As the PBA nears its 50th Season, the league targets to become the best sports entertainment not only in the country but also in Asia.

Asia's first play-for-pay league is the most followed sport in the land, and the PBA wants to keep that status, and now looks forward to improving the brand by making the games more exciting and giving in-venue fans an experience that they will never forget.

The PBA wants the crowd to be back in the playing venue even though the league is still the most dominant when it comes to TV ratings.

In the recently-concluded annual planning session of the PBA board of governors, they established pillars on how to attain their goal of showcasing the league to global fans and make it as the No. 1 basketball entertainment league in Asia.

However, chairman Ricky Vargas said that “the challenge is how to execute it.”

The ideas include improving the quality and competitiveness of play, re-establishing the league as the source of best talent for the national team and net exporter of players in Asia. They also want to focus on fan engagement by investing in supplementary business like the construction of an own arena and expanding in CSR (corporate social responsibility) programs.
In addition to making the game more exciting, PBA will introduce a new set of rules in the coming season highlighted by the implementation of the “four-point shot” from beyond a 27-foot arc.

Newly-elected vice chairman Alfranchis Chua said in Filipino, “We have done this in the All-Star Game. With this rule, the zone defense will be lessened, man-to-man will be seen more and the game will be faster.”

The PBA will continue to support the national team program and will embrace the thought that a strong Gilas team will be beneficial to the league and vice versa.

They will also have programs for the fans where they can mingle, interact and engage with their favorite players. Chua said, “Like those in the upper box, they paid a pricey ticket when they entered the venue and all they got to do was wave to the player. I will tell the coaches that they allow players to go near the fans.”

One of the biggest plans for the league is to finally have its own arena in the near future. Commissioner Willie Marcial said, “We’re looking at properties in Metro Manila, about two to three hectares in size. It will materialize soon.” He also added, “And if it happens and the arena will be built, fans will not be confused anymore on where the PBA games will be held.” He ends his statement by saying, “We’re not just remodeling a house but we’re building a house.”

The PBA board ended what most of its members said was their “most tiring, very fruitful” planning session the same day, confident that it has found the formula to stay as the best sports entertainment show back home.

They also elected Raymond Zorilla of Phoenix to another term as treasurer, while Ogie Narvasa, the former PABL commissioner, is now formally onboard as the new board secretary.

LeBron James was selected by his Team USA peers across all sports to be their 2024 flag bearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

James became the first men’s player selected as a flag bearer following women’s basketball stars Dawn Staley in 2024 Athens Games and Sue Bird for the Tokyo Games in 2021.

The four-time NBA champion and all-time NBA leading scorer who will make his fourth appearance in the Summer games will lead a boat of American athletes down the Seine River where the Olympic Opening Ceremony will be held.

He called the opportunity an “utmost honor” and said, “It’s special to get an opportunity to represent your country in another fashion. I understand how prestigious this moment is… it will live on forever.”

Meanwhile, the female U.S. flag bearer will be revealed in the coming days. The International Olympic Committee decided in 2020 that national delegations would have two flag bearers - one male and one female at the opening ceremony of an Olympics, a move to promote gender parity. In the nearly 600 athletes delegation of Team USA in the Paris Olympics, 53% of them are female.

The USA boat delegation will be the next to last to ride down the Seine river during the ceremony while the host team France will be the last boat to float. Thousands of athletes, in front of around 300,000 spectators, will be part of a flotilla sailing the River Seine at sunset toward the Eiffel Tower.

On the other hand, another NBA MVP and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will be one of the two flag bearers of Greece. By IOC custom, Greece will lead the procession, followed by the Refugee Olympic team and then about 200 more national delegations. 

The William Jones Cup crown is back at the hands of the Filipinos after Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas trounced hometown bets Chinese Taipei and secured a 83-79 victory on Sunday, July 21, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.

The Philippine representative completed a title sweep after going undefeated eight times and achieved what they fell short last January when they finished runner-up in the 33rd Dubai International Championship with a team reinforced by former NBA player Dwight Howard. SGA lost to Al Riyadi in the final.

