All news tagged basketball

The Hiroshima Dragonflies, reigning B. LEAGUE champions (2023-24), edged the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, P. LEAGUE+ champions (2023-24), with a 72-68 victory on Sunday night, March 9, to claim the EASL 2024-25 championship in Macau.

This marks the second consecutive season that a B. LEAGUE team has won the EASL title, following the Chiba Jets' triumph in 2023-24.

NorthPort extended its campaign in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup by securing a 108-103 victory over Barangay Ginebra in Game 4 on Wednesday, March 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

After suffering blowout losses in the first three games—losing by an average of 20.6 points—the Batang Pier finally found a way to stay alive and force a Game 5 on Friday, March 7.

The TNT Tropang Giga took a step closer to the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals after outlasting the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 93-85, on Wednesday night, March 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Calvin Oftana spearheaded TNT’s attack, delivering a stellar 26-point performance along with three rebounds and four assists. RR Pogoy complemented his effort with an all-around showing, posting 22 markers, four boards, three dimes, a steal, and a block.

In the post-game interview, Oftana dedicated the win to veteran guard Jayson Castro, who has been ruled out for the season due to a knee injury.

“Malaking bagay na wala si Kuya Jayson. Itong remaining games namin, inoffer namin sa kanya,” said Oftana.

“Big factor si Kuya Jayson sa amin, pero hindi lang isang tao ang makakapuno sa kawalan niya. Kailangan namin magtulungan bilang isang team,” he added.

Masters Pinoy Pilipinas Basketball 45-Up team is gearing up for the World Masters Tournament this coming May. Strengthening their lineup is two-time Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) All-Star Gherome Ejercito.

In an exclusive interview with Scoreline.ph, Ejercito shared how he plans to contribute to the team’s success on game day.

“I spoke with Coach Arlene (Rodriguez) and Boss Rey (Punongbayan) about what I and my fellow ex-pro players can bring to the team. Our experience playing in the PBA—alongside Roger Yap, Estong Ballesteros, and Gilbert Malabanan—will be a huge advantage,” Ejercito told us in Filipino.

“And as long as we continue our regular practices, we will be ready to compete,” he added.

PBA legend Roger Yap was known as “The Predator” during his time in the pro league, a moniker he carried with pride every time he stepped on the court.

But this time, Yap will take on a new role as “The Director” of the Pinoy Masters Pilipinas Basketball team, which is set to compete in the World Masters tournament from May 17-30 in Taiwan.

In an exclusive interview with Scoreline.ph, the four-time PBA champion shared his contributions to the team as they represent the country on the hardcourt.

That’s what former PBA player and current Lyceum Pirates head coach Gilbert Malabanan emphasized in an exclusive interview with Scoreline.ph. Malabanan is set to join the Masters Pinoy Pilipinas Basketball team, competing in the World Masters 45+ category from May 17-30, 2025 in Taiwan.

Malabanan shared that commitment is the biggest challenge he and his teammates face as they juggle work, basketball, and other responsibilities. However, as a professional, he has learned to manage his time effectively, driven by his dedication to the game—especially when representing the country.

“First of all, the most challenging part is commitment. Of course, all of us have jobs. But when it comes to commitment, how do you manage it? Especially with our practices,” Coach Gilbert said.

“We want to be complete during training because this is our preparation for the Masters tournament in May,” he added.

Barangay Ginebra moved one step closer to another Finals appearance in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup semi-finals after dominating the NorthPort Batang Pier, 127-100, on Sunday night, March 2, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jamie Malonzo, named Best Player of the Game, led the Gin Kings with 27 points, including an impressive 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, while grabbing eight rebounds. It was a breakout performance for Malonzo, who returned to action last January after missing several months due to a left calf injury.

Ginebra’s resident import, Justin Brownlee, provided solid support with 22 points, shooting 5-of-7 from three-point range.

Veterans Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson, and Troy Rosario also contributed significantly, scoring 17, 15, and 10 points, respectively.

Off the bench, RJ Abarrientos made an impact with a double-double of 10 points and 10 assists, posting a plus-24 rating whenever he was on the floor.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters finally broke their two-game skid, securing a crucial 103-98 victory in Game 3 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Semi-Finals series against the TNT Tropang Giga on Sunday night, March 2, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Import Deon Thompson led the charge for Rain or Shine, delivering a double-double performance with 19 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block in over 44 minutes of action. His dominance in the paint and relentless effort on both ends of the floor helped RoS stay competitive throughout the game.

Caelan Tiongson also played a vital role in the win, contributing 18 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Adrian Nocum, who started once again, showcased another impressive outing with 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.

