The 100th UAAP matchup between De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University lived up to its billing, with the Green Archers coming out on top, 83-76, Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

MANILA, Philippines -- De La Salle took down Ateneo de Manila, 83-76, at the Mall of Asia Arena Wednesday in the UAAP Season 89 men's basketball tournament to even their overall rivalry record at 50-50. Leading by just two at 72-70, the Green Archers unleashed an 11-2 run capped by a Jacob Cortez trey to take an 83- essentially put the Blue Eagles away in the last 2:16. Joaquin Tovera racked up 15 points, 4 assists, and four rebounds to lead La Salle, which rose to 3-2 and dragged Ateneo to the same record. La Salle, Ateneo, and NU are now in a 3-way tie from second to fourth places.

MANILA, Philippines — NLEX completely overwhelmed a severely undermanned Macau, 138-78 as it picked up from where it left off at the resumption of the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The Road Warriors, already assured of a playoff berth, took advantage of the Giant Pandas’ depleted roster as they booked their eighth win in 10 starts to regain solo lead in Group A. The foreign guest squad, which showed up without its top gunners, except Kobey Lam, dropped to 2-7 overall. Macau trailed by as many as 60 points in one of the most lopsided contests in years. Schonny Winston led NLEX with 25 points, new import Deonte Burton had 22, 14 rebounds and eight assists in a solid PBA debut in lieu of Dequan Jones, who is out for good after sustaining a broken leg last August. Robert Bolick added 14, while three other Road Warriors had 10 points apiece. Oscar Lopez, taking over the spot vacated by import DeVondre Perry, led Macau with 36 points and 13 rebounds but had eight turnovers. Lam was the only other double-figure scorer for Macau with 22 points, but had 10 turnovers. Macau no longer had top local gunners like big man Ramon Cao, Damian Chongqui, and Jenning Leung as they signed with different teams in the East Asia Super League when the PBA Governors’ Cup went on a seven-week break.

NLEX punched its PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup quartefinal ticket in a record-breaking fashion after a 138-78 victory---the biggest win margin in league history---against a depleted Macau on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

National University quickly got back in the win column as it convincingly defeated Adamson University, 85-66, Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

MANILA, Philippines -- National University returned to winning form after holding off Adamson University, 85-66, in the UAAP Season 89 men's basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena Wednesday. The Bulldogs went on a 16-5 run capped by a Mo Diassana dunk to seize an 18-point, 82-65 lead and put the Soaring Falcons away with 2:09 left. PJ Palacielo poured 19 points and 8 assists to lead NU, which led by as many as 21 points in the first half before Adamson got within nine, 57-66, in the final canto. Bouncing back from their loss to the Ateneo Blue Eagles last Saturday, the Bulldogs rose to 3-2 for third place. The Falcons dropped to 2-2 for a 4-way tie with UP, UST, and La Salle from fourth to seventh places as of posting time.

UAAP Season 89 Men’s Basketball Tournament NU def. Adamson (85-66) PJ Palacielo Player of the game #UAAPSeason89

No longer on the Mapua bench, Clint Escamis still knows when his old team needs a lift.

Top seed NLEX alongside four other teams will parade new imports when the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup resumes on Wednesday after a lengthy break.

MANILA, Philippines — Unranked Ella Mhae Paglalunan and fellow Gen. Trias, Cavite standout Raven Licayan powered a sweep of the MVP honors in the Zentro Juniors Age-Group Championships, with Paglalauan completing a two-title romp and Licayan adding a boys’ crown at the Zentro courts and Pulilan Tennis Club in Bulacan. Paglalunan stole the spotlight in the girls’ 16-and-under singles, toppling three seeded rivals on her way to the title before ruling the 14-and-U division as well to emerge as the lone double-gold medalist in the Group 2 tournament sanctioned by Philta and Universal Tennis Ranking. The rising star from Gen. Trias first disposed of Maxine Chua and Alexa Morales in the opening rounds, then routed No. 4 seed Michaela Suarez, 6-1, before scoring a 6-3, ret. victory over No. 2 Jan Cadee Dagoon in the semifinals. Paglalunan then capped her stunning run with a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of No. 6 seed Lilith Rufino in the championship. Earlier, Paglalunan lived up to her top billing in the girls’ 14-and-U class, dropping just eight games in five matches. She completed the sweep with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Rufino in the final. Licayan likewise emerged as a double finalist and one of the tournament’s two co-MVPs, securing the boys’ 12-and-U crown with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Leonardo Manio III. The Gen. Trias bet, however, fell short in his bid for a second title after yielding to top seed Jan Caleb Villeno, 2-6, 6-4, 2-6, in the boys’ 14-and-U semifinals. Villeno went on to beat Juan Antonio Cablitas, 6-2, 6-1, for the championship. The two Gen. Trias players’ MVP performances highlighted a week-long tournament that drew a maximum field of 256 entries across eight boys’ and girls’ age-group divisions, underscoring junior tennis’ continued growth and popularity. Troan Vytiaco, unseeded Cyrus Javier, Eilythia Comia and Dagoon were the other singles champion in the tournament, backed by ICON Golf & Sports and Palawan Group of Companies, the event marked the resumption of the Palawan Pawnshop junior circuit following another successful swing through Mindanao in September. Vytiaco edged Anthony Cosca, 4-6, 6-1, 5-1, ret., for the boys’ 16-and-U title, while Javier stunned Cosca, 6-0, 6-2, in the boys’ 18-and-U final. Comia turned back Misty Principe, 7-5, 6-3, to rule the girls’ 12-and-U division, while Dagoon bounced back from her 16-and-U setback to regain redemption in the girls’ 18-and-U class, trouncing Suarez, 6-3, 6-3. Licayan also teamed up with Rafael Cablitas to capture the boys’ 14-and-U doubles crown, while Patrice Garcia and Suarez topped the girls’ doubles field in the same age group. Dagoon and Ayl Gonzaga claimed the girls’ 18-and-U doubles plum, while Javier and Raffy Pagtalunan ruled the boys’ side. Morales and Lance Recto completed the list of champions by taking the 14-and-U mixed doubles title. TMT

