The Converge FiberXers climbed from a 17-point deficit to steal the game from Barangay Ginebra, 98-91, in the continuation of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup on Saturday night at the Batangas City Coliseum.Ginebra dominated the game in the first half and established a 57-40 lead before the break.But Alec Stockton and Schonny Winston took over in the second half to lead Converge to a third straight victory.Stockton was vital in the third period, scoring 17 of his 22 points. He also had six rebounds and eight assists.The FiberXers scored 33 in that quarter, limiting Ginebra to only 13.In the fourth quarter, Winston poured out the first seven markers as Converge established its largest lead, 89-78.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters clinched their fifth win against Blackwater Bossing, 122-106, in their match last night, January 8, at the Philsports Arena in the ongoing PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup.With the win, Elasto Painters now have a 5-1 win-loss record, while Black Water Bossing has a 1-6 win-loss in the team standings.The Elasto Painters immediately took off after posting a 23-point lead, 39-16 in the second quarter, where in the third quarter, Adrian Nocum and Caelan Tiongson scored points, and they were able to extend the lead against Bossing, 87-70 in the last three minutes of the third quarter, until the Elasto Painters did not give up their advantage in the fourth quarter after Thompson scored a goal in the last 1:37 minutes, causing the Elasto Painters to further extend their lead over the opponent, 118-101.Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao admitted that he was worried because his team had almost a three-week break from the holiday break last year, although they did not neglect their practice.“My primary concern at the beginning was how sharp are the guys going to be coming off almost a three-week break. We had good practices, but iba pa rin 'pag makikita mo sa laro,” Guiao said.Guiao also said that at the beginning of the match, they had a difficult time against their opponent, but the team did not allow the victory to slip away from them. He added that what is important for them right now is to advance to the next round of the game, and they need to secure seven wins to secure a spot in the playoffs.“This is our first game in the new year, medyo concerned ako kung paano nila lalaruin 'yung first game namin. Sa amin ang importante makarating ng next round, Ang tingin namin seven wins will assure you of a slot in the playoffs. So we have five wins now,”  Guiao added.Meanwhile, Rain or Shine was led by Deon Thompson, who scored 25 points, while Adrian Nocum, Leonard Santillan, Anton Asistio and Caelan Tiongson each scored 22, 20, 18, and 11 points.On Saturday, January 11, Rain or Shine will again try to win against the Phoenix Fuel Masters, while Black Water Bossing will try to get a win against Barangay Ginebra on Sunday, January 12.

Cignal showed no sign of depletion as they overpowered Galeries Towers in straight sets, 25-17, 25-20, 25-19, in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena on Tuesday, January 21.Despite entering a new era without key players Ces Molina and Riri Meneses, the HD Spikers kicked off their campaign with a 5-1 record.“Very thankful because we won in straight sets, and I’m proud of the team because what we’ve been working on in training is starting to show. But, of course, we still need to keep working until we master what we want to achieve and execute it in every game,” coach Shaq delos Santos said as Cignal made its way through the remainder of the conference without Molina and veteran middle blocker Meneses, who both chose not to extend their contracts with the team.Vanie Gandler led the charge for the HD Spikers, being the lone player to reach double-digit scoring. She finished with 17 points built from 13 attacks, three aces, and a block.

Shorthanded Akari regained its winning ways to breeze past sister team Nxled, 21-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-18, in the ongoing 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Thursday, January 23, at the Philsports Arena.Ivy Lacsina powered the Chargers by posting 17 points built on 14 attacks, two aces, and a block, while Faith Nisperos and Eli Soyud both contributed 15 apiece in the winning cause.The win propelled Akari to a 4-4 win-loss record despite team captain Michelle Cobb exiting the court after suffering a neck injury during the second set. 

