Petro Gazz staged an impressive reverse sweep against Chery Tiggo, 20-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-15, 15-7, in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) on Tuesday, January 21, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.The squad improved their record to 6-1, propelling them to the top of the team standings.Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Myla Pablo played a significant part in the Angels' pivotal runs in the third and fourth sets, but Brooke Van Sickle was the star of the fifth set, earning seven points — including five in a row to begin the final — to help Petro Gazz win for the fifth time in a row.Van Sickle’s playing time was limited as a precaution due to a minor procedure on her left knee last December, but she still finished in double-digits with 10 points, along with 11 excellent digs. Coach Koji Tzuzurabara expressed pride in his wards following their stunning comeback, pointing out their enhanced communication and defense in the All-Filipino Conference.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles will have to continue their UAAP Season 87 campaign without two key players after injuries to Zel Tsunashima and Jlo Delos Santos were evaluated last week.Tsunashima sustained a freak injury during their opening match against the Adamson Lady Falcons when she landed awkwardly after a block attempt, resulting in a broken left shin (tibia and fibula) in the fifth set.At the time, Tsunashima had scored 10 points and was a crucial part of Ateneo’s effort. She had to leave the game late in the deciding set when Adamson was ahead, 11-9.

ZUS Coffee delivered a shocking sweep of Petro Gazz, 25-21, 25-23, 27-25, in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals on Tuesday night, March 18, at the PhilSports Arena. The victory not only snapped the Angels’ 10-game winning streak but also pushed the Thunderbelles to the verge of their first-ever semifinal appearance. In one of their most balanced performances yet, five players scored in double digits, proving their depth and teamwork against an established PVL contender.Setter Cloanne Mondoñedo orchestrated the offense brilliantly with 19 excellent sets, while Chai Troncoso led all scorers with 14 markers. Thea Gagate and Jovelyn Gonzaga tallied 11 apiece, while Mich Gamit and Chinnie Arroyo contributed 10 each in a well-rounded attack.The Thunderbelles also dominated at the net, recording 11 blocks compared to Petro Gazz’s five. Troncoso anchored the defense with five kill blocks, while Gagate added three.

That was the story of Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals when Barangay Ginebra defeated TNT Tropang Giga, 106-92, last night, November 3, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.From the beginning, the Gin Kings showed their grit steered by Justin Brownlee who finally found his groove in the series and finished with 34 points — 15 from the first quarter.Brownlee also finally fired his first-ever triple in the series, delivering three. He even added two four-pointers.“Justin is usually a very good starter, especially in big games. He knows how important he is to set the tempo and to give confidence to his teammates," said Cone of Brownlee.Stephen Holt also found his touches and was named Best Player of the Game, contributing 18 points, three rebounds, and two assists. He also stole the ball five times and tightly guarded TNT’s import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Every team, every sport, and every coaching staff shares one objective: to attain victory and claim the championship. For the Petro Gazz Angels, this dream became a reality.After a thrilling 2024–25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Finals, the Angels proved to themselves that the win was theirs. They dethroned the Creamline Cool Smashers with a commanding 25-21, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19 victory in Game 3 on Saturday, April 12.For Petro Gazz Coach Koji Tsuzurabara, the championship was the culmination of a long-held dream.Tsuzurabara never doubted his team. He believed in the players he had—players capable of going all the way.Tsuzurabara was fortunate and thrilled to have a talented team, including standout players like Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Philips, who not only secured the championship but also earned the Conference MVP and Finals MVP awards, respectively.“I trust the player we could win. I’m lucky to have a great team with great players,”  Tsuzurabara said.For now, the Angels are preparing for the upcoming AVC Women's Champions League to be held on April 20 to 27, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig wherein they will face the teams of Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong. For Brooke Van Sickle, the PVL Conference MVP, the upcoming international tournament is especially exciting, as it marks her debut in international competition. She is eager to see how other countries play volleyball and learn from the experience.“This is my first time with international play. So I'm just excited to see good volleyball and just be able to see how other countries play the sport and to learn from them and grow and just to see the intensity. So I'm super stoked,” said Van Sickle.The Petro Gazz Angels, alongside PLDT High Speed Hitters and Creamline Cool Smashers, will represent the Philippines at the AVC Women’s Champions League, fighting not just for victory, but for national pride and honor.

