Sports

Bella Belen wins second UAAP women’s volleyball MVP in three seasons

MANILA, Philippines — Bella Belen was crowned UAAP MVP for a second time hours before Wednesday’s Game 2 of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball Finals where National University is looking to complete its title redemption tour against University of Santo Tomas at Mall of Asia Arena. Belen became the first NU women’s volleyball player to become a two-time MVP — her second top individual honor in three seasons. The do-it-all outside spiker has...

Tyson says comeback at 57 was 'no-brainer'

NEW YORK – Former heavyweight king Mike Tyson said Monday (Tuesday in Manila) his decision to step back into the ring at the age of 57 was a "no-brainer," brushing off recent criticism that he was too old to make a comeback. At a press conference in New York to promote his upcoming bout against YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul, Tyson admitted training for his return had taken a toll. "I'm doing great but my body is shit right now, I'm sore, I'm...

SMB throws weight in massive 2nd half run to whip Terrafirma, seals semis spot

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Beer rediscovered its form that made the team the top seed, torching Terrafirma, 110-91, in their knockout quarterfinal duel to seal a spot in the PBA Philippine Cup best-of-five semifinal series on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Forced to a nip-and-tuck first half, the Beermen flaunted their full offensive might in the last two periods to deal the knockout against the pesky Dyip and avoid the ignominy of...

F1 drivers call for review into "joke" penalty points system

Logan Sargeant and Sergio Perez have led calls for a review into Formula 1's "joke" penalty points system.

Gallent thanks Al Chua for dropping by practice, boosting SMB morale

Alfrancis Chua's visit went a long way for Beermen, says coach

Championship against UST the sweetest victory for NU, says Belen

MANILA, Philippines — Winning the championship against the UST Golden Tigresses is the sweetest accomplishment of the NU Lady Bulldogs, according to Bella Belen. Belen and company defeated the UST side, 25-23, 23-25, 27-25, 25-16, in Game Two to sweep their UAAP Season 86 best-of-3 championship series at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, May 15. "We're very happy because we worked hard in training and I saw our labor bore fruits. The emotions...

Former Freemantle Docker Cam McCarthy tragically dies aged 29

Cone sees Brownlee, Boatwright playing together in non-Fiba games

'They would fit like a glove,' says Gilas coach

Who is every NBA team’s best player of all time?

PH national volleyball teams to be called Alas Pilipinas

MANILA, Philippines — Call the Philippine volleyball teams, Alas Pilipinas from now on. The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and main sponsor Cignal unveiled the men’s and women’s squads’ new monicker on Wednesday at TV5 Media Center. As the Filipino spikers begin their road to the country’s hosting of the 2024 FIVB Men’s World Championship, Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo, who are champion players overseas, will banner the...

Angel Canino fulfills dad’s dream with national team call-up

MANILA, Philippines — Angel Canino is thrilled to follow in the footsteps of her father and former national team member Rodel as she teams up with fellow La Salle stalwarts Thea Gagate and Julia Coronel and UAAP rivals including Bella Belen of National University to lead Alas Pilipinas in the upcoming AVC Challenge Cup. Canino is honored to receive a call-up from the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) for the Alas Pilipinas women...

NBA: LeBron James attends Celtics-Cavaliers Game 4 in Cleveland

CLEVELAND — LeBron James attended Cleveland’s playoff game against the Boston Celtics on Monday night, an appearance certain to drive conversation about the superstar’s future. James, who can opt out of his contact with the Los Angeles Lakers and become a free agent this summer, played two stints in Cleveland. He led the Cavs to their only NBA championship in 2016 before leaving two years later. The league’s career scoring leader, James has...

PBA: Rain or Shine ousts TNT to set up semis duel vs San Miguel

Rain or Shine staved off TNT’s fourth quarter comeback to eke out a 110-109 victory Wednesday and a trip to the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals at Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The Elasto Painters will take on the powerhouse San Miguel Beermen after taking the deciding game of their best-of-three series behind a conference-high 25 points from Gian Mamuyac, who came through with the biggest shot of the evening. Mamuyac’s triple with 39 seconds left gave...

NBA fines Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert $75,000 for gesture at refs

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was fined $75,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for what the league called “making an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture” questioning “the integrity of the league and game officials.” Frenchman Gobert was seen by television cameras rubbing his thumb on his fingers in a “money-sorting” gesture during Minnesota’s 115-107 loss to defending NBA champion Denver on Sunday at Minneapolis. The move came after...

25-year-old MLB superstar breaks Mickey Mantle record

One of baseball's most disciplined hitters since debuting as a 19-year-old in 2018, Juan Soto overtook Mickey Mantle for the most walks by any player in history before their 26th birthday.

