Hopson knocked down the 4-pointer with 4.8 seconds remaining in the game to lift Converge FiberXers to a 96-95 squeaker against TNT Tropang Giga after trailing as much as 16 points in the game.The Converge import completed his heroics in the defensive end as he blocked the driving Rondae Hollis-Jefferson just before the final buzzer went off.Converge improved to 2-1 as they dealt TNT their first loss of the conference after three matches.The FiberXers were still down by three, 95-92, after Hollis-Jefferson knocked down the game’s last four free throws, including a pair with only 9.6 seconds left in the contest.Converge interim head coach Franco Atienza said that they intended to take the four-point shot in their final possession as they have someone who can shoot from that distance.True enough, Hopson made the historic game-winning shot after he got enough space to launch a shot off the screen given by Bryan Santos against Glenn Khobuntin.

While the quarterfinals cast is already complete for the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup, the game between Converge and Magnolia on September 23 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium will determine the final match-ups in the playoffs.The two teams are now tied with 5-4 slate, and the winner of their 5:00 pm game will determine which squad will be the No. 3 seed in the next round and will face Group B’s No. 2 seed, San Miguel Beermen in a best-of-five series.Meanwhile, the loser of the match will face the top-seeded Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

University of Santo Tomas regained its winning ways, pulling away from De La Salle University with a 76-68 victory in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on Sunday, September 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.The Growling Tigresses relied on veteran Kent Patrana and Karylle Sierba as they opened the fourth period with an 11-0 run, strengthening their hold of solo second in the standings with a 4-1 record.Pastrana finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, and three blocks, while Sierba significantly delivered 16 markers, six boards, and three assists as the Tigresses bounced back from a tough first loss to last year’s runner up National University last week.Brigette Santos also contributed with 12 points, five rebounds, and three steals but Growling Tigresses head coach Haydee Ong was not pleased with their win despite managing to force 38 turnovers and having 21 steals.

Kat Tolentino’s strong net defense streered Choco Mucho to a 27-29, 25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 15-12 win over Galeries Tower in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan on Thursday, November 14.Tolentino posted a game-high 27 points anchored on 20 kills and seven denials to deliver the Flying Titans’ first win, earning her the Player of the Game honors. According to Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin, Tolentino has consistently been one of their dependable players, which is why he has been relying on the star opposite spiker, who is recovering her best form despite her auditory condition.“Whenever Kat is in the lineup, I have complete trust in her. I was really saddened when she got sick, but I told her this is the time for her to come back and fully recover,” said Alinsunurin about Tolentino, who eluded multiple games in the first conference and played minimally in the Reinforced Conference due to health concerns.“It feels tiring but I’m okay. It’s nice to be back with the team and help them,” said Tolentino, who also submitted 10 digs.“I think we just have to stick to the system and trust each other. Prove that we’re a fighting team, that we’re fighting up to the last point. So that’s what happened,” she added.

Creamline prevailed in the highly anticipated rematch of last season’s conference, trouncing Akari in straight sets, 26-24, 25-17, 25-16, to secure its second consecutive victory in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the Candon City Arena on Saturday, November 23.The Cool Smashers were boosted by the return of three-time MVP Tots Carlos, who made her first appearance since missing the import-laden event and Invitational Conference due to a knee injury.Creamline took a 16-10 lead in the third set thanks to a 7-2 run led by Jema Galanza and Bernadeth Pons, who each had three and two points.Bea de Leon would help the Cool Smashers gain ground, and Pau Soriano, a substitute, would kill block Faith Nisperos to complete the victory.

The National University Lady Bulldogs dominated the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, 86-58, in the Season 87 women's basketball tournament on Saturday, November 23, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, completing a 14-game sweep of the elimination round and guaranteeing an outright UAAP finals berth. This marks NU's tenth consecutive Finals appearance, having only lost to De La Salle University in Season 76 and the University of Santo Tomas last season.

San Miguel taps Quincy Miller to be their reinforcement in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup title defense when they face the Phoenix Fuel Masters tonight, December 7, 7:30 PM at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Miller is one of the imports of the Beermen in the East Asia Super League, or EASL, together with their Governor’s Cup import, EJ Anosike.The return of the 6’10” Miller will bring his versatility and scoring prowess to the already powerhouse squad, which also acquired the services of Juami Tiongson and Andreas Cahilig from Terrafirma in exchange for Vic Manuel and Terrence Romeo.In his EASL stint with SMB, Miller averaged 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the two games they already played this year.As he returns to Asia's first play-for-pay league, he will be joined by the eighth-time MVP, June Mar Fjardo, and reigning Finals MVP, CJay Perez, in defending their crown.