The Pilipinas Aguilas captured the inaugural Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) championship after dismantling the UST Growling Tigresses in a thrilling do-or-die Game 3 Finals, 54-45, on Wednesday night, April 23, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.Lexi Pana led the charge for the Aguilas in the deciding game, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals. She was named the first-ever WMPBL Finals MVP.Speaking about their title-clinching performance, Pana said:“I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. Chack (Cabinbin) does a really good job being a point guard—I mean, she’s arguably the best in the Philippines. It’s really nice playing with her, and also just how my teammates focused on defense. We got the stops we needed. So, a lot of credit goes to them, not just to what I can do.”Mar Prado was also instrumental in the victory, contributing 16 markers on 7-of-13 shooting, grabbing 12 boards, while tallying three steals and three blocks. Cheska Apag had her best performance of the series, finishing with 13 points—including three triples—along with four rebounds, five assists, and four steals.

Growing the number of women participation through a series of running events is what Women’s Run PH founder Nicole de la Cruz hopes of achieving following the highly-successful University of the Philippines Diliman edition of this year’s event that drew over 6,000 female runners. The number of women who participated leaped from last year’s inaugural event which only recorded 1,700 runners, which propelled it to a record-breaking milestone for the running event exclusively for women.“It was a big jump from 1,700 runners to 6,000 this year and we were able to achieve this because we asked help from different communities, companies, and people who are actually supporting women in different events also,” said de la Cruz during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

As the University of Baguio celebrates their 76th Anniversary on Thursday, August 8, they proudly greet their alumni who carry the Philippine flag in the 2024 Olympics.Paris Games bronze medalists Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villgegas together with Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial received huge congratulatory messages from their alma mater where they once carried the red and gray flag as UB Cardinals.Now bringing their talent and skills in the international stage, the university greeted them proudly in their official Facebook page:

The PBA welcomed its historic 50th season by ushering in a fresh generation of talent, with 122 hopefuls vying for their professional dreams in the 2025 Rookie Draft held Sunday, September 7, at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.Terrafirma Dyip set the tone by selecting Ateneo’s 6-foot-9 center Geo Chiu as the No. 1 overall pick—an unsurprising choice, given his status as one of the most highly touted prospects in this year’s record pool of applicants.Converge FiberXers stayed on script at No. 2, picking Gilas Pilipinas guard Juan Gomez de Liano, who boasts international stints in Japan, Lithuania, and South Korea.At third, Blackwater Bossing chose 6-foot-1 guard Dalph Panopio, a former Batang Gilas standout who also gained overseas experience in South Korea and India. NorthPort followed at fourth by nabbing Ateneo guard Chris Koon.NLEX reinforced its backcourt with the selection of speedy guard LJay Gonzales at No. 5. Magnolia secured San Beda forward Yukien Andrada at sixth, while Meralco bolstered its rotation with veteran playmaker Jason Brickman at seventh.

Norman Black is set to coach the Gilas Pilipinas Men’s team in the upcoming 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, scheduled from December 9 to 20.Current Gilas head coach Tim Cone earlier announced that he would not be able to call the shots for the SEA Games due to a scheduling conflict with the 2025–26 PBA Philippine Cup, which will be in full swing during the tournament. Cone will instead focus on steering the national team in the opening window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers from November 24 to December 2.With Cone stepping aside, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) tapped Black to take over. The 66-year-old veteran coach currently serves as the federation’s head of player identification and development and also works as a consultant for the San Beda Red Lions in the NCAA.

The ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles carved history in Davao, clinching their first-ever franchise championship after outlasting the powerhouse De La Salle University Lady Spikers, 25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23, in the finals of the 2025 Davao Invitational Volleyball Tournament on Sunday, September 7, at the University of Southeastern Philippines Gymnasium and Cultural Center.Led by Guimaras native Jovelyn Gonzaga, the Thunderbelles capped an unbeaten four-game campaign, dropping just one set throughout the week-long tilt. Gonzaga, who made her much-anticipated return after sitting out the PVL Invitational, shone brightest as she claimed both the Most Valuable Player and Best Opposite Hitter awards.ZUS Coffee’s depth also came to the fore as team captain Cloanne Mondoñedo earned the Best Setter citation, Chinnie Arroyo was named Best Outside Hitter, and promising rookie Mycah Go took home the Best Server award.