What would a 2024 NBA championship mean for Luka Doncic’s legacy?

Alpha predators rule

MANILA, Philippines — The Creamline Cool Smashers, like everybody else, will get the rest that they deserve following one of the toughest, if not the toughest, conferences in PVL history. But there is a certain feeling among the Cool Smashers that when they return from their much needed respite, they will be back as the alpha predators, preying on opponents and collecting championships. “For now, celebrate muna, bawas stress, wala muna isip sa...

Fit-again AJ Edu set for Gilas comeback

(UPDATE) GILAS Pilipinas is assured of a solid defensive stopper at front court as Filipino-Cypriot AJ Edu is slated to make his comeback with Gilas Pilipinas when the national team begins its training on June 21 at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna. Gilas coach Tim Cone said he just had a recent chat with Edu, who is at the tail end of his recovery since tearing his meniscus while playing for the Toyama Grouses in the Japan B....

Ohtani hits longest home run at Oracle Park

SAN FRANCISCO, California – Shohei Ohtani really wanted a splash hit into San Francisco's McCovey Cove, and he came oh so close on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila). Ohtani's 446-foot drive for the Dodgers during a 10-2 win against the Giants landed above the brick facade in right-center for the longest home run at Oracle Park in nearly two years since Christian Walker connected for a 461-foot drive against Alex Cobb on Aug. 15, 2022. "You don't see...

British boxer Sherif Lawal dies after being knocked down in pro debut

LONDON — A British boxer has died after he lost on his professional debut in London. Sherif Lawal was knocked down by a blow to the head from Malam Varela in the fourth round of a scheduled six-round middleweight fight on Sunday at Harrow Leisure Centre. READ: Mexican teen boxer dies of injuries suffered in ring The referee waved it off to allow paramedics to attend to Lawal. He was taken to hospital but died. He was 29. “The British Boxing...

Ray Parks, Nagoya reach B.League semis, Kiefer’s Shiga back in B1

MANILA, Philippines—Ray Parks and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins are heading to the 2024 Japanese B.League semifinals after outlasting the Mikawa Seahorses, 84-75, on Sunday at Dolphins Arena. The Dolphins moved on to face Kai Sotto’s former squad, the Hiroshima Dragonflies. Parks played only nine limited minutes for Nagoya but still contributed five points and an assist in the process. READ: B.League: Thirdy Ravena shines in San-En blowout win It...

Tyson Fury's father John suffers cut to head as Oleksandr Usyk fight week begins

**Warning: Contains strong language throughout** John Fury has been left bloodied after Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk's camps clashed in Riyadh ahead of Saturday's fight.

Kai Sotto back home as reps map out 'mini-camp, workout dates'

Kai gets much-deserved break after impressive Japab B.League season

Cone has high expectations on Boatwright at Gilas

MANILA, Philippines — Tim Cone has high expectations for Bennie Boatwright once he secures his Philippine citizenship so the former USC Trojan can play for Gilas Pilipinas. Though the 27-year-old Boatwright is still in the initial stage of the naturalization process, Cone is convinced that the sweet-shooting American forward can make an immediate impact at Gilas. "Bennie's a great player. I wish he was in our (Ginebra) team so we could teach him...

Canino, Dongallo banner PH squad in AVC Challenge Cup

MANILA, Philippines — Two of the brightest UAAP stars in La Salle's Angel Canino and UE's Casiey Dongallo bannered the Philippine women's volleyball team that will compete in the AVC Challenge Cup slated from May 22 to 29 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) revealed the lineup on Wednesday, May 15 with Canino's Lady Spikers teammates Julia Coronel and Thea Gagate completing the collegiate core of...

PVL: Sister teams Akari, Nxled trade coaches, players–sources

MANILA, Philippines — In an attempt to fill each other’s needs, sister teams Akari and Nxled have traded players and coaching staff with Japanese coach Taka Minowa now taking over the Chargers, bringing Ivy Lacsina and some of his key players for Dindin Santiago-Manabat and four others ahead of the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference. Multiple sources revealed to Inquirer Sports that sister teams Akari and Nxled have undergone a major shake-up in...

Six undisputed world heavyweight champions

Paris - Victory for either Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) will create the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world in 24 years.The ever-bubbling alphabet soup of boxing sanctioning bodies -- a winner in Riyadh would become the first four-belt heavyweight champion -- means that becoming, and remaining, undisputed champion requires not just skill and toughness in the ring, but acumen outside it.A winner will...