In the championship game against Chinese Taipei-A, Tajuan Agee lead the pack with game-high 21 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, a block, and a perfect nine-of-nine from the free throw line, following him was DJ Fenner who contributed with 15 markers, nine boards, and four steals.

RJ Abarrientos tallied 14 on four-of-eight shooting from the three-point line in his last game before joining crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra in PBA.

Also standing out is veteran guard Kiefer Ravena as he provided nine markers on a 3-of-6 clip along with four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

Chris McCullough, on the other hand, finished with 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

McCullough was later named the tournament Most Valuable Player, averaging 21.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks in Strong Group’s eight-game sweep.

Robert Tsang Hinton led Taiwan’s failed attempt at the title with 16 points, Cheng Yin Chun followed with 13, while Brandon Gilbeck had a double-double of 11, 13 boards along with five blocks as the host team settled for the runner-up finish with its 7-1 record.

Strong Group became the seventh Philippine team to rule the annual Jones Cup. The last time the country reigned supreme was in 2019 under the Mighty Sports squad, which incidentally, was also coached by Charles Tiu.

McCullough: “I always represent the flag wherever I play”

The sweep might be sweet for the SGA-Philippines in the 43rd William Jones Cup but controversy has entered the picture when the eventual tournament Most Valuable Player Chris McCullough only scored 12 points in 4-of-16 shooting from the field. He also fouled out late in the game’s overtime. Some netizens noticed his sub-par performance and questioned if he threw the game due to his impending naturalization to Taiwan.

However, McCullough addressed the issue in social media saying, "I always represent the flag wherever I play, so for some of you fans saying all this nonsense, it’s ridiculous. Because I didn’t have the best game in a championship match, now I fix games? Come on now.”

He also tweeted “It happens, and it is what it is. It’s always the next man up, and T (Tajuan Agee) stepped up big tonight! That’s the next man up mentality—he picked up my slack and got the job done!”

McCullough averaged 22.42 points and 8.57 rebounds before their final game against Chinese Taipei-A that led to controversy.

Magnolia will try to break their six-year title drought by bringing the 2017 NBA slam dunk champion Glenn Robinson III.

Robinson, the son of former NBA All-Star “Big Dog” Glenn Jr., was a second round pick of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2014 draft. He also suited up for the 76ers, Pacers, Pistons, Warriors, and Kings.

The Hotshots are determined to win another Governor’s Cup title which they won in 2018 led by another former NBA veteran Romeo Travis. It was also the first and only championship title of Chito Victolero as head coach of the team.

In PBA’s 48th Season, Magnolia went to the finals and tried to break their title slump in their Commissioner’s Cup campaign but they bowed down to San Miguel Beermen. In the Philippine Cup, the Hotshots failed to enter the Final Four after bowing to longtime rival Barangay Ginebra.

The high-flying import might have all the inspiration to win it all with the Hotshots but he has to face the veteran reinforcements Justin Brownlee, Allen Durham, Aaron Fuller, and a bunch of PBA first-timers just like him.

Multiple reports have indicated that Allen Durham will once again don the Meralco Bolts jersey after four years as they try to settle their unfinished business in the upcoming PBA 49th Season Governor’s Cup.

Durham and the Bolts already entered the conference finals together three times but they always lost to Justin Brownlee and Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel in all of their series.

This time, Durham has earned a championship pedigree already when he helped Ryuku capture the B. League crown and even won Finals MVP against the Chiba Jest. On the other hand, Meralco Bolts also won their first ever PBA title in the recently concluded Philippine Cup where they defeated the powerhouse San Miguel Beermen in six games. With AD and the Bolts having the feel of being champions, the season-opening conference will be their best chance to do it as a unit.

However, the Bolts hulking 6-foot-6 import will have to go through a mixture of new opponents and familiar foes, including his consistent nemesis Justin Brownlee.

Aaron Fuller is returning to the PBA as the import of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters for the Season 49 Governor’s Cup. He will be reunited with Yeng Guiao, who coached him during his stay with the NLEX Road Warriors.

