MANILA, Philippines — Noel Kampton nearly cost the game after his premature celebration, but Criss Cross recovered in time to beat Savouge, 22-25, 18-25, 25-16, 25-22, 16-14, and stay unbeaten in two games in the 2026 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference on Wednesday night at Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City. The moment after hitting

ANTIPOLO—Magnolia secured the No. 1 spot in Group B of the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup after edging out Rain or Shine, 107-103, on Wednesday at Ynares Center here. Javi Gomez de Liano dropped 19 points after taking advantage of the extended minutes given to him by coach LA Tenorio as the Hotshots ended the group

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 89  basketball tournament – second round MANILA, Philippines- Veejay Pre came up big when University of the Philippines needed him most, powering the Fighting Maroons to a 103-101 double-overtime win over the University of Santo Tomas at Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday. Pre poured in 30 points in his best scoring output

Catch up with all the week’s football fixtures and results.

ANTIPOLO—San Miguel Beer overcame a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun NLEX, 135-133, but missed out on the No. 1 spot in Group A of the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup on Wednesday at Ynares Center here. A goaltending violation called on Robert Bolick for touching the net while George King was going for

MANILA, Philippines — RK Medino, a 17-year-old incoming UAAP rookie, got his full-circle moment when he led National University past VNS Laticrete–the club that discovered him–in the 2026 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference. Medino delivered 15 points for NU-Archipelago Builders in their 25-14, 25-13, 20-25, 25-12 win over VNS on Tuesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 89  basketball tournament – second round MANILA, Philippines—La Salle will take extra precautions with star Jacob Cortez after he suffered a scary fall during the Green Archers’ overtime win over University of the East on Wednesday. Cortez was helped off the court in the second quarter of La Salle’s 97-88 victory over

MANILA, Philippines — Allain Ganapin of taekwondo and Alyana Nunez and Wilson Sante Jr. of athletics fell short of the podium on a quiet Wednesday for the Philippines at the 5th Asian Para Games in Japan. Ganapin bowed to Iranian Paralympic silver medalist Mahdi Pourrahnamaahmad in the quarterfinals of the men’s K44 under-80-kilogram division before

MANILA, Philippines—Defending champion La Salle needed five more minutes to fend off winless University of the East, 97-88, in overtime at the start of the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball second round on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena. Tied at 80 with 3:21 remaining, the Green Archers went on a 17-6 surge to close

ANTIPOLO—June Mar Fajardo became the 19th player in history to reach the 10,000-point club during the first quarter of the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup game between San Miguel Beer and NLEX. A turnaround hook over Dave Marcelo with 2:22 left in the opening period gave Fajardo his fifth and sixth points, enough to secure his

MANILA, Philippines — Clearskiiin found a much-needed spark from Angela Gayud to stay unbeaten in two games in the 2026 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference after turning back the AEP Cabstars, 25-18, 19-25, 25-23, 25-23, on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre. After losing the second set, the UV Smashers turned to Gayud, who proved his

MANILA, Philippines–The NBA announced that 125 international players from 43 countries across six continents are on opening-night rosters for the 2026-27 season, tying the league record for countries represented. Opening-night rosters also feature a record more than 60 players who were born in Africa or have at least one parent born on the continent, while

MANILA, Philippines–The 2026-27 NBA season tipped off today, October 21 (October 20 in the US) with the Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder starting their campaign on a high note. NBA scores today: October 21 Pistons vs Celtics Javonte Green scored 19 points after not playing in the first half and Cade Cunningham

Defending world champion Aurora Gaming avoided a major blunder after surviving the gritty Smart Omega, 3-2, in the MPL Philippines Season 18 play-ins on late Wednesday.