The Creamline Cool Smashers sustained its pristine record in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference by showcasing great resolve in a 25-12, 25-21, 25-19 victory over the Nxled Chameleons on Tuesday, January 28, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.A day after receiving a special citation at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night, Creamline did not hesitate to get the job done and show the league who they are.Bernadeth Pons led the charge for the Cool Smashers with 13 points along with 12 excellent digs, while Tots Carlos added 10 markers behind Kyle Negrito’s 15 excellent sets.Creamline’s win streak extends to 16 games and they will try to beat their previous record of 19 games that was ended by the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in the second round of the Reinforced Conference last year. Meneses rotated all of his 14 players in the game, giving each player a chance to play and score at least one point.

Chery Tiggo secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference after battling past a resilient Farm Fresh team in a hard-fought four-set match, 29-27, 15-25, 25-22, 25-21, at the Philsports Arena on Tuesday, March 12.The Crossovers needed two hours and seven minutes to overcome the determined Foxies, who pushed them at every turn. However, Chery Tiggo’s experience and composure in crucial moments made the difference, setting up a best-of-three quarterfinal clash with reigning champions Creamline.

The Philippines will have three teams competing in the AVC Women’s Champions League as the host country, with PLDT joining Creamline and Petro Gazz in the tournament.Just hours before the official draw in Bangkok, Thailand, the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) awarded the Philippines an additional slot for the inaugural club competition, set to take place from April 20 to 27 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig. Creamline and Petro Gazz were the first to qualify for the tournament after finishing at the top of the preliminary round in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference and advancing to the quarterfinals.

The University of the Philippines (UP) capped off the UAAP Season 87 first round with crucial victories in both men’s and women’s volleyball, overcoming Adamson University’s standout performances at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, March 16.

Rookie sensation Shaina Nitura made history with a record-breaking 38-point performance, but Adamson still fell short in a grueling five-set loss to the University of the Philippines (UP) in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament on Sunday, March 16.Despite Nitura’s dominant display of 35 kills and three aces, the Lady Falcons suffered their fourth consecutive defeat, closing the first round with a tough 15-25, 25-15, 26-24, 22-25, 10-15 loss.  Her scoring feat surpassed the previous UAAP record of 35 points held by Ateneo de Manila University’s Alyssa Valdez (Season 75, 2013) and University of Santo Tomas’s Sisi Rondina (Season 81, 2019). However, the disappointment was evident as the 20-year-old Adamson star remained in the dugout for hours after the match and declined media interviews, with head coach JP Yude also refusing to speak.  Nitura, who also tallied 15 excellent receptions, had already cemented her place in Adamson history by tying Angela Bengting’s 33-point school record in her debut against Ateneo last month.

De La Salle University (DLSU) clinched the twice-to-beat advantage in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Final Four after a gritty four-set win over University of Santo Tomas (UST), 23-25, 25-20, 30-28, 29-27, on Wednesday, April 30, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.The Lady Spikers recovered from a slow start and leaned on clutch performances in the final sets to edge out the Golden Tigresses in a tightly contested playoff for the second seed. With the win, DLSU earned the upper hand as the two squads arranged to face off again in the semifinals on Saturday, May 3.