The PBA confirmed through its website that The Iowa and University of Southern California product will be playing for his fourth team in the PBA. He suited up for NLEX from 2017 to 2028, Blackwater in 2019, and TNT in 2022.

Fuller played recently for Fuerza Regia in Mexico, Urunday Universitario in Uruguay, and Gigantes de Guayana in Venezuela.

With the combination of the 34-year-old Fuller international experiences, steady veterans and a bunch of quality rookies that they drafted this year, the Elasto Painters is set to go deep once again in the PBA battlefield just like they did in the Philippine Cup last season where they reach the semifinals for the time after five years of waiting.
Fuller and ROS might have a strong chance to go deep but they still have to face the four-time Governor’s Cup champion Justin Brownlle, three-time conference best import awardee Allen Durham and a bunch of new reinforcements for the season-opening conference.

The Philippine Basketball Association announced the new format for the upcoming Governor’s Cup for PBA Season 49, which is set to kick off on August 18.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial had long revealed that the league is adopting a format where the 12 teams are divided into two groups for the elimination round.

The Top 4 finishers of each group will advance to the crossover finals quarterfinals, slated to be a best-of-five series. The semifinals and finals of the season-opening conference would be in a best-of-seven series.

Teams, however, are still only allowed to tap imports no taller than 6-foot-6.

With PBA finally unveiling the groupings for the new tournament format, Group A will be led by the most-recent Philippine Cup champion Meralco and defending Governor’s Cup winners TNT Tropang Giga along with Magnolia, NorthPort, Converge, and Terrafirma.

On the other hand, Group B will be spearheaded by Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel. NLEX, Rain or Shine, Phoenix and Blackwater are joining them as well.

The change of the conference format was made as part of the league’s effort to garner fans’ interest and enthusiasm as they try to spice things up ahead of its 50th season.

Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas retained its flawless record in the 43rd William Jones Cup in Taiwan after a 112-90 blowout over USA on Thursday, July 18, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei.

Chris McCullough once again forefronted the Philippine team after unloading 24 points on top of 18 rebounds and seven assists. Tajuan Agee supported McCullough with 19 markers, while the rest of the local cast also delivered in the victory that saw Strong Group pull away in the second half.

USA pulled ahead of the competition at 62-62 early in the third quarter before SGA ended the period on a 17-14 run for an 89-76 lead, which ballooned to as big as 22 points.

Incoming Ginebra rookie, RJ Abarrientos was the top local performer contributing 17 markers off four triples, Jordan Heading chipped in 11 points, while Ange Kouame and Allen Liwag scored 10 each.

Meanwhile, Future Sports leaned on Bowen Hammer as he led the pack with 18 points and six rebounds, while Marcus Elliott added 15 points.

On the heels of the most dominant victory, Strong Group-Pilipinas aims to continue its winning streak in the tournament when it tangles with Japan on Friday, July 19.

When the PBA Season 49 opens on August 18, a combination of familiar and new imports will be paraded in the season-opening conference, Governor’s Cup.

Among the familiar reinforcements is the six-time PBA champion and three-time best import awardee, Justin Brownlee of Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel.

Brownlee brought the Gin Kings to the promised land four times in the 2016, 2017, 2019 & 2021 editions of the said conference in. He also won championships with the crowd-favorite team in the 2018 & 2022-23 Commissioner’s Cup. He went 6-0 in all those finals that made him tie the record of Sean Chambers, another import who played for Coach Tim Cone during Alaska’s reign in the 90’s.

During the 2023 edition of the Governor’s Cup, JB tried to win another title for the Kings, etched a 7-0 legacy in a championship series, and immortalized himself as the PBA’s winningest import but they lost to TNT Tropang Giga in six games. TNT was led by former NBA player, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and interim Coach Jojo Lastimosa who won his first PBA title as head coach.

The Ginebra’s resident import will have another chance to win his 7th ring but he has to face a mixture of familiar foes and new oppositions.

In spite of the obstacles he needs to go through, Brownlee still has the edge against all of them by being the most experienced and successful. And that makes him still the standard amongst imports.