SAN FRANCISCO— Well before tipoff, Atlanta coach Karl Smesko could see it in his superstar’s face: a sheer focus and fierce determination fixed on a single purpose to take over in every aspect. Angel Reese fully realized her team couldn’t afford to fall behind by two games to the Golden State Valkyries in the best-of-seven

ROTTERDAM–Japan won the men’s team title at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam on Tuesday, with Daiki Hashimoto producing a standout display as he helped his country finish ahead of Russia and China. The battle for gold went down to the final of six rotations, with Japan and China separated by a mere one-tenth

FILIPINO tennis ace Alexandra “Alex” Eala tries to get a winning streak going when she battles a higher-seeded Russian in the round of 16 at the WTA 500 Ningbo Open on Thursday. In her previous two tournaments in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour, Eala lost in her opening matches against lower seeded players.Eala, ranked 20th in the world, bowed to No. 180 Tatiana Prozorova of Russia at the Singapore Open and No. 217 Shi Han of China at the Wuhan Open. She also bowed to No. 85 Wang Xiyu of China at the semifinal round at the Asian Games.On Monday, Eala ended the slump and claimed her first win in the ongoing WTA Tour Asian swing with an easy 6-3, 6-1 victory over No. 34 Diane Parry of France.Eala’s next assignment, however, will not be an easy one as she faces No. 13 Diana Shnaider of Russia for the first time in her career.The 21-year-old Eala and 22-year-old Shnaider did not cross paths even in their playing years in the juniors division.Shnaider sealed her place in the round of 16 after denying No. 66 Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan on Wednesday, 7-5, 7-6(4).If Eala gets past Shnaider, she will face either No. 12 Iva Jovic of the United States or No. 35 Jasmine Paolini of Italy.Eala has not won against Jovic in three matches but has a 1-1 head-to-head record against Paolini.The lefty Eala last battled Jovic at the US Open third round and bowed in three sets, 5-7, 6-3, 5-7, last September.Eala also bowed to Paolini at Wimbledon in the fourth round, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, the last time they met in July.Eala defeated Paolini at the Dubai Tennis Championships, 6-1, 7-6 (5), last February at the height of her winning run.

LAS PIÑAS CITY — Multi-titled volleyball coach Dexter Clamor took over as the new head coach of the University of Perpetual Help men’s volleyball team in preparation for NCAA Season 102 this year. He replaced Michael Cariño, who handled the Altas Spikers for the past two seasons. Clamor is bringing along former Perpetual Help players Sandy Montero and EJ Casaña as part of his coaching staff. Clamor, who hails from Mariveles town in Bataan, was a public school teacher by profession before he transitioned as coach for the Cignal HD Team that won six Spikers’ Turf championships. “Well, when they called me and offered the position, honestly, I was surprised. But at the back of my mind, I felt that maybe it’s time to give back to my alma mater,” Clamor said. “I want to share my knowledge and experience that I gained from playing and coaching volleyball to the Altas team. I want to help them grow, not just as volleyball players, but also as individuals.” Returning for the team this year are John Castil, Dexter Arrozado, Klint Mateo, Charles Pallasa, James Pascua, Justin Favila, Ike Jolaton Nash Abenoja, 2nd Best Middle Blocker awardee Jester Bornel and last season’s Rookie of the Year Marc Tangon. They are joined by rookie players Daryll Torio, Dave Borasca, John Penaroyo, JP Noblefranca, Steven Corpuz, Josh Cubar, Dino Espiritu and Marius Calijan. “One of my biggest goals is to bring back the championship culture here, the same legacy that Coach Sammy [Acaylar] had left us,” Clamor added. “For the past two seasons, we failed to reach the semis, so I know this is a big challenge for the coaching staff. But I see it as an opportunity to help rebuild the program, develop the players, and bring Perpetual Help back to where it belongs.” “For me, it’s more than just accepting a coaching position. It’s about giving back to the school that helped shape me, and doing my part to bring pride and success back to the Altas program,” he said. Clamor led Perpetual Help win back-to-back NCAA championships during his collegiate playing years in seasons 86 and 87. As the star setter and leader for the Altas Spikers, Clamor enjoyed a historic collegiate career where he was also awarded the league’s Most Valuable Player and Best Setter in season 87. Alongside teammates Marcelo Joaquin Jr., Jay Dela Cruz and Adam Daquer, the Altas Spikers swept the tournament at 14–0, securing the school’s seventh men’s volleyball title under the guidance of legendary coach Acaylar. Last year, Perpetual Help topped the elims in Group A with 10-3 win-loss record and earned the twice to beat advantage in quarterfinal round. The Carino-coached team, however, lost twice to Letran and failed to advance. Perpetual Help is the winningest team in NCAA volleyball with 14 championships under the guidance of Acaylar. The Altas Spikers last won the NCAA crown in 2024.