The United States men’s hockey team made history last Sunday May 25, capturing gold at the 2025 IIHF World Championship—their first title in 92 years. In a dramatic overtime finish, Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres scored the winning goal just 2:02 into the extra period, leading the U.S. to a 1-0 victory over Switzerland at the Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.Goaltender Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins) was a cornerstone of the win, turning aside all 25 shots he faced to record a shutout and secure a long-awaited title for Team USA.“This tournament and this group rejuvenated me as an individual, I found my game again. I was happy again. This is a turning point for me. To be part of the group that finally did it—it’s surreal.” said Swayman. The victory marked the first gold medal for Team USA at the World Championship since 1933, snapping one of international hockey’s longest-running title droughts. The Americans had reached the semifinals 12 times in recent years without advancing to the final—until now.In their semifinals, the U.S. stunned host nation Sweden with a commanding 6-2 win, setting the stage for their golden moment.“It’s a crazy stat, reflecting on the 92-year wait. “Everyone in that room took it to heart. Whether you were playing top minutes or cheering from the bench, every guy committed. That’s why we won.”  said Thompson.Since 2000, the U.S. has managed just five bronze medals in the tournament (2004, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2021). This gold represents more than just a win—it’s a statement of intent as the team eyes even greater success.“We were embarrassed that we hadn’t won this tournament. Now we don’t have that weight on our back. This is the start of something.” said head coach Ryan Warsofsky (San Jose Sharks).The redemption arc comes just months after Team USA fell short in the 4 Nations Face-Off, losing to Canada in overtime. This time, they completed the mission.“That’s hockey, man, Biggest stages, biggest moments. We weren’t nervous. We knew it was our time. Mission accomplished, baby.” Swayman added.With the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on the horizon—and NHL participation returning—this World Championship performance could reshape Team USA’s Olympic roster. Only two players from the 4 Nations team returned for this tournament: Swayman and Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets).The current group, including Thompson (6G, 3A), Clayton Keller (3G, 7A), Frank Nazar (6G, 6A), and Logan Cooley (4G, 8A), all made strong cases for inclusion on the Olympic squad.“USA Hockey is here to stay, This is just the first step.” Swayman declared. 

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.

Manny Pacquiao announced that his long layoff from boxing has reignited his passion as he prepares for his world welterweight title comeback against Mario Barrios on July 19 in Las Vegas.The 46-year-old Filipino icon, returning four years after his last fight, is training with veteran coach Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.“Now I’m back, I’m hungry to fight again. I’m hungry to fight in a big fight like this—to work hard, have discipline, everything like that. I’ve missed boxing. I feel the passion, the fire in my eyes, working hard—it’s still there,” Pacquiao said.While he acknowledged that recovery now takes a bit longer, he believes his physical condition remains sharp.“I’m fast, I can move like I did before. I can run in the mountains with the young boxers, so I’m happy. I’m enjoying this training camp. There are a couple of adjustments for bodily recovery. We have to control the body, give it time to rest and recover,” he added.Pacquiao, a 12-time world champion, wouldn’t confirm if his return will be a one-off or the start of a full comeback.“It’s hard to say,” he said when asked about future bouts. “Now I’m back, so one at a time. After this fight, we can plan whatever we want. For now, I’m focused on this fight,” he emphasized.Despite some skepticism—including comments from British promoter Eddie Hearn about the risks of facing the younger Barrios—Pacquiao responded confidently: “Just watch on July 19. It will be a good fight,” he concluded.

The San Miguel Beermen have tied the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals at 1-1 after defeating the TNT Tropang 5G, 98-92, in Game 2 on Wednesday, July 16, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Don Trollano delivered a breakout performance off the bench, tallying 22 points on an efficient 10-of-16 shooting from the floor. He also grabbed six rebounds and handed out an assist, leading San Miguel's charge to equalize the series.June Mar Fajardo provided solid support with 17 markers, nine boards, three dimes, and one steal. Mo Tautuaa also stepped up, sealing the win with a wide-open layup to close the game without any controversy. He ended with 16 points and four rebounds.Jeron Teng made his presence felt with 10 markers—all in the first half—while assistant playing coach Chris Ross showcased his trademark leadership and defensive intensity, wrapping up the game with seven points, four rebounds, seven assists, and four steals.

