NCAA: San Beda claims Group A top seed with Benilde rout

Inquirer.net - Nov 10, 2026

MANILA, Philippines—Defending champion San Beda clinched the top seed in Group A after defeating College of St. Benilde, 82-69, to end the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball elimination round on Tuesday at San Juan Arena. Rookie Andrei Ugaddan led San Beda’s domination of the Blazers with 18 points, five rebounds, a steal and a block.

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Gilas sets formidable frontcourt for FIBA tilt
Nov 10, 2026

Gilas sets formidable frontcourt for FIBA tilt

IF plans don’t miscarry, Gilas Pilipinas expects a loaded front court for the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers. Coach Tim Cone is keeping his fingers crossed that no injury bug will hit big men led by Kai Sotto, Quentin Millora-Brown, AJ Edu and Mike Phillips, as all four players are expected to be available for the November window. “Yes, barring any injury between now and then,” Cone said, when asked by The Manila Times about the availability of the four big men. The 7-3 Sotto has returned to action for his Japan B.League team Altira Chiba after missing seven games due to a knee issue. He played the first four games for the season, before being held back due to the injury. The Filipino big man has played in the team’s last two games, averaging six points and five rebounds in 17 minutes of play. Sotto’s size, coupled by the presence of QMB, who currently plays for the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins, along with Phillips (Kyoto Hannaryz) and Edu (Gunma Crane Thunders), will give Cone the luxury of a stratospheric frontline heading to the penultimate window of the FIBA Asian Qualifiers. Cone recently said Gilas will be leaving for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Nov. 21, with the team, while Bennie Boatwright, the team’s new naturalized player, will follow on Nov. 23. The PBA is scheduled to halt the playoffs for the Season 50 Governors’ Cup after Tuesday’s sudden death Game 5 of the quarterfinal series between San Miguel Beer and Ginebra to give way to Gilas’ FIBA tournament. Gilas has less than a week to prepare before plunging to action on Nov. 27 against Syria, followed by Iran on Nov. 30 in Seremban, an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur.

Tigers growl for Final Four push
Nov 10, 2026

Tigers growl for Final Four push

LOOKING to stay in the thick of the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball Final Four spot hunt, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) faces University of the East (UE) at the Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday. The fifth-running Growling Tigers take on the already-eliminated yet dangerous Red Warriors at 2:30 p.m. While the 5-6 UST snapped its three-game skid to boost its Final Four bid with an 86-85 win over Far Eastern University (FEU) last Sunday, repeating against the cellar-dwelling 1-10, UE doesn’t look easy to pull off. The Red Warriors finally took their first win of the season last Saturday, ending a 30-game skid dating back to Season 87 with a 53-47 win against the Adamson Soaring Falcons. Facing a loose UE side that just came off its first win in two years to begin its three-game semis push, the Pido Jarencio-mentored UST knows it will face a tough challenge. “If you look at our practices, they became harder. They became more intense. They became more focused more than anything, and that’s the spirit that we want to continue,” said Growling Tigers assistant coach Peter Martin. “Even if we win the last three games, we’re not assured of a Final Four spot yet. We just want to finish well, one game at a time. We know that UE already has won, so that’s actually terrifying.” Firing 23 points last timeout, Amiel Acido looks to lead the charge anew for the Growling Tigers and sweep their elimination round series against the Paolo Hubalde-coached Red Warriors. Opposite Acido as well as Landyn Jumawan and Mark Llemit is Toper Lagat, whose offensive exploits finally translated to a UE victory last Saturday. Lagat punched 14 points, four rebounds and two steals against Adamson, while also drawing help from Mo Tañedo and JM Edoukou, who added 14 and 13 points, respectively. “I think they started to believe in what they can do,” said Hubalde. “On top of that, they’re starting to believe in the system. I told them that as long as you give everything on the court, basketball will love us back.” Tied with the Growling Tigers in fifth place with a 5-6 slate, the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles are likewise making their final push for a Final Four spot. Ateneo takes on the seventh-running, 4-7, and desperate Adamson side, which is essentially on the brink of elimination at 5 p.m. The Blue Eagles are coming off a 74-82 loss to the top seed and 9-2 UP Fighting Maroons last Saturday, while the Soaring Falcons fell victim to the Red Warriors to suffer their fourth straight defeat. NIEL VICTOR MASOY

