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

Set-piece training will be high on the agenda next week after Gillingham threw away any chance of a win on Saturday.

MANILA, Philippines — Already out of contention, AEP Cabstars remained determined to end a losing spell and swept VNS Laticrete, 27-25, 25-19, 25-16, in the 2026 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference on Saturday at Philsports Arena. Setter John Wayne orchestrated the balanced attack with 19 excellent sets for the Cabstars, who snapped a three-game losing skid

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine women’s national basketball team will chart its own path under a new identity after Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and University Athletic Association of the Philippines unveiled Gilas Hiraya on Saturday. Derived from the Filipino word for the fruit of one’s dreams, hopes and aspirations, Hiraya reflects the women’s team’s ambition to build

MANILA, Philippines — The PCA Open-Palawan Pawnshop Juniors Tennis Championships has joined the growing roster of major junior and Open tennis tournaments under the Palawan Pawnshop umbrella, with Leanna Barrido and Claudwin Tonacao leading the list of champions after contrasting victories in the 14-and-under division at the PCA outdoor courts in Paco, Manila. Barrido leaned on her fighting spirit and composure to overcome Francine Wong, 7-6(6), 6-4, in a tense girls' finals showdown, while Tonacao capped a remarkable run with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 victory over eighth seed Francisco De Juan III in the boys' championship. The tournament's inclusion in Palawan Pawnshop's expanding tennis program further strengthens its presence in the local tennis scene, joining established fixtures such as the Gentry, Olivarez and Palawan Open tournaments. The second-seeded Barrido, a rising talent from Antipolo, Rizal, had earlier cruised past Clare Henson, 6-1, 6-1, and Riomy Ambrad, 6-0, 6-4, in the first two rounds before surviving No. 8 Anica Palacio, 7-5, 7-5, in the quarterfinals. She advanced to the finals via a walkover after Joella Sanchez withdrew to rush home to Cagayan de Oro. Sanchez had earlier escaped with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Kyla Caguiao, leaving Barrido with valuable time to rest and prepare for the title clash. But against the third-ranked Wong, Barrido had to dig deep, surviving a grueling opening-set battle that could have gone either way before clinching the tiebreak, 8-6. She carried that momentum into the second set, breaking Wong once and holding serve to seal the straight-set triumph and pocket precious ranking points. Tonacao, meanwhile, sustained his remarkable charge in the lower half of the boys' 14-and-U draw of the country's longest-running talent-search program organized by Palawan Pawnshop under president and CEO Bobby Castro, highlighted by a stunning 6-3, 7-5 quarterfinal upset of second seed Jan Villeno. The Bogo, Cebu standout then recovered from a first-set setback to topple No. 4 Kresthan Belacas, 2-6, 6-0, 10-6, in the semifinals before overwhelming De Juan in the title match. Also sharing top honors in the Philta- and UTR-sanctioned tournament presented by Dunlop and supported ICON Golf & Sports and Palawan Group of Companies were Jana Diaz and Miguel Lagac III in the 18-and-U division, Shaner Gabaldon and Nicholas Andal in the 16-and-U class, and Zhynaiah Gargaceran and Raven Licayan in the 12-and-U category. Diaz routed Izabelle Camcam, 6-2, 6-0, while Lagac overpowered Josuie Pante, 6-2, 6-2. Gabaldon subdued Ava Banson, 6-2, 6-2, and Andal stunned Julius Otoc, 6-2, 6-0. Gargaceran swept past Abby Castigador, 6-1, 6-1, while Licayan outlasted Dale Diamante, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Gabaldon emerged as the lone double champion, teaming up with Sabine See to capture the girls' 18-and-U doubles crown over Dania Bulanadi and Avegail Ansay. Rafa Monte de Ramos and Ace Bandalla claimed the boys' doubles title at the expense of Andal and Marwin Plata. Athena Liwag and Michaela Suarez bagged the girls' 14-and-U doubles crown over Barrido and Angelica dela Cerna, while Rafaello Munozco and Tristan Coros secured the boys' diadem against Jairus Peralta and Thirdy de Juan. TMT

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 89  basketball tournament – second round MANILA, Philippines–National University leaned on Tebol Garcia and Reinhard Jumamoy for a fourth-quarter surge to beat University of the East, 91-74, and secure a Final Four berth in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. Garcia and Jumamoy combined for

Gillingham became the first side since late August to lose to Colchester United in the league on Saturday.