Cignal bounced back from a tough loss and clinched the first outright quarterfinal berth in Pool B, defeating ZUS Coffee, 25-22, 25-17, 21-25, 25-16, in the PVL On Tour at the City of Passi Arena on Sunday.After dropping the third set and missing out on a sweep, the HD Spikers responded with a dominant fourth set. Erika Santos led the way with a stellar 30-point performance, blending power and creativity to guide Cignal to a one-hour, 51-minute victory.Cignal seized control early in the fourth, racing to a 6-2 lead with key contributions from Ishie Lalongisip, Jackie Acuña, Heather Guino-o, and playmaker Gel Cayuna. The team also capitalized on ZUS Coffee’s errors and showcased superb floor defense, anchored by libero Buding Duremdes.Santos sealed the win with a blistering down-the-line hit for her 30th point, pushing Cignal to match point. After a brief delay by a Chinnie Arroyo hit, Cignal closed out the match by winning a floor touch challenge.The win lifted Cignal to a 4-1 record and secured their place at the top of group play, guaranteeing a spot in the quarterfinals. Despite her standout performance, Santos credited the team.“We prepared hard for this. Yesterday, we were a bit off, but this time we stayed composed and just enjoyed the game. Everyone sacrificed.” said Santos. Lalongisip and Acuña added 15 and 11 points, respectively, while Roselyn Doria-Aquino, Tin Tiamzon, and Cayuna all contributed on both ends. Cayuna also tallied 27 excellent sets, outplaying her counterpart Cloanne Mondonedo.For ZUS Coffee, Arroyo topscored with 20 points, while Chai Troncoso, Fiola Ceballos, and rookie AC Miner provided support.Cignal’s firepower was evident as they outgunned ZUS Coffee, 71-49, and controlled the net with a 9-5 edge in blocks, overcoming their 23 unforced errors. ZUS Coffee, meanwhile, committed 15 errors of their own.After falling behind 0-2, the Thunderbelles rallied in the third set, fueled by Arroyo’s attacks and a timely timeout by coach Jerry Yee. However, Cignal shut the door in the fourth, refusing to let the match extend to a fifth set.A five-day break now awaits before the action resumes in Cebu City on Saturday, July 26, with Nxled taking on PLDT and Galeries Tower facing Farm Fresh at the USJ-R Coliseum. 

Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas is set to continue his quest for another world title as he faces Uruguay’s Ruben Casero in an important bout for his super bantamweight championship ambitions.Originally scheduled for the Manny Pacquiao–Mario Barrios undercard, Ancajas’s fight was bumped from the lineup. Nevertheless, the former IBF super flyweight champion, who trained alongside Pacquiao, Mark Magsayo, and Eumir Marcial, remains optimistic.“I’m glad to finally have a fight. I thought I’d be fighting at the MGM Grand on the main card, but God has a greater purpose,” said Ancajas, whose eight-round bout will now take place at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California, on Sunday, July 27 (Manila time).With a record of 36-4-2 (24 KOs), Ancajas holds a clear edge in experience over Casero, who enters the ring with a 13-4 record (5 KOs).MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons emphasized the significance of the match: “Jerwin will be fighting his third super bantamweight bout. This is another stepping stone for him to fight for a world title. It’s one of the final steps for Jerwin to secure another title opportunity at 122 pounds, but he must win this fight. It’s a very crucial fight.”