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino boxers will begin to hunt for Olympic berths at the World Boxing Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan in April next year. The tournament is the first direct qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. A total of 44 total quota spots will be rewarded across 14 Olympic weight categories -- seven each for men and women. Carlo Paalam, the lone Philippine boxer to make the podium at the just concluded Asian Games in Japan, is expected to lead the charge for the Filipino pugs. Paalam claimed a silver medal in the men's 55kg class after a controversial split decision loss to home bet Rui Yamaguchi in Nagoya. Paalam's fellow Olympians Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas are seen as the top bets for the Philippines in the women's side. Paalam is a silver medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, while Petecio likewise snared silver in Tokyo and bronze at the 2024 Paris Games. Villegas took her bronze medal in Paris as well. If the Filipino pugs could not secure Olympic berths in Astana, they can still make the Games in three tournaments. Offering Olympic spots are the Asian qualifier in China and two final world qualifying tournaments in 2028. The schedule for the three tournaments hasn't been released yet.

MANILA, Philippines — Having snapped a two-year title drought, Jhonnel Ababa hopes to ride the momentum and growing confidence from his victory last week as he shoots for back-to-back championships in the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship, which blasts off on Oct. 12 in Cagayan de Oro City. Ababa overcame a nerve-wracking, see-saw battle in Iloilo last week, coming from behind with clutch birdies on the final two holes to force a tie with Jeffren Lumbo and then claim his 14th Philippine Golf Tour victory. The triumph was as emotional as it was unexpected. Unlike his previous victory at Apo Golf in 2024, when he prevailed in a sudden-death playoff over Guido van der Valk before a home crowd, Ababa said his Iloilo triumph felt like a blessing that came when he least expected it. He had trailed Lumbo by three heading into the final stretch. With the odds seemingly stacked against him, Ababa could only credit his faith for turning the tide. “God simply gave me this victory. I honestly didn’t expect to win because Jeffren had such a big lead. But God made it possible,” said Ababa in Filipino, who dedicated the victory to his family, including his late wife, Mailyn, and their sons, John Michael and Samuel. Ababa will now be hard-pressed to make it two in a row, with a slew of seasoned campaigners and hungry contenders also determined to shine in the eighth stop of the 10-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Among them is Reymon Jaraula, the last player to win at the Pueblo de Oro layout when it hosted a PGT event in 2019. Jaraula edged Tony Lascuña in a dramatic playoff that year and returns to the venue after a strong third-place finish in Iloilo with the Del Monte ace looming as one of the players to watch in the P2.5-million championship. Lascuña, meanwhile, will try to bounce back from a 10th-place finish in Iloilo. He headlines a formidable cast that also includes Zaragosa, Lumbo, van der Valk, Russell Bautista and Angelo Que. The reigning Order of Merit champion, Que likewise hopes to regain top form after a hectic stretch of campaigns at home and abroad. He is chasing a third victory of the season after topping the Caliraya Springs and Summit Point legs. But the Pueblo de Oro field is deep, with recent Negros Occidental leg winner Art Arbole, Russell Bautista joined by Elee Bisera, Francis Morilla,Jay Bayron and Ira Alido, as well as Korean bets Kim Tae Soo, Chon Koo Kang and Lee Song. Also in the mix are US-based Jeremy Tandoy and Ivan Yabut, along with a number of other foreign challengers, setting the stage for another fiercely contested week on the PGT. TMT