Petro Gazz overpowered Akari in straight sets, 28-26, 29-27, 25-18, to claim its third win in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Thursday, December 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Brooke van Sickle and Myla Pablo joined forces to edge the Chargers with the Filipino-American hitter hammering 19 points built on 15 attacks including 13 excellent digs, while Pablo added 15 markers off 13 kills, a block, and an ace.Van Sickle gave captain Remy Palma credit for the victory, stating that her leadership helped Petro Gazz get through the tense first few sets and win the straight-setter.“Coming off our rest, we haven’t played in a while so to be able to come out and stay focused in those tight matches was awesome,” said Van Sickle.“I’m super proud of everyone, I feel like Rem [Palma] did a very good job collecting all the girls while we’re on the court and just to slow us down because I feel like at times we we’re like ‘ahhh’ and she’s like ‘calm down, it’s okay, take a breath and just play our volleyball,’” added the reigning conference MVP.

Alas Pilipinas Girls U18 defeated Iran in its first match of the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship, 29-19, 19-25, 25-23, 25-18, today in Thailand, July 1.In the match, which lasted more than two hours, Xyz Ellen Rayco led the team's offense with 19 points, including 14 attack points.Joining the 15-year-old Rayco was Ma. Ellanie Lorraine Gonzalvo, who also contributed 15 points, highlighted by 12 attack points and two aces.Philippines head coach Rey Karl Dimaculangan emphasized the importance of maintaining the right mindset."We need to be more focused on the game and be more aggressive, especially on the floor," he said.Alas Pilipinas will next face Japan on Thursday before taking on India on Friday.

The Alas Pilipinas Boys bounced back from their opening-day defeat with a 25-22, 13-25, 25-23, 25-14 victory over Bahrain in the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Boys’ U18 Championship on Monday at the Wuyuan River Gymnasium in Haikou, China.The win improved the Philippines to a 1-1 record in Pool B and kept its quarterfinal hopes alive. The Filipinos will face India on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in a crucial match, with the winner joining unbeaten Iran (2-0) in the next round.Only the top two teams from each of the tournament’s four pools will advance to the quarterfinals.Despite having just six weeks to prepare for the championship, head coach Oliver Balse was pleased with the team’s poise and response after Saturday’s straight-set loss to Iran.“What was different today was their confidence,” Balse said. “I’m happy with how they performed. The team was more focused, and you could see how badly they wanted to win, especially in the third set.”The Philippines regained control of the match in the pivotal third frame. After a 16-all deadlock, Alas launched a 6-4 run behind Terrence Marticion and Raphael Galapin to build a 22-20 advantage.Bahrain threatened late as Mohamed Haram sparked a 3-0 run to trim the deficit to 24-23, but a net violation handed the Philippines the set and a 2-1 lead.Alas then dominated the fourth set from start to finish, cruising to a 25-14 win to avoid a deciding fifth frame.Marticion led the Philippines with 16 points on 15 attacks and one block, while Galapin and Guerra chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.Mohamed Haram paced Bahrain with 18 points, while Nasralla Haram added 16.Bahrain will also take on Iran on Tuesday.Elsewhere in the tournament, South Korea (2-0) and Japan (1-0) lead their pool, while Saudi Arabia (0-2) and Australia (0-1) remain in pursuit. In Pool A, host China and Chinese Taipei are among the early contenders, while Pakistan strengthened its position atop Pool C with a perfect 2-0 record.

National University added another diadem in their growing treasure chest by escaping Far Eastern University to capture a finals sweep in the Game 2 of the best-of-three series of the 2024 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals on Tuesday, July 16, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Alas Pilipinas stars Bella Belen and Arah Panique carried the Lady Bulldogs’ 25-21, 23-25, 20-25, 25-19, 15-10 conquest before flying to Japan for their national team duties.Panique topscored for the reigning UAAP Season 86 champions with a game-high 27 points on 17 attacks, while Belen sustained her fine form after hammering 23 markers of 25 attacks, while Kaye Bombita added 11 points for the Lady Bulldogs.Gerzel Petallo registered 20 points as FEU’s leading scorer, while Chennie Tagaod produced 18 points in the team’s first runner-up placing.Meanwhile, College of Saint Benilde captured the bronze medal over Colegio de San Juan de Letran in a nerve-wracking five-set victory, 23-25, 25-14, 19-25, 25-20, 17-15.Rhea Densing led the charge for the Lady Blazers with 24 markers, 20 coming off attacks, while Wielyn Estoque chipped in 18 points.Gia Maquilang paced Letran with 22 points highlighted by 19 kills, Nizelle Martin scored 15, while Judiel Nitura and Royce dela Cruz chipped in 10 each.The event concluded with the awarding of attendees.Belen, the reigning UAAP Season 86 Most Valuable Player, also bagged the tournament MVP and 1st Best Outside Spiker honor.The 2nd Best Outside Spiker was awarded to Wielyn Estoque from St. Benilde. The 1st and 2nd Best Middle Blocker were given to Zamantha Nolasco (St. Benilde) and Jean Asis (FEU), respectively.Marie Nitura from Colegio de San Juan de Letran took home the Best Opposite Spiker, while Shaira Jardio was given the Best Libero title and Camilla Lamina got the Best Setter award, both players hailing from National University.