The De La Salle Lady Archers is getting its own share of basketball stars, as Gilas Girls powerhouse Princess “BJ” Villarin will suit up for the green-and-white beginning UAAP Season 87.

According to a report from the Tiebreaker Times, the 5-foot-6 Gilas star has chosen to commit to DLSU, ending her high school basketball career with the NU Lady Bullpups and the NU system in general.

DLSU management confirmed to Tiebreaker Times that the UAAP 3x3 and NBTC veteran will indeed make the jump from NU to DLSU.

During her high school career, Villarin was part of the Lady Bullpups 3x3 program. She also suited up for national team duty, having played in the 2022 FIBA Under-16 and Under-18 Asian Championship.

With Villarin’s incluision in the lineup, DLSU can find itself improving on its women’s basketball record after finishing the Final Four with a 7-7 record. She is expected to start in the upcoming Season 87 and play a full five-year term with DLSU, the Tiebreaker Times report said.

The De La Salle Green Archers have tapped the services of Fil-Am big man Dominic Sarmiento as its newest center.

The ex-Irvine Valley College freshman was announced to be heading to Taft after a US-based Filipino basketball org, Tumakbo United, posted about Sarmiento’s next big move.

A report from Tiebreaker Times showed that the 6-foot-8 center played in the States as part of the Orange Empire Conference of the California Community College Athletic Association.

Sarmiento played 15 games for the Irvine Valley Lasers in the league’s 2023-2024 season, averaging 1 point and 1 rebound in five minutes of playing time.

However, it will take some time before the Archers will tap its newest big man, as Sarmiento will need to fulfill a one-year residency period before he becomes eligible to play starting UAAP Season 88.

Sarmiento joins a star-studded transfer class to DLSU, which also includes Mason Amos, Luis Pablo, and Kean Baclaan. (PB)

Strong Group-Philippines obliterated Malaysia after a compelling fourth quarter surge to pull off an 89-54 win, staying unblemished in the 2024 William Jones Cup on Wednesday, July 17, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City.

Strong Group improved to 4-0, in a tie with Chinese Taipei National Team A, while Harimau Malaysia fell to 3-1.

Five players from SGA poured in double digits with Chris McCullough continuing to anchor the Philippines’s offense netting 16 points and five rebounds while Rhenz Abando played his best game of the tournament by finishing with 14 markers and 10 rebounds, some of which coming the late third-quarter flourish.

Tajuan Agee finished with 12 markers, seven boards and four steals, while Ange Kouame contributed 11 and 10 rebounds in the victory that saw Strong Group pull away after a nip-and-tuck battle in the first three quarters.

The Philippines squandered a double-digit lead in the first two quarters as they went into the half with a four point lead, 40-36.

Malaysia then led 47-46 midway through the third frame before it fizzled out as Strong Group ended the game on a 43-7 run.

Filipino-American DJ Fenner scored 10, while Barangay Ginebra-bound RJ Abarrientos had an all-around effort of nine points, 12 assists and five rebounds. Dave Ildefonso, on the other hand, added eight points, all coming in the fourth quarter.

John Murray II topscored Malaysia with 25 points, seven rebounds, and three assists while Joseph Obasa, who previously suited up for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP Season 86, registered 13 markers, six boards, and three blocks.

Strong Group returns to action on Thursday, July 18, against Future Sports USA, hoping to shoot for its fifth straight win. 

In the recently concluded PBA Season 49 Rookie Draft, Northport head coach Bonnie Tan drafted another controversial player just like he did last year.

The Batang Pier added Gerry Mahinay to their roster whom they picked at number 46 overall during the fifth round. Mahinay still has an issue with the Games and Amusements Board (GAB). He was suspended indefinitely by GAB for his “deplorable act” after undercutting Joey Barcuma during their game in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

Despite his act, Mahinay still took shot at the pro league and luckily for him, Coach Bonnie has a “tan” (ton) of second chances in him.

It was proven last season when the team drafted John Amores, who gained infamy for his rampage during his time with Jose Rizal University (JRU) in the NCAA. He was taken by NorthPort 51st overall and also in the 5th round.