Supporting the trio was Anton Asistio, who chipped in 12 points, including two clutch three-pointers, while Gian Mamuyac added nine points and was perfect from the free-throw line, sinking all four of his attempts.

Barangay Ginebra relied on their balanced scoring to capture the win in Game 1 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series against NorthPort, 115-93, last night, February 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Justin Brownlee led the charge for the Gin Kings, pouring in 19 points, four rebounds, and four assists in just 32 minutes of play.

Brownlee was supported by his local teammates, led by Troy Rosario, who scored 15 points, followed by RJ Abarrientos with 14, while Japeth Aguilar added 11.

The first half of the match was a close battle, with Ginebra holding only a five-point lead over the Batang Pier, 56-51.

However, in the third quarter, the Gin Kings unleashed a barrage of points while locking down NorthPort defensively, outscoring them 32-14.

Heading into the fourth period, Ginebra never looked back, maintaining their commanding lead and still outscoring the Batang Pier 28-27 to secure the victory.

Despite the dominant win, Ginebra coach Tim Cone remained cautious, saying it was just one win in a long series.

Still, the victory is a big boost for a Ginebra team that struggled to get ideal training during the long break, with Cone, Brownlee, Rosario, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar, and LA Tenorio all serving duties with Gilas Pilipinas.

The TNT Tropang Giga showcased their strong defense with crucial stops in the final moments to secure an 88-84 win over Rain or Shine in Game 1 of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven semifinal series on Wednesday night, February 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Despite being ahead by just three points with 1:59 left in the game, TNT shut down Rain or Shine's offense. The Tropang Giga capitalized on the Elasto Painters’ mistakes, forcing four turnovers, including a crucial steal by RR Pogoy off an inbound pass from Andrei Caracut with just three seconds remaining after a timeout.

Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao designed a play for a potential game-tying four-point shot, but the attempt was spoiled by a bad pass.

While RoS struggled in the final moments, TNT’s shooting, especially from beyond the arc, was on point. They hit 14-of-34 three-pointers, with Jayson Castro and Calvin Oftana leading the charge. Castro scored six three-pointers, missing only one, while Oftana also nailed six.

Gilas Pilipinas character will be tested tonight, February 20, when they face a Chinese Taipei team that's fighting for survival in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers at 7:00 PM at the Taipei Heping basketball gymnasium.

The Philippine team will put their unbeaten record on the line against the home team that is seeking to finish third place in Group B and make it to the Qualifying Tournament among third placed teams and a possible last-minute shot of making it to Jeddah.

Gilas are on top of Group B with a 4-0 win-loss record, followed by the New Zealand Tall Blacks with a 3-1 slate, then the Taipei team sitting in third with a 1-3 record, while Hong Kong is still winless in four games.

Though the Filipinos have already qualified for the Asian Cup tournament set in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from August 5-17, Gilas head coach Tim Cone emphasized that they will use this third and final window as preparation for the said tourney.

After their game tonight, Gilas will have another battle on February 23 against New Zealand in Auckland.

Like Gilas, the Tall Blacks have already qualified for the Asian Cup and will also use the final window to prepare for the next battle.

A new basketball team has emerged from the Far East.

Here, we will see its uniqueness because the team from the Philippines is composed of veteran and well-known basketball players in the country, together with the professionals in their chosen field that are able to compete in the sports.

It is led by one of the legendary coaches in Philippine basketball, none other than Coach Arlene Rodriguez.

In an exclusive interview with Scoreline.ph, Rodriguez shared and identified the formation and humble beginning of the Masters Pinoy Pilipinas 45up Basketball, as well as how he managed to coach the team. He also shared his thoughts about the country's upcoming participation in the World Masters Games to be held this coming May.

Coach Arlene told Scoreline that they started the Masters Pinoy Pilipinas 45up Basketball in October last year, through the help and initiative of their team manager, Architect Rey Punongbayan. Together with coaches Dann Michael Caneba and Albert Valbuena, they started planning and organizing the structure of the basketball team from the second week of December until this January, and the players also started practicing.

“Masters Pinoy was created in October. But we started practicing on the 2nd of December, then we had a talk. Then we decided to start it again this January,” said Rodriguez. 

One of the things that Coach Arlene considered was the conditioning of the players who are already at the age of 45 years old and above, but still have the skills, passion, and effort to play competitive basketball.

The former assistant coach of the now defunct Formula Shell added that their team is composed of ex-professional players, amateurs, varsity players, and even businessmen who are passionate about basketball.

Coach Arlene also shared that he did not have any difficulty in handling his players because of the amount of basketball experience they had.