Toyota Motor Philippines has launched its 2024 motorsports season, marking the 10th anniversary of its racing series with exciting new developments.The series, formerly known as the Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Cup, will now be known as the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Philippine Cup, symbolizing a fresh chapter in the country’s racing scene.Held at the Clark International Speedway in Mabalacat, Pampanga, the TGR Philippine Cup will unfold over three weekends and will open to the public: July 13, September 28, and November 9.This year, the TGR Philippine Cup will feature new and returning racers competing in the Sprint Race across three categories: Promotional Class, Sporting Class, and Super Sporting Class.A new sprint race category, the Novice Class, will debut for celebrities, influencers and media personalities. Making their circuit race debuts are Reph Bangsil, Lexi Mendiola, sim racer Russel Reyes, and media racers Pablo Salapantan, Jose Altoveros, Jamil Lacuna and John Rey San Diego.The TGR Philippine Cup will also feature a driving exhibition by professional drifters using the GR 86. Motorsport fans can enter a raffle for a chance to ride in the passenger seat of the GR 86 as it drifts around a slalom course.Attendees can look forward to freebies, prizes, official GR merchandise, GR road cars on display and available for test drives, and a live musical performance.

After a failed attempt some 30 years ago, the province of Agusan del Sur has been named as the host of the Palarong Pambansa 2026.The development was announced following the passing of the Palarong Pambansa flag on to next year’s host.After nearly 60 years, Ilocos Norte is set to host the Palarong Pambansa once again in 2025. Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Garcia passed on the Palarong Pambansa flag to Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc during the grand closing ceremony at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).Earlier this year, Agusan del Sur submitted its bid to host the event, showcasing the D.O. Plaza Memorial Sports Complex, which boasts of world-class sporting facilities.The highlight of the sports complex is its 3,000-seat grandstand, rubberized track, football field with artificial grass, Olympic-sized swimming pool, air-conditioned courts for volleyball and basketball, and other amenities.Additional facilities include a 24-room hotel located within the main grandstand and a tennis court.The other Mindanao bidders who submitted their proposal to the Palarong Pambansa Board were the provinces of Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga City.The last time Mindanao hosted the Palarong Pambansa was in 2019 in Davao City.

Filipino-American gymnast Aleah Finnegan will proudly carry the Philippine colors when she makes her Olympic debut in the Paris Games.Finnegan is one of the four gymnasts who will represent the country in the Summer Games. She will join fellow Fil-Ams Emma Malabuyo and Levi Jung-Ruivivar in the women’s artistic gymnastics events while Carlos Yulo will represent the flag in the men’s division. They hope to bring the Philippines’ first Olympic medal for the sport.The LSU (Louisiana State University) legend came from a family of gymnasts. Her sister Sarah was an alternate for the US Team back in the 2012 Olympics while her other sister Hannah represented the Philippines in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games.Aleah also represented the US Team in the 2019 Pan American Games where she won a gold medal.Who is Alean Finnegan?Finnegan might have a lot of success in the gymnastics world but there were obstacles that she also faced along the way.She underwent surgery for a navicular bone injury in 2020 after the Tokyo Olympics original schedule was postponed. She eventually tried to compete for a slot in the Olympics trials but was not selected. The Fil-Am gymnast also retired from elite gymnastics in 2021, and decided to continue her career in LSU.Then, opportunities knock upon her door and it opens a lot of success for her.When she switched federations in 2022 and decided to represent the Philippines, she immediately earned success and made an impact by winning a gold medal in the team event and vault of the Southeast Asian Games held in Hanoi, Vietnam.Then in 2023, Finnegan competed in the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships where she finished 32nd in the the women’s all-around event which allowed her to be eligible for a slot to the Olympics making her the first Filipina gymnast to qualify in the Paris Games.