INDIAN WELLS, California— Katerina Siniakova has clinched her record sixth year-end finish as the world’s top-ranked doubles player on the WTA Tour. She will have held the top spot for 209 weeks as of Monday, leaving her second all-time behind Hall of Famer and fellow Czech Republic native Martina Navratilova, who was No. 1 for

LOS ANGELES— Lakers guard Austin Reaves has a bruised heel that’s thought to be a minor injury, and NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic is fine after rolling his ankle in Los Angeles’ most recent game. Lakers coach JJ Redick said Friday that Doncic is expected to be available for their next game in Phoenix on

TURIN–Carlos Alcaraz cut short a training session on Friday because of a stomach problem but said he was feeling “better and better” ahead of the ATP Finals in Turin. “I didn’t even have breakfast this morning because I couldn’t. I woke up with my stomach feeling a bit upset,” Alcaraz told reporters at the season-ending

MANILA, Philippines — Savi Davison led PLDT’s bounce back with 21 points against the also-ran Galeries Tower, 25-13, 25-23, 23-25, 25-18, to stay in semifinal contention in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference Saklab Series on Saturday at Philsports Arena. After the High Speed Hitters’ five-set meltdown to Farm Fresh earlier this week, Davison came out

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Rory McIlroy is joint top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage of the European Tour’s Tour Championship after finishing his round five under par on Friday. Bidding for a record-equalling eighth Order of Merit crown, McIlroy shot a two-under-par 70 which put him level with England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who carded 69. The Northern Irishman overcame some hiccups on another windy day at the Earth course of Jumeirah Golf Estates, making back-to-back bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes, before closing out his round with a birdie. Kristoffer Reitan was one behind, alongside Joost Luiten -- the lowest-ranked player to make it to the tournament -- following a second straight round of 70. McIlroy can join Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie as the only eight-time European winner of the season-long title if he can overtake leader Eugenio Chacarra, who trails by six shots. A win for McIlroy on Sunday would make any result for Chacarra meaningless as far as the Order of Merit crown goes. “If I win the tournament, that’s all I can do,” said McIlroy. “If I go and I win the first trophy on Sunday, then the second trophy should take care of itself.” McIlroy was impeccable the first 10 holes as he made four birdies without dropping a shot. His first bogey came on the 12th when his drive found thick rough, followed by another on the 16th, where he found the bunker. On the par-three 17th, his tee shot came up short, and his first putt failed to reach the green. “As it dries out, lies and fairways aren’t very good, and greens start to get bumpy. And I started to get maybe a little bit frustrated with the course on the way in,” said the reigning two-time Masters champion. “I’ve been coming to this golf course for 17 years, and this is the toughest it has ever played. I have always associated it with low scores, and when it is not, I guess you have to reframe what a good score is. And anything in the 60s is a good score.” Hatton, who made five birdies against two bogeys, said he was happy with his round, but surprised with his score. “Overall, it was pretty solid. A couple of really poor tee shots on the seventh and the 12th,” said Hatton. “It was weird to see that kind of creep in. It made me feel a little bit uncomfortable with the driver for the rest of the round, to be honest.” Chacarra pumped his fist in celebration when he chipped in for a birdie on the final hole, after an inconsistent round with five bogeys. “I have made 10 birdies in the two rounds, so clearly, my good is good. However, I am making a few silly mistakes, and I need to clean up those,” said the Spaniard. “It’s one of Rory’s favorite courses and he has had so much success here,” said Chacarra. “If Rory comes here and wins the tournament, he is a deserved champion. There’s nothing I can really do.” Patrick Reed, third in the Order of Merit, will have a mountain to climb to become only the second American player after Collin Morikawa to be crowned European No1 after a round of 77 dropped him to five under par.