“Actually, they understand the game better as they already have a lot of experience playing. Mentally, they are prepared, they can pick the instructions easily, unlike the young ones that need details of everything. The only thing that we need to work out is their conditioning, including team effort from both offense and defense.”

And the World Masters tournament will be an avenue for Coach Arlene and his players to showcase Filipino talent once again.

In the end Coach Arlene asked our countrymen to support the Masters Pinoy in their upcoming tournament.

“I hope you support us. Masters Pinoy in the World Masters tournament in Taiwan from May 17th to 30th. And those who haven’t been part of the Philippine team before, still work hard, especially when you’re 40 and above, because maybe in the future you can be part of the team,” coach Rodriguez concluded.

We can say that Coach Arlene has dedicated his life to the field of basketball since he started playing for the JRC Heavy Bombers until he became an assistant coach to famous teams in the PBA, such as Formula Shell and the crowd-favorite Ginebra. 

Coach Arlene is also currently the coach of TUP Greyhawks and shaping the future of Philippine basketball through his grassroots programs.

The University of the East (UE) has appointed Chris Gavina as the new head coach of their men’s basketball squad in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

UE announced the development on Thursday, February 13.

Gavina will take over the reins from Jack Santiago, who has been calling the shots for the Red Warriors in the past four seasons.

“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Chris Gavina to the Red Warriors family. His leadership, passion, and experience in both local and international basketball will be instrumental in molding our new breed of champions,” UE President Zosimo Battad said at the signing held in UE Manila.

UE officials led by Vice Chairman David Chua and Senior Vice President Florence Siy were also present during the signing of the 46-year-old mentor.

“I am honored to coach the UE Red Warriors, a program that has produced legends of Philippine basketball. For those who cherish basketball history, I am humbled to step into the role once held by the phenomenal Coach Baby Dalupan, who led this institution to its golden era,” shared Gavina, who edged Gilas Pilipinas Boys head coach Josh Reyes for the role.

Gavina’s coaching career in the Philippines began in 2016 when he was given the task of being the lead assistant for the Mahindra Enforcer, which later on became Kia Picanto and is now known as the Terrafirma Dyip.

The Ginebra Gin Kings once again defeated the Meralco Bolts in a series, after winning Game 3 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup duel, 94-87, on Sunday night, February 9, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Justin Brownlee had another clutch performance in leading the Ginebra to their sixth straight Final Four appearance.

Brownlee put-up an almost triple-double performance with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, dominating his counterpart Akil Mitchell, who only had eight markers for the Meralco.

The game was close from the beginning with only one lead change going to halftime break, where the Bolts had a slight advantage of 38-37.

Rain or Shine came back strong from a tough Game 1 loss to win the next two and book a ticket to the semifinals for the third straight conference after dismantling Converge in Game 3 of their quarterfinals match-up of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup, 112-103, on Sunday night, February 9, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

The Elasto Painters reinforcement Deon Thompson made up for his early exit in their first QF encounter when he fouled out of the game just as early as the third quarter.

Last night, Thompson showed his might finishing with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. He was supported by Adrian Nocum who fired 25 markers. These two were also the reason why they won Game 2, when they combined for a total of 55.

RoS head coach Yeng Guiao said they were happy with the victory and their hard work paid off.

"We're very happy. The past two conferences we made the semifinals so it would be a pity if we did not make the semifinals this conference," Guiao shared.

"It's also a validation of all the hard work the guys put in, the togetherness and the camaraderie that they have," he added.

Barangay Ginebra took another win at the expense of the Meralco Bolts, 100-92, in the Game 1 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals bout last night, February 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

It was the fifth straight win of the Gin Kings this season against Meralco, whom they swept in their semifinals match-up last Governors’ Cup, 3-0, and defeated in the elimination round of this season’s Comm’s Cup.

Scottie Thompson had an all-around game to lead the way for Ginebra, tallying 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists, seven steals, and a block.

Justin Brownlee also chipped in 23 markers, while Japeth Aguilar and RJ Abarrientos added 19 and 14, respectively.

Converge gained a head start in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals showdown after earning a 130-118 victory over Rain or Shine on Wednesday, February 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Justin Arana delivered an outstanding performance after recovering from a knee injury that saw the FiberXers overcome a 17-point deficit to win the first game of the best-of-three quarterfinals. 

He finished with 22 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

Import Cheick Diallo led the charge, firing 35 markers on top of 17 boards and three rejections in the win which saw him and the FiberXers take advantage of the early withdrawal of Rain or Shine counterpart Deon Thomspon in the third frame due to six fouls.