SGA to represent PH in Jones Cup

(UPDATE) STRONG Group Athletics (SGA) will represent the Philippines anew when the 43rd William Jones Cup fires off this July 13 in Taiwan. Charles Tiu will be back at the helm and will handle SGA, alongside former Smart Gilas head coach Rajko Toroman as the Philippine club team will try to bring the Jones Cup championship back to the country since it last won in 2019. "Yes, we are leading the team," Tiu confirmed to The Manila Times. The...

Solomon looks to be unpredictable in Game Two

MANILA, Philippines — Alyssa Solomon wreaked havoc against UST as she powered NU to a 25-23, 25-20, 25-20 Game One win in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball Finals last Saturday. Solomon banged 17 points on 14 attacks and three blocks to lead the Lady Bulldogs past the Golden Tigresses and put them on the cusp of the championship. The 6-foot-2 wing spiker knows that UST is going to devise a plan to limit her in Game Two on Wednesday, but...

Agony of defeat drives Flying Titans to keep dreaming

A Premier Volleyball League crown remains elusive to Choco Mucho. But despite the latest bridesmaid finish, the search for glory continues for the Flying Titans. “I always tell my teammates every time we play, [we have] to believe, trust [each other] and win,” Sisi Rondina, one of the conference’s best outside spikers, said in Filipino after Choco Mucho fell to a traditional conqueror in Creamline for the second consecutive Finals on Sunday. “As...

With ‘winner’s mentality,’ Beermen finally dispose of fighting Dyip

Marcio Lassiter was confident that San Miguel Beer would get the job over Terrafirma that the prospect of being a top seed eliminated by the No. 8 seed in the quarterfinals was far from his mind. Never mind if he was once a part of a stunning upset of the same proportion. “Obviously, [having] a winner’s mentality, you don’t want to think that,” Lassiter, who in his rookie season in 2012 was part of Powerade’s shock ouster of B-Meg in the PBA...

Detroit Lions 2024 schedule: Win-loss predictions for every game

The Detroit Lions' 2024 schedule has officially been revealed. Here are our win-loss predictions for every single game.

Thea Gagate, Julia Coronel excited to play with Jia De Guzman

MANILA, Philippines—La Salle’s Julia Coronel and Thea Gagate have a lot of reasons to smile on Wednesday and it goes beyond more than being included in the Philippine national women’s volleyball team. Other than being awarded the bronze medal of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament, Lady Spikers Coronel and Gagate were announced to be part of the newly-monikered Alas Pilipinas earlier this morning. They are also ecstatic with the...

NBA: Stephen Curry wins 2023-24 Magic Johnson Award

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is the winner of the 2023-24 Magic Johnson Award, the Professional Basketball Writers Association announced Wednesday. The award is voted on by more than 200 writers and editors who belong to the PBWA and honors the NBA player who excels both on the court and in displaying "cooperation and grace in dealing with the media and fans," according to the organization. It's the second Johnson award for Curry,...

Noynay takes on Japanese knockout artist in Tokyo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Joe “Jaw Breaker” Noynay and Japanese Jin Sasaki passed the official weigh-in for their double regional title showdown at the Korakuen Hall scheduled in Tokyo, Japan on Thursday, May 16. Noynay, a native of Bogo City in northern Cebu, will battle Sasaki for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia Pacific welterweight title. Also up for grabs in this 12-rounder bout is the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF)...

Guiao on how formidable SMB is: 'Tatlong grupo 'yung first five'

One short CYG sentence to show the tough task RoS is facing in the PBA semis

Creamline somehow still found way to remain on top of PVL

Creamline’s most recent campaign in the Premier Volleyball League was far from perfect. But despite going through a lot of ups and downs in the All-Filipino Conference, the Cool Smashers proved that they are still the queens of volleyball after successfully defending their throne against sister team Choco Mucho, 20-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 15-11, in front of 23,162 witnesses on late Sunday night. “It wasn’t easy. We really had a difficult time...

Bulldogs champs; Bella beats Poyos in tight MVP race

The Bulldogs wasted precious little time closing out University of Santo Tomas (UST). “I saw in my players going into this game that they really wanted to win today,” NU coach Dante Alinsunurin said on Wednesday, after a 25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 25-15 Game 2 victory over the TIger Spikers handed the Bulldogs a fourth straight crown. Before that game, the Lady Bulldogs had their moment of triumph, with Bella Belen notching a second MVP award,...