BELLEAIR, Florida — Hye-Jin Choi opened with two bogeys, made up ground with a 15-foot eagle putt late and finished with a 3-under 67 Friday (Saturday in Manila) that gave her a three-way share of the lead at The Annika and another chance to win for the first time in 127 tries on the LPGA Tour. It was far more effective than the bogey-free round of Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player who could only laugh at her clean card because it was cleaner than she would have preferred — 15 straight pars, one birdie, two closing pars for a 69. That left Korda four shots behind going into the weekend at Pelican Golf Club, where a victory would make the 28-year-old American eligible for the LPGA Hall of Fame. “I had a lot of chances,” said Korda, competing for the first time in two months. “But you can just tell that from yesterday morning to today afternoon with the wind, that’s what the defense of this golf course is. It’s as fast as Bermuda as I’ve putted on throughout my career.” It wasn’t a problem for Solheim Cup star Carlota Ciganda, who birdied her last four holes for a 63 to join Choi and Lindy Duncan (66) atop the leaderboard at 12-under 128. The Japanese duo of Mao Saigo (65) and Minami Katsu (69) were two shots behind. Choi has been an LPGA member for five years and it has been a curious chase for that first LPGA victory, particularly since she was 17 when she had a late lead in the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open and wound up as a runner-up. She also had two good chances at winning during the recent Asia swing, where she was runner-up in Shanghai and South Korea. Choi was playing in the group with Korda the opening two rounds, which she believes has tested her enough to calm her nerves on the weekend. She wasn’t rattled by the bogey-bogey start, or the bogey on the par-5 14th, her fifth hole of the round. She pieced together enough birdies to regain some momentum, then hit an approach that got a nice kick around the green and rolled out to just under 15 feet for eagle on the par-5 seventh.

WHAT came across as criticism in July sounded a lot more like a compliment when Rory McIlroy contemplated the nebulous future of Bryson DeChambeau. DeChambeau was theatrical as ever when he protested a two-shot penalty for improving the path of his swing while stomping around in waist-high grass at the British Open. There were questions whether he would withdraw and rumors he was planning to call President Donald Trump. It led to players having to wait until nearly midnight to get Saturday tee times. “I think a lot of it is performative,” McIlroy said at Royal Birkdale, making clear he was not a big fan of DeChambeau. And now? DeChambeau is searching for a new home after the demise of LIV Golf, which on Tuesday in New Jersey filed a joint Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan. The PGA Tour typically has a one-year ban of players dating to their most recent LIV Golf appearance, which could be longer if there are other disciplinary considerations (such as DeChambeau being part of the antitrust lawsuit against the tour). He has the option of joining the European tour from winning a major in the last five years. That was the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 when he got up-and-down with a 55-yard bunker shot to win by one over McIlroy, who peeled out of the parking lot without a word. DeChambeau already was planning to play the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa, which the European tour co-sanctions, on Dec. 4-7. He has until Sunday to inform the European tour whether he wants to take up membership. It's that “performative” nature that makes McIlroy believe DeChambeau would be a positive addition to the European tour. “I think a name like Bryson DeChambeau and everything he brings with him, good and bad, he brings eyeballs, which is a good thing for tournaments,” McIlroy said at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. “And honestly — look, I’m certainly not in his shoes, and nor would I ever want to be — but it doesn’t seem like he’s got many options,” McIlroy said. “If he wants to play competitive golf, it doesn’t seem like he’s got many options.” There's always YouTube, which has given DeChambeau plenty of eyeballs. He has more than 3 million subscribers. DeChambeau has suggested he could devote time to YouTube and play the four majors, though it's always hard to tell if he's serious. In his first public comments since the breakaway golf league announced it would shutter rather than launch a new version, DeChambeau in a social media post Sunday expressed no regrets for his last four years on LIV Golf and offered no clear details what was next for him. He also invoked Arnold Palmer in saying the golf universe doesn't revolve around him. “Arnold Palmer said no player is bigger than the game, and I want to acknowledge that along the way, I’ve said some things that didn’t help,” DeChambeau wrote in Sunday’s post. “Whatever comes next, I’ll approach it with humility and respect for the people who carried this game long before me.”