Gilas Pilipinas suffered a tough defeat in their 2025 FIBA Asia Cup opener, falling to Chinese Taipei, 95–87, on Wednesday morning, August 6 (Manila time), at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.The loss leaves the Philippines with a 0–1 record in Group D, matching Iraq, while Chinese Taipei and New Zealand both hold early wins in the group standings.Justin Brownlee led Gilas with 19 points, seven rebounds, and two assists but fouled out midway through the fourth quarter, hampering the team’s comeback hopes. Kevin Quiambao provided a spark off the bench with 17 points (3-of-6 from three), four rebounds, and two assists, while Dwight Ramos and Scottie Thompson chipped in 16 points each.A slow start proved costly for the Nationals, as poor defense and turnovers allowed Chinese Taipei to rack up 27 points in the opening period and forced Gilas to play catch-up throughout.“Obviously, we didn’t play a very good game. We were outcoached, and it was a disappointing one on my part,” said Gilas Coach Tim Cone.Gilas trimmed a 17-point deficit to within two possessions several times in the second half, but Chinese Taipei’s hot shooting—especially from Ying-Chun Chen, who poured in 34 points and six three-pointers—kept the Philippines at bay. Brownlee’s early exit with over four minutes left only added to the team’s woes.The Philippines struggled with fouls, committing 26 and sending Taiwan to the line for 35 free throws (making 27, 77.1%). Despite a 48–24 rebounding edge, Gilas couldn’t capitalize.With a quick turnaround, the team now shifts focus to its next game against New Zealand on Thursday, August 7, at 11:00 p.m.Cone emphasized: “There is only one thing we can do at this point, and that is move on. We’ve got New Zealand coming in two days, so we gotta get ready for them.”The Scores:Chinese Taipei 95 – Chen Y.C. 34, Gilbeck 16, R. Hinton 14, Lin 14, Gadiaga 5, A. Hinton 4, Tseng 4, Ma 3, Hu 1, Liu 0, Gao 0, Chen K.C. 0.Gilas Pilipinas 87 – Brownlee 19, Quiambao 17, Thompson 16, Ramos 16, Edu 8, Oftana 6, Newsome 3, Fajardo 2, Perez 0, Aguilar 0, Tamayo 0.

Alex Eala is taking a well-deserved break following a demanding run across the clay, grass, and hard court seasons.The 20-year-old Filipina tennis star recently shared a seaside photo on Instagram with the caption, “Is this what they call eurosummer?”Her break comes at a crucial time, after requiring a medical timeout during her first-round match against Markéta Vondroušová at the National Bank Open in Montreal.This rest period will allow Eala to recover and prepare for her next major appearance at the US Open in New York.To prioritize her recovery, Eala and her team have decided she will skip both the upcoming Cincinnati Open and the Abierto GNP Seguros in Monterrey, Mexico.As a result, she is expected to slide in the WTA rankings due to missing out on potential points from these events. Meanwhile, the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) is hopeful that Alex Eala will represent the country at the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok this December.“We’re hoping she could play for the Philippines. Let’s all pray she does,” said Philta Executive Director Tonette Mendoza.Mendoza said Eala’s participation will depend on her schedule, as the world No. 65 is working on arrangements but is eager to compete.“She’s just trying to fit it into her schedule, but she seems very excited, so we really hope she can make it,” Mendoza added.

As the World Games 2025 officially opened, the Philippines’ 48-strong delegation proudly marched in the parade of nations during the vibrant opening ceremony at the Tianfu International Convention Center in Chengdu, China, marking the start of the country’s quest for glory on the global stage.The contingent is composed of 19 athletes competing across various individual sports, alongside members from two team sports, all carrying the hopes of the nation.

Reigning world pool champion Carlo Biado, along with Johann Chua and Bernie Regalario, advanced to the Last 64 knockout stage of the 2025 Florida Open Pool Championship at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando on Wednesday, August 6.Biado continued his dominant run with a 9–4 victory over fellow Filipino Roland Garcia. Chua and Regalario both pulled off nail-biting wins—Chua edged Norway’s Emil Gangflot, and Regalario outlasted Canada’s John Morra, each prevailing with a 9–8 scoreline.Eight more Filipinos remain in contention for spots in the next stage, including Lee Vann Corteza and Marvin Asis, who are facing Finland’s Arseni Sevastyanov and Scotland’s Jayson Shaw, respectively, as of press time.Garcia, meanwhile, was relegated to the loser’s bracket, joining Jefrey Roda, Patric Gonzales, and Michael Baoanan, who also dropped their third-round matches. Roda suffered a close 9–8 loss to Greece’s Dimitris Loukatos; Gonzales fell to Vietnam’s Duong Quoc Hoang, 9–3; and Baoanan bowed to Japan’s Naoyuki Oi, 9–5.Harry Vergara, Roberto Gomez, and Miguel Salvilla are also battling to stay alive in the loser’s bracket after earlier setbacks.The tournament began with a 256-player field and continues to intensify as the competition narrows.