Vietnamese volleyball star Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen has been ruled out of the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand following a recurrence of an abdominal muscle injury.Her absence was confirmed after her name was left off the official Vietnam women’s national team roster for both the training camp and the tournament.Bich Tuyen, known for her explosive scoring and power, had also skipped the 2025 FIVB Women’s World Championship earlier this year, initially citing personal and family reasons as well as issues related to new FIVB eligibility rules. However, reports now reveal that her lingering injury has once again flared up, sidelining her from international competition.The setback is a major blow for Vietnam, which will look to adjust its lineup as it aims to stay competitive in the regional volleyball scene.Meanwhile, team captain Tran Thi Thanh Thuy (4T) and middle blocker Tran Thi Bich Thuy are set to join the national team’s training camp in early December, once they conclude their ongoing stints in Japan’s V.League.Both players are expected to bring veteran leadership and international experience to bolster Vietnam’s campaign in the upcoming 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.

Alas Pilipinas secured its third consecutive Southeast Asia V.League bronze medal after defeating Indonesia, 25-20, 25-20, 16-25, 25-13, last Sunday, August 4, in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.After dropping their first two matches to eventual champion Thailand and runner-up Vietnam, the Filipinas bounced back with a strong performance against Indonesia to secure another podium finish at the end of the first leg of the tournament.The national team delivered a commanding 18-6 run in the final set to clinch the victory in front of a supportive crowd.

Senator Bong Go, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, Youth, Health, and Development, reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Filipino athletes by highlighting key legislative initiatives.Among his notable efforts is the establishment of the National Academy of Sports (NAS) under Republic Act No. 11470, which he authored and co-sponsored. The NAS offers a dual-track system that integrates academic education with elite sports training for young athletes.Senator Go is also pushing for the passage of the National Academy of Sports Regional Expansion Act (Senate Bill No. 171), which aims to establish regional NAS campuses—particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao—to provide full scholarships and nurture athletic talent across the country.Other key initiatives include:Senate Bill No. 407, amending the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act (RA 10699), to improve support for para-athletes;Senate Bill No. 413, or the Philippine National Games Bill, to institutionalize grassroots sports competitions nationwide;Senate Bill No. 678, or the National Tertiary Games Act, to promote collegiate-level sports development.Since assuming his role in 2019, Senator Go has helped oversee historic achievements in Philippine sports, including the country's first Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games and a double-gold performance at Paris 2024.“I encourage everyone, young and old, to get into sports and stay away from drugs to keep us healthy and fit,” Senator Go said.

After wrapping up her season with a hard-fought Round-of-16 loss to Canada’s Victoria Mboko (3-6, 6-3, 6-4) at the Hong Kong Open, Filipina tennis star Alex Eala is already looking ahead — with the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) firmly in her sights.“SEA Games is in my plans. It’s definitely in my plans,” said Eala after her match in Hong Kong.The 20-year-old sensation, who has become one of the brightest young stars in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour, is expected to bring her world-class form to Team Philippines when the 33rd SEA Games take place this December in Thailand.Eala is coming off a breakthrough WTA season, highlighted by a dream semifinal run in the Miami Open, which propelled her into the top 75 in the world rankings and eventually to her career-best ranking of No. 51.“It’s really amazing. The target I had to end the year was to make the top 100 and that was kind of like pushing it. We got past it by a mile. I’m so happy with regards to next year,” said Eala. “I’m confident that my team has planned and we’ll plan accordingly and I’m here to give it my all and I’ll do my best to get better.”Her 2025 campaign also featured several historic milestones — including the Philippines’ first-ever US Open main draw victory, when she defeated Clara Tauson in the first round, and her first WTA title at the Guadalajara 125 Open.With her momentum and confidence at an all-time high, Eala’s potential SEA Games return could provide a major boost to Philippine tennis — and another chance to make history for the country.“If it were to happen, I would be so, so happy, and it’s just such a milestone for Philippine tennis. Not just obviously for me but for everybody there because growing up, we never had these kinds of tournaments. As long as I can remember, we didn’t even have a 15K in a professional international tournament, so to come in with a 125 is such a big step, and I’m so proud of how far we’ve come.”“It’s only the start, so I’m so happy with that news, even if it’s just in the talks. The fact that they took a step and we’re taking action is something I’m so proud of and excited to see evolve.” Eala added.