INDIANAPOLIS — Pascal Siakam scored 19 points and Aaron Nesmith added 18 to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 106-104 win over the New York Knicks in an NBA Cup game on Friday (Saturday in Manila). Siakam’s 15-foot jumper with 1:49 remaining gave Indiana a 106-98 lead before the Knicks stormed back. Jalen Brunson’s driving layup cut the lead to 106-102 with 26 seconds left. Siakam was fouled, but missed both free throws with 23 seconds left. Mikal Bridges scored to slice the lead to two points with 10 seconds to go before the Pacers turned the ball over with 2.8 seconds to go. But, Karl-Anthony Towns missed a potential game-tying 15-foot jumper at the buzzer. Nesmith, who was limited to 21 minutes because of right knee soreness in Wednesday’s victory over Washington, was declared available earlier Friday. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 16 points and Ivica Zubac had 12 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana. Brunson led he Knicks with 33 points. Towns finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds and Bridges added 18 for the Knicks. Both teams shot 43%. Indiana held a 50-43 edge in rebounds. With the Pacers leading 85-74, the Knicks went on a 10-0 run to narrow the deficit to 85-84 after three quarters. For the game, the Pacers shot 18 of 25 from the line. New York made 10 of 13. Meanwhile, Franz Wagner fell a rebound shy of his first career triple-double, scoring 35 points and adding 12 assists to lead the Orlando Magic to their first home victory, 107-99 over the Milwaukee Bucks. Desmond Bane added 21 points to help Orlando improve to 2-0 in NBA Cup group play. Milwaukee fell to 0-2 in the group that also includes Brooklyn, Detroit and Toronto. Tyler Herro had 18 points for Milwaukee, which lost a ninth straight game to equal its longest streak since a nine-game slide Jan. 2-19, 2014. Per Sportradar, the Bucks (1-12) are off to their worst start in 52 years, when they lost 13 of their first 14 in 1974-75 without an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

FOR motorcycle racing champion Jacq Buncio, being fast is only part of the responsibility that comes with riding. The Filipina racer is using her experience on the racetrack to remind motorists that public roads are not places to test their limits, stressing that responsible riding means knowing when to slow down. “You can’t be fast if you can’t slow down,” Buncio said in an interview on The Scorecard of Bilyonaryo News Channel. Buncio called on motorcycle riders to be more mindful of other road users, pointing out that reckless driving is not just a personal risk but also a danger to other people. “You can’t be selfish. You can’t be selfish na if you guys don’t want to go home to your families, we want to,” she said. The champion racer also shared that she has encountered road rage incidents, particularly from motorists who appear to challenge her because she is a woman. But Buncio chooses not to engage, saying that responding to such behavior would contradict her role as a road safety advocate. “I have to. I have to. Kasi kapag pumatol ako doon, what’s the point of being a safety advocate, hindi ba?” she said. Her advocacy carries added weight given her accomplishments in a sport traditionally dominated by men. Buncio made history in 2016 when she became the first female motorcycle circuit racer to win an overall Philippine Pirelli Superbike Championship title. She went on to capture the Rookie overall crown in the 2018 Philippine Superbike Championship and the Intermediate category title in 2021. But beyond collecting trophies, Buncio hopes to help make motorsport more accessible to aspiring riders, giving them a proper venue to develop their skills instead of taking unnecessary risks on public roads. She also wants to leave a lasting legacy for women in the sport, having spent more than a decade competing in a male-dominated field. Buncio revealed that her journey began in 2011, following the death of her brother, Maico, who also lost his life in a racing accident. She initially pursued the sport to continue what he had started and to bring back the passion for racing that her family had shared. Now, she hopes her journey can inspire more women to take their place on the starting grid. As she continues her racing career, Buncio’s message to fellow riders remains simple: getting home safely is more important than winning a race. “Always ride safe. Always, you need to go home. Walang championship sa kalsada, guys. Umuwi lang kayo nang safe sa pamilya ninyo, panalo na kayo,” she said.

LOS ANGELES — Ukrainian veteran Elina Svitolina beat world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in a rollercoaster three sets on Friday (Saturday in Manila) to punch her ticket to the WTA Finals last four, where she’ll face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. Broken to start the third set, sixth-ranked Svitolina stormed home, winning six straight games to triumph 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. She claimed just her second career victory in eight meetings with the Belarusian star, whose first-serve struggles and 35 unforced errors proved too much to overcome. The match concluded round robin play in the elite season-ending event. Earlier Friday, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva capped an unbeaten run through the group stage with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Diana Shnaider. It was a lackluster end to a disappointing season for Sabalenka. She won three tournaments, including the prestigious “Sunshine Double” of Indian Wells and Miami in March. But she finished the year without a Grand Slam title, losing in the finals of both the Australian and US Opens, and lost her world number one ranking to Elena Rybakina. After an error-strewn first set Sabalenka steadied in the second, racing to a 5-1 lead. Broken as she served for the set Sabalenka held on to force the third and looked on the ascendant when she broke again for a 1-0 lead. But the errors were piling up again, and Svitolina took advantage. Sabalenka saved three match points in the final game, Svitolina twice responding with an ace before sealing the win with an emphatic forehand winner. “It was an extremely tough match, especially mentally,” said Svitolina, who continues her campaign for a second WTA Finals crown to go with the one she won in 2018. “I was just trying to play one point at a time and find my game, find the fighting spirit until the end ... she gave me a few chances here and there so I could find my shots.”