Anton wins in Malaysia, takes Formula Trophy lead
Nov 10, 2026

Anton wins in Malaysia, takes Formula Trophy lead

BAGUIO CITY — Filipino racing driver Iñigo Anton bounced back from a disappointing season opener to capture a commanding victory in the Formula Trophy Malaysia at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, over the weekend. He also seized the lead for the overall championship after two rounds. The 21-year-old Anton dominated the weekend races, topping the practice sessions, claiming pole position in the qualifying, winning race 1 on Saturday and recording the fastest lap as he outpaced a competitive international field featuring drivers backed by prominent European racing academies. Driving for AXLE Sports, managed by former Formula One driver Alex Yoong, Anton clocked 30 minutes and 44.529 seconds to rule the 14-lap opening race on Saturday, finishing ahead of Britain’s Timo Jüngling of Xcel Motorsport and AXLE teammate Jaime Ambrose. Anton finished outside the podium in race 2 but recovered with a second-place finish in race 3 on Sunday. Germany’s Jesse Phillips of LN4 Fusion topped race 2, followed by China’s Chen Sicong and the Netherlands’ Rafael Vaessen. Jüngling, meanwhile, ruled race 3 in 31:24.161, with Anton taking second place ahead of Ambrose. Anton’s performance in Malaysia earned the lone Filipino driver on the grid enough points to move on top of the championship standings heading into the season finale. Anton faced stiff competition from drivers associated with international racing programs, including Phillips, a European karting champion, and Oleksandr Bondarev of the Williams Racing Junior Academy. Both compete for LN4 Fusion, a racing outfit co-founded by Formula One race winner Lando Norris. The Filipino driver was coached during the Malaysian round by Alister Yoong, son of AXLE Sports team manager Alex Yoong, whose guidance and race strategy helped Anton deliver a strong performance. “After a really disappointing round 1, we knew we had to come back with a vengeance,” Anton said, crediting his coach and the entire AXLE Sports team for preparing a competitive car. The victory marked a significant turnaround for Anton, the 2025 Formula 4 Southeast Asia rookie champion, following a difficult opening round at the Formula Trophy Bahrain event. Anton also acknowledged the support of his early sponsors, including Motul Infiniteserv, Alpinestars, Yokohama, Timemaster Watches and Blue Coffee Distributor, which helped pave his way into Formula 4 racing. With the championship in sight, Anton is expected to carry the Philippine flag into the season-ending round as he seeks to secure another major milestone in his international racing career. HARLEY PALANGCHAO

Doncic leads Lakers past Hawks
Nov 10, 2026

Doncic leads Lakers past Hawks

LOS ANGELES, California — Luka Doncic scored 32 points as the in-form Los Angeles Lakers rolled to a sixth straight victory with a 124-114 defeat of the Atlanta Hawks on Monday (Tuesday in Manila). Doncic, whose sensational early season form has propelled the Lakers to the top of the NBA Western Conference, once again led from the front to secure an impressive win on the road. The Slovenian star finished with 32 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, five steals and two blocks in a dominant all-round performance. Doncic, who is averaging 40 points per game so far this season, received offensive support from Sandro Mamukelashvili, who delivered an eye-catching 23 points from the bench that included five three-pointers. Walker Kessler added 21 points with Collin Sexton scoring 18 and Ziaire Williams, 12. Lakers coach J.J. Redick paid tribute to the contributions of Doncic, Sexton and Mamukelashvili on a night when the team were missing Austin Reaves (illness) and Quentin Grimes (injury). “I thought Collin did a really nice job of giving us some juice, and Sandro had his best game as a Laker,” Redick said. “That was awesome. “Luka, again, just orchestrating. He was out there without a secondary ball handler so he had to be on the ball a lot, and that was taxing. I thought he handled it well,” Redick added. The Lakers improved to 10-2 at the top of the Western Conference following the win as Atlanta fell to 7-5. In other games on Monday, the Detroit Pistons improved to 7-3 with a 122-111 defeat of the Washington Wizards after 24 points from John Collins. The Memphis Grizzlies are also on 7-3 after their 118-102 victory over the Toronto Raptors. The Cleveland Cavaliers, meanwhile, stumbled to a 124-112 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.  AFP

Sabalenka outplays Muchova to win opener
Nov 10, 2026

Sabalenka outplays Muchova to win opener

LOS ANGELES, California — Aryna Sabalenka battled past Karolina Muchova in straight sets to make a winning start at the season-ending WTA Finals in Indian Wells on Monday (Tuesday in Manila). Former world No. 1 Sabalenka was forced to dig deep before finally prevailing 7-6 (7/2), 7-5 in just under two hours. Second-seeded Sabalenka is chasing her first-ever WTA Finals victory after suffering defeats in the 2022 and 2025 finals. The four-time Grand Slam champion from Belarus looked to be in trouble after conceding a break of serve to go 5-4 down in the opening set. But she broke back immediately for 5-5 and subsequently went on to hold her nerve in the tiebreak 7-2 to seize the early initiative. Both players struggled on serve in the second set, with Sabalenka suffering her fourth break as she served for the match at 5-4 up. Crucially though, Sabalenka responded to that stumble by breaking back immediately to lead 6-5, and she made no mistake when serving for the match again, wrapping up victory when Czech opponent Muchova netted a backhand. “I’m just trying to win every match I play, and at the same time trying to stay in the moment and focus on my game on each point, and trying to stay calm and in control,” Sabalenka said afterward. In Monday’s other group game, WTA Finals debutant Mirra Andreeva motored past Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in straight sets, winning 6-4, 6-0, despite overcoming pre-match tightness. Third-seed Andreeva, the 19-year-old reigning French Open champion, took control with a break to open up a 4-2 first-set lead and never looked back against her sixth-seeded opponent. She duly held serve to close out the first set, and then demolished Svitolina in the second set, rattling off three service breaks to wrap up victory. “I was so tight, I felt I was moving like a turtle,” the teenager said afterward. “I felt like I couldn’t really hit the ball, so I’m just very happy to get through the match and control my emotions.” Andreeva will face Sabalenka in her second round-robin game on Wednesday. This year’s WTA Finals were scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia but in July were moved to Indian Wells after US military strikes on Iran in February and the subsequent war in the region.  AFP