Despite missing their import Anyse Smith, the Choco Mucho Flying Titans showed remarkable poise and resilience to outlast the Cignal HD Spikers in four sets, 23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 27-25, in their 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference debut on Monday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Relying solely on their all-Filipino lineup, the Flying Titans leaned on captain Des Cheng’s leadership and the dominant presence of Maddie Madayag and Isa Molde to secure their first victory in Pool A of the tournament organized by Sports Vision.Madayag delivered a commanding performance, leading all scorers with 18 points on 11 attacks, six blocks, and a decisive ace that sealed the match. Molde complemented her with 17 points and 13 excellent digs, while Cheng and Kat Tolentino added 14 and 10 markers, respectively.“I just did my job and focused on what I needed to do,” said Madayag. “We struggled a bit with ball control at first, but we managed to fix it until the end. Credit really goes to teamwork.”

The College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers capped their V-League campaign with a statement win, pulling off a dramatic reverse sweep over the Arellano University Lady Chiefs, 21-25, 16-25, 25-22, 25-15, 15-4, to secure the bronze medal in the 2025 V-League Women’s Collegiate Challenge on Monday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.After a semifinal loss to the FEU Lady Tamaraws ended their title hopes, the Lady Blazers showed remarkable grit and composure, clawing back from a two-set deficit to reclaim a spot on the podium—improving from their fourth-place finish last year.Leading the comeback was Zam Nolasco, who dominated at the net with 18 points built on 12 attacks and six blocks, while Fiona Inocentes powered through with 15 markers (11 attacks, three blocks, and one ace).

Born in the Philippines and raised in Canada, Jasmin Alcido is a Filipino-Canadian ice hockey player who has earned a coveted spot on the Philippine National Women's Hockey Team. She’s been playing hockey since she was six years old—a sport that has changed her life in many ways. Now, she gives back as she continues to move forward in her journey.Alcido’s goal is to continue playing competitive hockey for as long as she can—an aspiration she strives toward every day. She describes herself as a shifty player with strong ice vision and has been working on her shot, which has seen significant improvement over the past season.She wears jersey #87, symbolizing not only her competitive spirit but also her pride in representing her heritage.Alcido has been playing hockey for over 12 years. Her deep passion for the sport and strong connection to her roots have driven her to represent the Philippines on the international stage.

Olympian weightlifter Vanessa Sarno will be sidelined indefinitely after accepting a two-year ban from the International Testing Agency (ITA) for an alleged anti-doping rule violation, combined with personal circumstances including her pregnancy.Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) president Monico Puentevella confirmed that the 20-year-old Asian champion and SEA Games gold medalist is currently on leave from the national team. “She got pregnant,” Puentevella shared, adding that Sarno has been away from the squad for months.According to the ITA, Sarno’s suspension began on August 4, 2025, and runs until August 3, 2027, following three whereabouts failures in a 12-month period. She did not contest the sanction.Puentevella emphasized that Sarno’s absence is primarily due to her failure to report and her personal situation, declining further comment on the doping issue.“She’s out for failure to report,” Puentevella added.Sarno, long regarded as the heir apparent to Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz, was expected to spearhead the Philippines’ weightlifting campaign in upcoming international events. With her absence, the country faces a significant gap in its medal hopes.Puentevella declined to comment further on the doping issue but reiterated that Sarno’s absence from the national team was primarily due to failure to report and her personal situation.Sarno, widely seen as the heir apparent to Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz, was expected to lead the country’s weightlifting campaign in upcoming international tournaments. With her sidelined, Philippine weightlifting faces a significant gap in its medal hopes.

The Meralco Bolts aim to sustain their early momentum and secure a second consecutive win as they take on the visiting Macau Black Bears in the continuation of the 2025 East Asia Super League (EASL) this Sunday at the Cebu Coliseum.Fresh off their 85-76 triumph over the Taoyuan Pilots in Ilagan, Isabela, the Bolts are brimming with confidence as they return to action—this time in front of Cebuano fans eager to witness top-tier regional basketball.The matchup will also serve as the season debut for the Macau Black Bears, who are looking to make a strong first impression against a Meralco squad that has shown early signs of cohesion under coach Nenad Vucinic and deputy Luigi Trillo.Adding depth to Meralco’s roster are their reliable imports Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Ismael Romero, alongside naturalized player Ange Kouame and Asian import Sina Vahedi of Iran. Their chemistry will be key as they look to impose their pace and defensive discipline against the dynamic, fast-paced style of the Black Bears.Beyond the competition, the Cebu showdown will also carry a deeper purpose, as the EASL announced that all ticket proceeds will be donated to victims of Typhoon Tino, which recently struck parts of Cebu and nearby provinces.With pride, purpose, and playoff positioning at stake, Meralco will try to electrify once more—this time, in the Queen City of the South.