LA SALLE GREEN HILLS (LSGH) put on a masterclass in the water, hauling a formidable total of 12 gold, 10 silver and six bronze medals to successfully defend their championship title in the boys’ juniors division of the NCAA Season 102 swimming competitions held at the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. Swimming phenom Rafael Titus Sia spearheaded the Green Titans’ onslaught, claiming a staggering seven golds, one silver, and setting three new NCAA records on his way to earning both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player of the Year honors. Sia etched his name in the league’s history books with stellar record-shattering performances in the 200m freestyle with a time of 1:57.46, the 800m freestyle clocking in at 8:46.19, and the 1500m freestyle ending at 16:56.81. Not to be outdone, Behrouz Elite Swimming Team standouts Kristian Yugo Cabana and Behrouz Mohammad ‘Madi’ Mojdeh delivered elite performances to cement LSGH’s dominance. “Winning the NCAA championship for the second year in a row feels really special, especially knowing how much work everyone put into this season. We all had our own struggles during the competition. Some races didn’t go as planned, and there were moments when we felt disappointed, but we just had to move on, trust our training, and keep fighting for the team,” Mojdeh said. “For me, I’m really happy with my personal bests and podium finishes, but what makes me even happier is that we were able to win the championship together. Every race and every point mattered, and everyone contributed in their own way,” he added. Cabana powered his way to four golds, three silvers and one bronze, highlighted by gold-medal finishes in the 100m and 200m butterfly events. “For my first NCAA, I’m really happy to have won eight medals and helped our team become back-to-back champions. Breaking the 2:10 barrier in my 200 Fly and winning gold was one of my best moments, although being just 0.09 away from the record was really sayang,” Cabana said. Meanwhile, Mojdeh carved out a stellar four-day campaign with two golds, thee silvers and two bronzes. The 15-year-old Mojdeh was a vital cog in the golden relay squads, anchoring triumphs in the 4x50m and 4x100m medley relays. He also secured individual silvers in the 200m breaststroke, 200m backstroke, and 200m butterfly, alongside bronze medals in the 400m freestyle and 400m Individual Medley (IM). “I’m not done yet. These four days of racing taught me so much about myself as a swimmer. I learned what I still lack, what I need to improve, and how much more I can push myself,” said Mojdeh. “There were races where I knew I could have done better, and instead of staying disappointed, I want to use those experiences to motivate me to work even harder. I’m proud of what I achieved, but I know I still have so much more to learn and a lot more to give.” Additional firepower came from key contributors such as Gerald Esquivel, who captured four golds including the 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 4x50m freestyle, and 4x100m freestyle, alongside two bronzes in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly. Gilbert Rodevic added two golds in the relay events, three silvers in the 50m breaststroke, 100m butterfly, and 200m breaststroke, and one bronze in the 200m butterfly. Rafael Ubiadas also contributed significantly, taking home two golds in the 4x50m medley and 4x100m freestyle relays. The championship defense was masterfully orchestrated by veteran coaches Evan Grabador, Uwy Vega, and Princess Amodia, whose leadership steered the green-and-white juggernaut to ultimate glory.