THE Western Conference is being appraised as a two-team conference as the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder are so tightly assembled, with young coaches and players on an upward trajectory, not to mention MVP-level leaders. Both teams have fulfilled the team-building paradigm, and with the punitive salary cap, it is now very difficult to assemble a quick-build superteam to challenge them. Having three max players will propel teams into the second apron which carries too many restrictions that the rest of the team will consist of mid-range to minimum players. So how can other Western teams catch up? The Thunder and Spurs are led by two top 5 players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama, respectively. The teams were built around them, and it led to their seemingly invincible status. No one could beat them except each other. Then the New York Knicks emerged in the East and went all the way. It not only showed that it was possible to slay giants, the Knicks also made a blueprint of how to break a young superteam. How about the Los Angeles Lakers? The awkward transition phase is finally finished for the LA Lakers. This is now the team of Luka Doncic, and the front office made moves to build the roster as such. Nagging issues are now addressed, although there was a steep price to pay. They basically mortgaged their future for center Walker Kessler but that is a gamble the team has to make. On the surface, Kessler is an ideal pick-and-roll partner for Luka. They now have the same paradigm as the Spurs and Thunder: a primary playmaker, a secondary shooter/scorer and a defensive anchor-big man. For OKC, it’s SGA, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. For the Spurs, it’s Wemby, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. The Lakers have Doncic, Austin Reaves and Kessler. It’s a similar paradigm, but they also have veteran pieces that could complement them, just like the Knicks, albeit not on the same level. If all goes well for the Lakers, they could emerge as the possible third power in the West. It makes more sense than the arguments for the LaMelo Ball-Anthony Edwards backcourt pairing in Minnesota and the Houston Rockets crew built on Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun. At this new age of the NBA, this is the “superteam” that the Lakers can assemble. Other key pieces are Sandro Mamukelashvili (or Mamu), who has the European pedigree that jells with Luka. And then there is Quentin Grimes, who can also score in bunches. The hope is that some rookie contract and second-chance guys like Matisse Thybulle would emerge as hidden gems, although expectations should be tempered. An unexplored angle in the waiving of Dalton Knecht is that their camp may have actually welcomed it. There was controversy when Knecht was waived when Bronny James was still on the roster. Knecht was obviously a better overall player, and LeBron James was no longer on the team so they no longer needed to please him. However, reports state that Knecht himself may have approved the move, short of volunteering himself. The Lakers simply had better players at his position, specifically Reaves. Acquiring Grimes and drafting Cameron Carr practically closed the thin door. The Lakers appear more structured this season with players having more defined roles. They did not have the patience to experiment or wait on Dalton’s development, despite the clear potential. But there is interest with other teams, so it may be a blessing in disguise. Lakers fans are up in arms, as Knecht was seen as a smart pick, yet he went from the steal of the 2024 NBA Draft to getting waived. Are the Lakers too impatient, or was it tough luck for Knecht that the market yielded players from his position? Gilas update Positive news for Gilas Pilipinas on the November window. Mike Phillips has confirmed his commitment to play for the national team. The former La Salle stalwart has been balling in the B.League and his energy is much needed for the squad. However, what coach Tim Cone should resolve is the naturalized player slot. If Justin Brownlee can’t make it, perhaps Ange Kouame should be secured in time for the next window of the qualifiers. The Philippines could not afford to lose games anymore.

