’s not just making noise—he’s making history.

Kenji “Chog Chog” Moral, who was 16 years of age and a native from Bacolor, Pampanga has already made a name for himself in the world of Philippine youth basketball. 

Kenji is currently a student-athlete at St. Augustine School. His roots in local basketball and rapid development have led to an impressive journey through various elite youth leagues and tournaments.

Standing at 6'1" and playing the point guard position, he's known for his court vision, leadership, and clutch performances—traits that have made him a standout across multiple leagues and tournaments.

From local tournaments to national leagues, Kenji has continually proven himself as a clutch player and team leader, collecting multiple MVP honors and championship titles. His performances not only highlight his talent but also reflect his dedication to developing as a top-tier athlete.