Akari’s import Oly Okaro had a performance to remember as she paced her team to a five-set comeback against the Choco Mucho as they went 2-0 to start the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Tuesday, July 23.The Chargers remain undefeated in Pool B after pulling off the reverse sweep against the Flying Titans, 18-25, 16-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-13.The 28-year-old American opposite spiker recorded an explosive performance in the game, matching the season’s scoring record of 38 points built off 33 attacks, three aces, and two blocks. Okaro tied Creamline’s Tots Carlos in the season-opening All-Filipino Conference last March with the fifth-highest scoring output in the league’s seven year-history.

Spain-based Filipino athlete John Cabang Tolentino has been breaking records for the Philippines as he takes the road to Paris one hurdle at a time.The 22-year old hurdler will compete in the men's 110m hurdles event of the Summer Games - his first-ever Olympics. He will join fellow hurdler Lauren Hoffman and pole vaulter EJ Obiena to be one of the three Philippine representatives in athletics that will compete in Paris.In the Philippine Athletics Championships held last May in Pasig, Tolentino set the national record for 110m hurdles at 13:37. Prior to this, he won the bronze in the Asian Indoor Championships in February where he clocked in 7.64 in the 60m hurdles, which also broke the national record. Tolentino also won the bronze medal with a result of 13.85 in the same event during the 2023 Southeast Asian Games that was held in Cambodia.Currently ranked 36th in the world, Tolentino will face a tough competition in the Summer Games as Tokyo gold medalist and 2023 World Championship silver medalist Hansle Parchment of Jamaica will once again compete in the 110m hurdles. Also, Tokyo silver medalist and three-time world champion Grant Holloway of Team USA will also compete in the 110 hurdles.Parchment won the gold in Tokyo as he clocked in 13.04, while Holloway settled for silver with 13.09. in the 2023 World Championships, Holloway had it at 12.96, while Parchment registered 13.07.The 22-year-old Filipino was ranked No.29 out of the 40 athletes when the Philippines Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) officially announced his qualification for the Olympics.Before this, Cabang started representing and playing for the Philippines in 2022. It was then during the Asian Championships of the following year when he made his mark as he finished fourth after clocking in at 13.56.Earlier this year, Cabang reset his personal and the Philippine record of the 110m hurdles during the National Championships in Pasig at 13.37. He also won gold during the meet.That is why for Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) Secretary General Jasper Tanhueco, Tabang, as well Hoffman and PH’s pole vault bet EJ Obiena, is in a good position to bring home Olympic gold.

It took Akari import Oly Okaro just two matches to etch her name in the record books of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).The American import showcased her scoring prowess in the Chargers’ last two games, dropping a couple of 30-point outings to power their reverse sweep victories against fancied rivals, Choco Mucho and Petro Gazz, to keep their tight grip on the top spot in Pool B.The 28-year-old opposite hitter’s 38-point explosion in the hard-earned triumph against the Flying Titans duplicated the league’s fifth-highest single-game scoring output set by Creamline’s Tots Carlos in the 2024 All-Filipino Conference in March.Okaro’s strong and remarkable offensive front earned her the conference’s second PVL Press Corps Player of the Week award presented by Pilipinas Live for the period of 23 to 27 July.Her brilliance outclassed Cignal’s MJ Perez, Capital1’s Marina Tushova, and Choco Mucho’s Royse Tubino as she received the unanimous vote from online, broadsheet, and tabloid reporters covering the professional volleyball league.

Serbian gaming organization Aurora Gaming has formally entered the MLBB scene through the reveal of its powerhouse MPL Philippines roster Saturday night.The team is composed of powerhouse veterans, all of which have had significant experience in and out of the Land of Dawn.Leading the pack are ex-Blacklist International stalwarts Edward Jay “Edward” Dapadap, Kenneth Carl “Yue” Tadeo, and Renejay “Renejay” Barcarse.RSG Philippines’ former star jungler Jonard “Demonkite” Caranto, TNC Pro Team stalwart Ben “Benthings” Maglaque, and Minana EVOS’ Jan Dominic “Domeng” del Mundo have also joined the team.At the coaching team of Aurora’s star-studded lineup are ex-Blacklist coaches Aniel “Master The Basics” Jiandani, supported by assistant coach Dexter Louise “Dex Star” Alaba.And guiding the team as Esports and Gaming Content Directors are MPL legends Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna and Danerie James “Wise” del Rosario.Aurora Gaming says their focus on the team would focus on ambassadorship, quelling rumors of a return for both OhMyV33nus and Wise to competitive MLBB.