NEW YORK — LeBron James and his new Philadelphia 76ers teammates crashed the New York Knicks’ season-opening celebrations on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), beating the defending NBA champions, 106-100, on the night they raised their title banner at Madison Square Garden. James, 41, and entering a record-extending 24th NBA season with his fourth team, scored 14 points and handed out seven of the 76ers’ 28 assists in a tantalizing glimpse of how he will be a facilitator for younger teammates like Tyrese Maxey — who led all scorers with 28 points. “I could be a lot better,” James told broadcaster NBC. “Still getting my rhythm, obviously just a little bit over two weeks with the new squad. “But I like the way we played. I think we played exceptionally well, especially defensively.” Jaylen Brown, the former Boston Celtics star who arrived in Philly in a stunning trade for Paul George in July, scored 19 points with eight rebounds and six assists, and center Joel Embiid added 13 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 21 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 points with 12 rebounds, but after regaining the lead in the third quarter, the 76ers repelled every Knicks charge. The Knicks ended a 53-year title drought with their victory over the San Antonio Spurs in last season’s NBA Finals. Knicks legends including Bill Bradley, Earl Monroe and Walt Frazier handed out the Knicks’ championship rings in an emotional pregame ceremony at the Garden, where the crowd featured diehard celebrity Knicks fans like Ben Stiller and Spike Lee along with other famous faces including rocker Jon Bon Jovi and L commissioner Roger Goodell. Before the club’s third championship banner was raised to the rafters, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Brunson told fans the Knicks were “ready to turn the page as a team.” “But one thing I would like to say — the joy that this city had this summer we’d love to replicate that again,” Brunson said of a Knicks team aiming to be the first repeat champions since 2018. James, a four-time NBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer, admitted that winning on another team’s ring ceremony night was especially satisfying. “It’s pretty special,” he said. In the nightcap of the opening day triple-header, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder rode a hot start to a 116-104 victory over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. Wembanyama, widely tipped to end Gilgeous-Alexander’s two-year MVP reign, made just one basket in 13 attempts, an alley-oop dunk to end the third quarter. He made his presence felt with 13 rebounds and six blocked shots, and scored 12 points largely, thanks to 10 free throws. But the Spurs, led by 24 points from Stephon Castle, ultimately had no answer for an OKC outfit “hungry” after their title defense ended in a seven-game loss to San Antonio in last season’s Western Conference finals. Tempers flare “Obviously this is the team that eliminated us from achieving our goal,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “But for us, I think it was more like we’re just happy to be back. It’s a longer summer when you don’t win, and we felt that this summer.” There was plenty of tension between the young teams tipped to duel for supremacy in the West for years to come. Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox was whistled for a flagrant foul after throwing Thunder center Chet Holmgren to the court early in the second quarter, sparking a shoving match that resulted in multiple technical fouls. The Spurs made a disciplined start to the third quarter and twice got the deficit to seven in the second half only for the Thunder to pull away again. The NBA’s 81st season tipped off in Detroit, where the Pistons used a fierce second-half fightback to spoil George’s 38-point Celtics debut in a duel of last season’s top two regular-season teams. Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren scored 22 points each, and Duncan Robinson scored 15 of his 21 in the fourth quarter as the Pistons rallied for a 121-113 victory with the aid of a 23-0 scoring run.  AFP

