NEW YORK–NBA superstar LeBron James delivered a solid first half in his first pre-season game for Philadelphia on Thursday, but the new-look 76ers fell 114-108 to the Nets in Brooklyn. James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, announced in July that he had signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers, ending weeks of speculation

RJ Abarrientos caught fire from the field, drilling three four-pointers and six triples on his way to a 34-point outing, while new import Jordan Murphy added 30 points to power Barangay Ginebra past Rain or Shine, 129-111, in the PBA Governors" Cup on Friday.

Jerom Lastimosa and import KJ Buffen powered the Magnolia Hotshots to their fourth consecutive win in the PBA Governors" Cup, escaping the Blackwater Bossing, 107-101, on Friday.

BEIJING, China — Homegrown hero Zheng Qinwen pulled out some of her best tennis to beat Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) at the China Open on Friday and storm into a semi-final against Belgium's Elise Mertens. Zheng, a wildcard entry in Beijing, finally notched her first straight-sets win of this year's tournament having needed more than 10 hours on court to get to the quarter-finals. The world number 54 sent the crowd roaring as she punched winners down the line, though the seventh-ranked Svitolina came back fighting to force a second set tie-break. Zheng double-faulted on the first point but crawled her way out from a 0-2 deficit and fell onto her back victorious after winning her second match point. "Truthfully, because I really wanted to grab this win, I was really nervous," the 24-year-old told the crowd. "I played really aggressive in important moments," she said, adding that her opponent "raised her level" in a tight second set. Svitolina made just 13 unforced errors over the one-hour-and-47-minute match, but was outgunned by 48 winners from the 2024 Olympic champion. - Mertens upsets Swiatek - Mertens, the world number 19, beat Poland's Iga Swiatek 7-6 (7/0), 6-3, overcoming some nerves to dump out the 2023 title winner. "I tried to be consistent. She's a great player, so I had to really push myself," said Mertens, who had lost both of her two previous matches against eighth-seeded Swiatek. "It was really nerve-wracking at the end but I kept myself calm... I just can't believe it." The 30-year-old was the evening's better technician, making just 11 unforced errors to Swiatek's 34 across the one-hour-and-50-minute affair. Mertens had surged into her singles quarter-final after beating third-seeded Coco Gauff, also in straight sets.

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde extended its winning streak to four games after defeating Arellano University, 94-82, in the NCAA Season 102 men"s basketball tournament on Friday.

Vietnamese players set a record by beating Northern Mariana Islands 20-0 in a Group D match of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers on October 8 in HCM City.

The fifth season of the VPBank Đất Sen Hồng Music Marathon 2026 on October 9-11 will feature a huge number of 15,500 runners who will discover Đồng Tháp Province's culture, landscape and landmark.

The championship featured 106 players from seven provinces and cities: Thái Nguyên, Quảng Ninh, Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, Đồng Nai, HCM City and Bắc Ninh.

MANILA, Philippines — College of Saint Benilde claimed the number one spot after defeating Arellano University, 94-82, in the crossover round of the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament on Friday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. The Benilde Blazers tallied a league-leading 6-1 win-loss record, while Arellano absorbed its third consecutive loss with a 4-3 card. Justine Sanchez received the player of the game plum, with 17 points, eight rebounds, and five assists for St. Benilde. “What happened is that we remained composed, and I told to my teammates that we should help each other, and we can do this. I told them that whatever happens, we should stay together," said Sanchez in Filipino. Benilde’s supporting cast provided ample help for Sanchez with Jhommel Ancheta leading the way on offense with 18 points. The duo of SJ Moore and Zenric Jarque also helped the cause with 12 points each. Basti Valencia topscored for Arellano with 17 points. T-Mc Ongotan’s struggles continued as he dropped 14 on a 4-for-11 shooting night. King Vinoya also scattered 12 points as his squad dropped to 4-3 in Group B. The scores: CSB (94) - Ancheta 18, Sanchez 17, Moore 12, Jarque 12, Morales 9, Torres 9, Jucom 6, Podador 6, Cajucom 5,Go 0, Lorenzo 0, Daja 0, Arciaga 0 AU (82) - Valencia 17, Ongotan 14, Vinoya 12, Buenaventura 10, Borromeo 8, Langit 8, Geronimo 4, Hernal 3, Camay 2, Abiera 2, Cabotaje 2, Flores 0, Manansala 0 Quarter scores: 25-26, 42-48, 73-70, 94-82

MADRID — NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has joined the ownership group at Atletico Madrid, the Spanish top-flight club said Friday. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard has become the latest North American sports star to take an interest in soccer, following the likes of LeBron James and Tom Brady. “This is a club with a long-standing presence at the top of European football, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of its future,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. Atletico said the partnership was “grounded in shared values: ambition, excellence and the belief that every result must be earned.” James became a part-owner of the Fenway Sports Group in 2021, the conglomerate that owns the Boston Red Sox and iconic Premier League club Liverpool. NFL great Brady is a minority owner of English second-tier team Birmingham. Atletico did not reveal how big a stake 2025 NBA champion and back-to-back NBA MVP Gilgeous-Alexander had taken. “His investment reflects an interest in the club’s long-term vision and international growth,” it said. Atletico, second in the standings, visits La Liga rival Alaves on Saturday.