NBA: Jalen Brunson fires 44, Knicks rout Pacers for 3-2 edge

NEW YORK — Jalen Brunson scored 44 points, reaching 40 for the fifth time in this postseason, and the New York Knicks moved a win away from their first NBA Eastern Conference finals trip since 2000 by beating the Indiana Pacers 121-91 on Tuesday night in Game 5. The Knicks rebounded from a blowout loss on Sunday and guaranteed themselves at least one more game at Madison Square Garden in front of their roaring fans who have been aching to see...

NBA: Nuggets apply even more pressure to Anthony Edwards in Game 5 win

DENVER — Anthony Edwards was seeing double everywhere he turned. All by design as the Denver Nuggets doubled the attention on Minnesota’s standout guard. It was yet another wrinkle for the Nuggets, who held Edwards to 18 points — 15 below his average in this series — in their 112-97 win over the Timberwolves on Tuesday night in Game 5 of their NBA Western Conference semifinals series. “We knew we had to do something different with Anthony...

With nerves of steel, NU Lady Bulldogs reclaim UAAP crown

It all came down to that third frame Wednesday night, with National University (NU) facing set point in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament. Bella Belen, who had earlier won her second MVP trophy, steeled the Lady Bulldogs shaken resolve with a kill to extend the set. But Xyza Gula, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) dynamo who again unloaded fireworks off the bench and steered the Tigresses to a confidence-inflating...

Medvedev out as Swiatek cruises in Rome

ROME – Daniil Medvedev's Rome Open title defense came to an early end on Tuesday after the world No. 4 was knocked out at the last-16 stage by Tommy Paul, while Iga Swiatek cruised into the women's semifinals. Second seed Medvedev has never successfully defended an ATP Tour crown and was well below his best, stunned in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 by American Paul, who claimed his first win against the former US Open champion. "Mentally, I had to be...

NBA: Celtics hold off depleted Cavs to take 3-1 series lead

The Boston Celtics fought off a spirited challenge from short-handed Cleveland Monday, beating the Cavaliers 109-102 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final series. Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Jaylen Brown added 27 points for the Celtics, who will try to finish off the best-of-seven series at home on Wednesday. The Cavaliers were dealt a heavy blow when Donovan Mitchell, who had...

Philippines spikers debut as Alas Pilipinas in AVC joust

MANILA, Philippines — From kings and queens of the local volleyball scene to the “aces” of the international stage. In a historic move, the country will now carry “Alas Pilipinas” as its moniker for both men’s and women’s national volleyball teams as announced by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and partner Cignal. “We are all Alas Pilipinas. This historic event marks an excellent brand image for Philippine volleyball,” said...

Marcial: PBA’s real problem is translating large TV viewers into live audience

The PBA Philippine Cup playoffs has not been short of competitiveness with two quarterfinal pairings even going its three-game distance. Unfortunately, the league could only hope that it could say the same thing about live attendance. “It’s a reality for us,” commissioner Willie Marcial told the Inquirer, referring to the increasing number of empty seats in PBA games of late.“Our games are dependent on many things after all—like venues and...

Dela Rosa: Arrest warrant likely if Ochoa skips PDEA probe again

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronaldo “Bato” Dela Rosa said a warrant of arrest may be issued against former Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. if he fails to attend for the third time the public hearing on allegedly leaked drug documents. Dela Rosa said another subpoena shall be sent to Ochoa, who again did not appear before the Senate hearing on Monday due to COVID-19. The senator said they will give the former Palace official one week to...

Knicks bounce back to crush Pacers

(UPDATE) NEW YORK – Jalen Brunson was back to his best on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) as the New York Knicks dominated the Indiana Pacers, 121-91, to take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal Game 5. A win on Friday night in Indianapolis will see the Knicks advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 24 years. After losing Game 4 by 32 points, it was an emphatic response from the Knicks, with Brunson piling up 44...

Filipina racer Bianca Bustamante clinches second in F1 Academy race

FILIPINA racecar driver Bianca Bustamante showcased her prowess on the tracks by securing second place during Round 2 of the F1 Academy race in Miami, Florida, over the previous weekend. The F1 Academy, a female-only single-seater racing championship founded by Formula One, witnessed a thrilling competition among emerging talents. In this spec series championship, all teams competed with identical Tatuus F4-T-421 chassis and tire compounds...

Notable People who died in 2024

Nuggets outgun Wolves to level playoff series

(UPDATE) LOS ANGELES – The defending champion Denver Nuggets outgunned the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-107 to level their NBA playoff series on Sunday (Monday in Manila) as the Indiana Pacers pulled even with the New York Knicks. The Nuggets, fueled by 35 points from NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon's 27 points on ruthlessly efficient 11-of-12 shooting and 19 points from Jamal Murray, claimed a second straight win in...