PHILIPPINE tennis trailblazer Alexandra “Alex” Eala will begin her WTA 2027 season with a return to the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. The 250-tier tournament will run from January 4 to 10. World No. 15 Eala said she loved her stay last year in Auckland where she made her tournament debut. “I loved my time in Auckland. Of course, the support there was amazing, especially from the Filipino community,” said Eala in the tournament website report. “The people there were super-nice. The city was super-nice. I was there during New Year so it was a great experience for me,” added Eala, who just wrapped her 2026 season with a runner-up finish at 250 Hong Kong Open last week.  ASB Classic Tournament Director, Nicolas Lamperin is excited to have Eala back. “Alex is not just an exciting young player, but she has already developed into one of the most recognizable players in world tennis,” said Lamperin. “We are excited Alex has chosen to come back to play in Auckland. We have watched her progress with interest, and we know all tennis fans, especially her fervent fans from the Filipino community in Auckland, will be excited to see her in action again. “Alex has a wonderful all-court game and she is a bubbly personality both on and off the court.” Last season which she started at rank No. 53, Eala reached the semifinals of the competition where she fell to Wang Xinyu, 7-5, 5-7, 4-6. Eala will try to defend or even eclipse those 98 ranking points from that semis finish, serving as the first of many substantial points she need to defend in 2027. The 21-year-old Eala likewise reached the Auckland doubles semifinals last year with close pal and world No. 13 Iva Jovic. The ASB Classic will also serve as Eala’s buildup for the Australian Open in Melbourne, where she will gun for her first victory in the first Grand Slam of the year. The Australian Open main draw will run from January 17 to 31.

THE Batang Pinoy now serves a greater purpose following the country’s best-ever campaign in the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) and the Southeast Asian Plus Youth Games coming up next year. “Naomi’s [Marjorie Cesar] silver in the 800 meters and Pi’s [Durden Forward Wangkay]  bronze in the 200 meters in Dakar show the world what the next generation of Filipino athletes is capable of,” Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick Gregorio said from Manila on Saturday. “Their incredible grit on the track in Senegal proves that our national sports programs and grassroots initiatives are bearing fruit.” Gregorio said. “The PSC remains fully committed to nurturing these young champions as they transition from youth competitions to the global senior stage.” Cesar and Wangkay’s achievements net them financial incentives of P2.5 million and P1 million, respectively, under Republic Act No. 10699, or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act. Their coaches, too, will benefit from the act and will receive half incentives the two athletes are receiving from the government. Enter the PSC’s flagship program for the youth—the Batang Pinoy which will stage its 2026 edition from December 12 ro 18 Bacolod City is hosting. “With this best-ever finish in the YOG, the International Olympic Committee’s program for the young athletes, the Batang Pinoy now serves a greater purpose,” Gregorio said. “The Batang Pinoy is no longer just a national showcase, it is the direct launchpad for international glory,” he said. “With the hosting of the SEA Plus Youth Games next year, the action in Bacolod City becomes our ultimate talent identification battleground.” The PSC staged the first Batang Pinoy which catered to varied age groups—12 and under and 18 and under—but for this year’s edition, Gregorio has set the maximum age at 15. In line with his grassroots thrust, Gregorio reiterated his battle cry since assuming office in July last year. “From grassroots to gold, from gold to greatness!” Gregorio stressed. The PSC supported the campaign of Cesar, Wangkay and seven other athletes in Senegal, the first African country to host an International Olympic Committee event. They were swimmers Jamesray Mishael Ajido and Riannah Chantelle Coleman, cyclist Maritanya Krog, artistic gymnasts Tchelzy Maayo and Hillarion Palles III, wushu artist Angel Polo and windsurfer Jade Justine Justiniane.

South Korea dropped to Japan 9-5 for its second straight loss at an ongoing regional baseball tournament in Tokyo on Friday, as it failed to hold on to an early lead and got undone by long balls. South Korea surrendered four home runs in the teams' second game of the Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) at Tokyo Dome, none more devastating than the go-ahead three-run bomb by Rui Muneyama in the bottom of the eighth inning. South Korea, made up of Korea Baseball Organization stars, opened the competition with an 8-7 loss to Australia on Thursday. Managed by Choi Won-ho, South Korea will next face Taiwan at 7 p.m. Saturday, while Japan will take on Australia at noon Saturday. After the completion of round-robin play, the bottom two teams will meet in the third-place match at 11 a.m. Sunday, while the top two nations will square off in the championship final at 7 p.m. Sunday. This is the third edition of the APBC. South Korea finished as the runner-up to Japan at each of the two earlier tournaments. In order to reach its third straight final, South Korea must beat Taiwan and have J