DETROIT’S McGonigle NAbs AL Rookie of the Year
Nov 10, 2026

DETROIT’S McGonigle NAbs AL Rookie of the Year

IT took the Detroit Tigers less than a month of watching Kevin McGonigle at the big-league level to decide he was worthy of a nine-figure contract. Seven months later, McGonigle rewarded that confidence by becoming the runaway winner of the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year award Monday night. Cincinnati Reds slugger Sal Stewart — another precocious hitter — took home the National League honor after anchoring the middle of the team’s lineup all season. McGonigle played most of the season at just 21 years old and had a .278 batting average and .806 OPS with 18 homers, 72 RBIs, 28 doubles and 12 stolen bases while splitting time between shortstop and third base. He’s the first Tigers player to win the award since pitcher Michael Fulmer in 2016 and the first Detroit infielder since Lou Whitaker in 1978. McGonigle’s most remarkable trait might have been his consistency, providing steady production over the long Major League Baseball season. “I’m trying to play my part and trying to help this team as much as I can, and that’s what drives me every day,” McGonigle said. “On the days you’re tired, the days you need to rest, you’ve got to go out, lace the cleats up and go out for the guys in the clubhouse and this organization.” The Tigers thought enough of McGonigle’s potential that they signed him to a $150-million, eight-year deal in April, just a few weeks into his rookie season. He responded with a stellar all-around season that earned him an All-Star nod and helped the Tigers remain in the playoff race for much of the summer.

NBA: Wembanyama ‘where I want to be’ after another spectacular night
Nov 10, 2026

NBA: Wembanyama ‘where I want to be’ after another spectacular night

PHOENIX — Victor Wembanyama wrapped up another jaw-dropping performance on Monday night early in the fourth quarter, casually bringing the ball up the court before crossing over Khaman Maluach a few times, dribbling between his legs and then behind his back before gliding past him for an easy layup. It was a ridiculous moment for

PVL: ZUS Coffee completes reverse sweep vs. Galeries for breakthrough win
Nov 10, 2026

PVL: ZUS Coffee completes reverse sweep vs. Galeries for breakthrough win

ZUS Coffee dug deep to overcome some early hiccups on the way to completing a 17-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-12 reverse sweep win in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ainsworth eyes Trophy progress after Barrow blow
Nov 10, 2026

Ainsworth eyes Trophy progress after Barrow blow

Gareth Ainsworth is determined to get Gillingham into the knockout stages of the EFL Trophy as they look to bounce back from Saturday’s humiliation.

PBA: Barangay Ginebra torches San Miguel, forges semis duel vs. TNT
Nov 10, 2026

PBA: Barangay Ginebra torches San Miguel, forges semis duel vs. TNT

Barangay Ginebra completely crushed San Miguel in the fourth quarter en route to a 110-94 win in do-or-die Game 5 of their PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday at the Ynares Center Antipolo.

LOOK: ZUS def. Galeries Tower (3-2)
Nov 10, 2026

LOOK: ZUS def. Galeries Tower (3-2)

PVL 2026 All Filipino-Siklab Series ZUS Coffee def. Galeries Tower, 3-2 Chai Troncoso Player of the Game #PVL2026

ZUS Coffee rallies past Galeries Tower for first PVL win
Nov 10, 2026

ZUS Coffee rallies past Galeries Tower for first PVL win

MANILA, Philippines — ZUS Coffee finally barged into the win column after rallying from two sets down to overcome Galeries Tower, 17-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-12, in the 2026-27 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference-Siklab Series on Tuesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. The Thunderbelles showed resilience after dropping the first two sets, winning the next three to secure their first victory of the conference. Despite the win, ZUS Coffee and Galeries Tower remained tied at 1-5 in the standings, with both teams facing elimination as only the top four squads will advance to the next round. Alex Miner spearheaded the Thunderbelles with 17 points on 13 attacks and four blocks, while Glaudine Troncoso and Jolina Dela Cruz chipped in 13 and 10 points, respectively. Jean Asis delivered a career-high 27 points, highlighted by 21 attacks, five blocks and an ace, but her impressive effort went unrewarded as the Highrisers absorbed their fifth loss. Erika Deloria and Lycha Ebon also tried to keep Galeries Tower in contention with 13 and 12 points, respectively, but their efforts fell short.

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