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — Junior Caminero took bites from a massive bone-in tomahawk steak in between questions from reporters inside a beer-soaked clubhouse as teammates danced around, sprayed bubbly and celebrated the Tampa Bay Rays’ third American League (AL) pennant. The Rays and their low payroll and small-ball style are heading to the World Series seeking the first championship in franchise history. After a three-game sweep of the rival New York Yankees in their Division Series, the Rays eliminated the Cleveland Guardians in six games by winning three in a row to close out the AL Championship Series (ALCS). Next up is a matchup against the National League champion Milwaukee Brewers, another thrifty club from a small market that also has never won a World Series. Caminero, the All-Star third baseman who hit 42 homers during the regular season, finally connected for the first time in the postseason, launching a drive off the left-field foul pole to give the Rays a four-run cushion in the seventh inning of a 7-3 win on Monday (Tuesday in Manila). He savored every second of his home run trot, emphatically pounding his chest before reaching first base and imitating Randy Arozarena’s signature pose before crossing the plate while his former Tampa Bay teammate watched from the stands. “Tampa, this is for you!” Caminero shouted to fans after the game. “Come on now! Let’s go!” Veteran slugger Yandy Díaz, who guaranteed a Game 6 victory through an interpreter on Sunday, also blasted a two-run shot, going deep in the eighth after the Guardians closed to 5-3. Díaz also celebrated with a slow trot that wasn’t quite as demonstrative. Díaz held the tomahawk steak, a tradition he started when the Rays clinched the AL East title, and flexed his arms while taking sprays of sparkling wine from teammates. “Protein, medium well, big biceps,” Díaz said with a smile. The Rays have time to enjoy their victory before heading to Milwaukee to face the Brewers in Game 1 on Friday night. They got here by winning 98 games in the regular season, thanks to excellent pitching, strong defense and a group of unselfish hitters with a knack for bunting and playing fundamental baseball. They opened the season with a payroll of $90.5 million that ranked 26th in the majors. “These guys deserve it. It’s a special group,” Rays President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander said. “These guys did an unbelievable job coming together, exploding for 98 wins and building belief in one another. I’ve never seen a group come together like this one has with so many different ways to beat an opponent on a given night, so many ways to play to the scoreboard. They don’t bludgeon people; they just find ways to win and a lot of different ways to do it.” The Rays are in the postseason for the sixth time under manager Kevin Cash. They lost the World Series to the Dodgers in 2020 and the Phillies in 2008.

NEW YORK — The L Players Association ( LPA) called for an investigation into medical care for Jalen Hurts regarding blood clots on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) while the league’s medical director supported treatment by the Philadelphia Eagles. Eagles quarterback Hurts was placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss the remainder of the season after blood clots were found in his lungs following an earlier clot in his left calf. The Eagles and Hurts’ agent said the star passer has deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary embolisms. Hurts, who led Philadelphia to a Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs last year, told team medical staff about the injury after being stepped on during a practice in London. He was diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in his calf and played against Jacksonville in London before flying home, where more examinations showed blood clots in his lungs. The league, according to a report in The Athletic, is not punishing the Eagles for how the case was handled. The L players union wants more information about the situation. “The LPA is not aware of any L investigation into the medical care provided to Jalen Hurts,” the LPA said in a statement. “In fact, the league previously informed the union that it did not plan to review the care he received. “Before conclusions are drawn about how this situation was handled, there must be a full investigation into what occurred. “Determining the facts is essential to ensuring players receive the highest level of care and protection going forward.” Dr. Allen Sills, the L chief medical officer, said on Tuesday at the L meetings that while he could not speak on specifics about Hurts for patient privacy reasons, he supported the Eagles and the actions taken.   AFP

PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) made it three wins from three in this season’s Champions League, beating Barcelona, 4-2, thanks to late goals from Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), while Liverpool clinched a dramatic comeback victory over Villarreal. Phil Foden scored a hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed AEK Athens, 5-1, while there were also much-needed wins for Roma and Napoli. PSG kept their place at the top of the league-phase table, but could yet count the cost of injuries suffered by Ousmane Dembele, Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at the Parc des Princes. “We don’t feel superior to any team, but we trust in ourselves, in everyone who starts and who comes off the bench,” Paris midfielder Ruiz told Movistar. “There’s still a long way to go.” Barcelona twice levelled against the two-time defending champions, but were ultimately well beaten as they slipped to their first defeat of the season. “We tried to play how we wanted to play, we pressed them very high. There were a lot of fantastic things on show today,” said Flick, whose team had won their previous 11 games in all competitions this term. Kvaratskhelia hit the post, Dembele hobbled off and Ferran Torres was denied by Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia in a fast-paced opening. PSG took a deserved lead in the 38th minute as Desire Doue collected the ball outside the area and thumped a shot into the bottom corner. Garcia made another excellent save shortly after the break from Achraf Hakimi, before Xavi Espart burst through to level for Barca against the run of play. Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos both pulled up injured within seconds of each other and had to leave the field. The home team continued to press, though, and Lucas Hernandez restored their advantage 18 minutes from time with a brilliant header. AFP

Magnolia had the luxury of resting its usual stars as its young guns stepped up to lead the Hotshots to a 107-103 takedown of Rain or Shine in the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup.

Cyril Cloyd Ongcoy captured the bronze medal in the men"s 1500m T12/13 event at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan on Wednesday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said the Oklahoma City Thunder are “hungry” for more success after exacting a small measure of revenge on the San Antonio Spurs in their NBA season-opener on Tuesday. Gilgeous-Alexander launched his account for the 2026-2027 campaign with a 32-point display as Oklahoma City scored a 116-104 win on the road over the team

LeBron James said the Philadelphia 76ers still had plenty of room for improvement after launching their NBA season with an impressive opening night victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday. James, 41, launched his quest for a fifth NBA championship with 14 points and seven assists in a 106-100 defeat of the reigning NBA

MEXICO CITY — Sergio “Checo” Perez has been back in Formula 1 for less than a season and is already contemplating retirement. The Mexican driver said Tuesday that bringing Cadillac into a leading role in the sport’s top tier will take time, but he does not plan on competing with the team for much longer. “It’s a project that requires more time than I initially thought,” Perez said in an interview with Televisa network. “I think giving a specific number (of years) is difficult, but it won’t be much longer.” The 36-year-old Perez missed last season when Red Bull dropped him, but returned with Cadillac as it made its debut in the top category. His best results this season are a pair of 14th-place finishes. In addition, he has retired from five races due to various issues. “People who understand Formula 1 know the level I am driving at. It brought me great satisfaction to prove to myself that the circumstances of recent years were what kept me from showing my full talent,” he added. Cadillac, which also has Valtteri Bottas driving for the team, is bottom of the constructors’ championship, having yet to score a single point. “I’m aware that we are much closer to the end than the beginning, but that’s why I want to fully enjoy these Grands Prix — they are a dream,” Perez said. Perez explained that a key reason for considering retirement is wanting to spend more time with his wife, Carola Martínez, and their four children. “What really holds me back (from continuing) is my kids. I would love to stay as long as Fernando (Alonso), for example, but my children are at an age where I want to be around more,” he added. For now, Perez is gearing up to compete in the United States Grand Prix later this week before heading to his home race, the Mexican Grand Prix, where he will reach 300 Formula 1 starts. “I’m excited about projects outside of motorsport,” he said. “I want to finish my time in Formula 1 on a high note, and all I can say is that we will know when (I retire) soon.”

Veteran Chinese hurdler Wu Yanni has responded to renewed public criticism following her bronze-medal finish in the 100m hurdles at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, revealing recent physical health struggles and vowing to continue competing for as long as her body allows. In a series of interview videos released on Tuesday and Wednesday, the outspoken athlete addressed accusations of being “high-profile” and “talking big”. “My mother thinks I talk too big, but I don’t think I do,” Wu said....

The NBA will make what it calls the biggest investment ever into European basketball when it starts a new league there in 2027, deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said in a meeting with reporters on Tuesday. Tatum, speaking a few hours before the start of the NBA season, said again that the planned October 2027 launch