AL RAYYAN, Qatar — Robert Moreno, temporary head coach of the men's national football team, acknowledged Friday that South Korea must improve "in every aspect" in light of their 3-2 loss to Saudi Arabia in their latest friendly match. South Korea suffered their first loss to Saudi Arabia in a little over 21 years at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Al Rayyan. just west of Doha, where three different Saudi Arabian players found the back of the net. Oh Hyeon-gyu and Lee Jae-sung each scored for South Korea in the second half but Moreno's record with the Taegeuk Warriors fell to two wins, one draw and two losses since he took the reins as caretaker manager in September. "We wanted to deliver a win for our fans and this was a disappointing outcome," Moreno said at his postmatch press conference. "I think the players in particular must have wanted to prove that they had truly become a team, but we fell short." Moreno rued some defensive breakdowns in the loss, saying, "We committed mistakes that should not be made at national team level and ended up conceding easy goals." "I think we had enough s

AL RAYYAN, Qatar — The men's national football team tried to turn the page and move on from a recent controversy surrounding rift inside the locker room, as they traveled to Qatar for two friendly matches this month. In the first of those two games held Friday, though, South Korea ended up writing the same old story, as they lost to Saudi Arabia 3-2 in Al Rayyan, just west of Doha. The South Korean players were inefficient with the pressing and lacked precision and speed with their buildup plays. They did not move the ball with purpose from their own half after winning possession, while allowing their opponents to seize control with quick transition and superior individual skills. South Korea arrived in Qatar under the cloud of rumors that a handful of mainstays had not been seeing eye to eye. After a 2-0 win over Uzbekistan at home on Oct. 6, three 30-year-old veterans, Hwang In-beom, Hwang Hee-chan and Kim Min-jae, threatened to retire from international play because they were apparently not happy with the way captain Son Heung-min and his fellow 34-year-old Lee Jae-sung were runnin

South Korea defeated Taiwan 6-4 for its first win at an ongoing regional baseball tournament in Tokyo on Saturday, setting up a date with Japan in the championship final set for Sunday night. South Korea launched three solo home runs in the teams' third game of the Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) at Tokyo Dome, including a tiebreaking shot by Kim Do-yeong in the bottom of the fifth inning. South Korea had earlier lost to Australia 8-7 and then to Japan 9-5. With Japan's 16-1 rout of Australia earlier Saturday, South Korea, Taiwan and Australia all finished the round-robin phase with a 1-2 record, while Japan topped everyone at 3-0. And South Korea came out on top in a tiebreaking formula called Team Quality Balance (TQB), which is the sum of runs scored divided by the number of offensive innings, minus the number of runs allowed divided by the number of defensive innings. This is the third edition of the APBC and also the third straight final pitting South Korea against Japan, with the latter having won the two earlier finals. The APBC is for players aged 24 years and young

MANILA, Philippines–2026 NBA Cup action on Friday, November 13 (November 14 in the Philippines) saw the Spurs, Blazers, Rockets, Heat, Grizzlies and Bulls score victories, with San Antonio extending its winning streak to 11 games. Orlando Magic beat Milwaukee Bucks, 107-99 Franz Wagner scored 35 points, dished out 12 assists and grabbed nine rebounds, falling

SACRAMENTO, California— Deni Avdija scored 34 points and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Sacramento Kings 120-107 on Friday night in NBA Cup play to open a six-game trip with their third straight victory. Damian Lillard added 29 points to help Portland improve to 9-3. The Trail Blazers are 6-1 on the road, with the

SAN ANTONIO — Stephon Castle scored a season-high 32 points, Victor Wembanyama had 12 points and 12 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs won their 11th straight game, rolling past the Golden State Warriors 123-85 Friday night to remain unbeaten in NBA Cup play. Golden State’s only double-figure scorers were L.J. Cryer with 20 points

HOUSTON— Alperen Sengun scored 43 points and pulled down 12 rebounds as the Houston Rockets held off Utah 125-118 in NBA Cup play Friday night, handing the Jazz their 11th consecutive loss. It was Sengun’s second career 40-point game, and he did it on an efficient 17 of 24 from the floor. The Rockets (10-3)

Follow this afternoon’s football in our live blog, including Gillingham’s trip to Colchester in League 2.

CHICAGO— Norman Powell scored nine of his 33 points in overtime and the Chicago Bulls snapped an eight-game skid with a 125-117 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in an NBA Cup game Friday night. Josh Giddey had 14 assists and 10 rebounds, and joined Jalen Smith (12 rebounds) and Isaac Okoro with 15 points apiece