Amores worked his way to be part of the lineup and he averaged 3.3 points, 1.5 rebound, 7.8 minutes in 19 games of play for the Batang Pier. 
Just like Amores, Tan clarified that Mahinay will have to work hard in order for him to secure a contract with them or in any other team that wants to give him a new lifeline while proving that he has really reformed himself for GAB to rescind his ban.

Another tour of duty is set for the 36-year-old Allen Durham as he is tapped by the Meralco Bolts to be their reinforcement in the season-opening Governor’s Cup.

Durham, the three-time best import of the said conference led the Bolts in 3 finals appearances (2016, 2017, 2019) only to succumb to eventual champions, Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel led by resident import Justin Brownlee.

Meralco finally won a championship last season by winning the Philippine Cup and the team now has experience on how to close out a championship series, which Durham also gained in his Japan B. League stint. The experience makes Durham and the Bolts a better opportunity to set some unfinished business.

Meralco is slotted with TNT, Magnolia, Northport, Terrafirma, and Converge in the Governors’ Cup.

In a recently shared post by a Magnolia Hotshots fan page from Vic Manuel’s IG story, he is seen working out and joking around with Magnolia forward Jackson Corpuz.

When the camera panned to the other side, it was also noticeable that another Hotshot, Russel Escoto was also present together with some of the team's personnel.

With the arrival of athletic forward Zav Lucero from their recent trade, are they looking to boost their front court furthermore by adding the “muscle man” to their line-up?

But who are they going to give up in order to land Manuel to their roster? Also, what team will be interested to be their conduit so that a trade may be pushed through? SMB and Magnolia cannot trade directly by being sister teams.

Is a trade really happening or are they just having a good bonding?

Things will be different when the PBA 49th Season Governor’s Cup opens on August 18 as it adopts a new format for the season-opening conference.

The new format will divide the 12 teams in two groups; Group A is composed of reigning Governor’s Cup Champion TNT Tropang Giga together with Meralco Bolts, Converge FiberXers, Northport Batang Pier, Terrafirma Dyip and Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots while Group B is composed of crowd-favorite Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel, together with Blackwater Bossing, Phoenix Fuel Masters, Rain or Shine Elasto Painter, NLEX Road Warriors and San Miguel Beermen.

Under the new setup that was announced by league Commissioner Willie Marcial, teams in each group will play each other twice in a double round robin.

The top four teams from each group will advance to the crossover quarterfinals, with No. 1 taking on No. 4 and No. 2 battling No. 3 in a best-of-five series.

The semifinals and finals will both be a best-of-seven affairs.

Meanwhile, the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup and season-concluding Philippine Cup will have the same format as used in the previous seasons.

Strong Group Athletics remained unblemished in the 43rd William Jones Cup after a 82-74 win over Ukraine on Monday, July 15, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.

Chris McCullough spearheaded the squad with a game-high 28 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one block while Jordan Heading poured in 24 markers built on four 3-pointers.

The team also drew brilliant playmaking from Kiefer Ravena, who notched 10 points and nine assists.

Ukraine led 72-67 before Strong Group went on an 11-0 tear highlighted by McCullough completing a three-point play, sinking a triple, and making a pair of free throws in succession to seize the upper hand at 78-72.

Free throws by Heading and Ravena then sealed the comeback win for SGA, which remained undefeated after back-to-back wins against UAE and Australia’s BSBL Guardians.

Anatoliy Shundel’s 17-point outing was all for naught while Rostylav Novitskyi added 12 for Ukraine.

Strong Group will look to solidify its hold on the top sport when it takes on Malaysia on Wednesday, July 16, at the same venue.

Strong Group Athletics continued its impressive start in the 43rd William Jones Cup, defeating the Brisbane South Basketball League (BSBL) Guardians of Australia 91-67 for its second win on Sunday, July 14, at Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City.

SGA cruised to a 2-0 win-loss card while keeping the Australians winless at 0-2.

American import Chris McCullough once again led Strong Group pouring in 23 points and hauled down seven rebounds as the team remained on track in breaking a five-year title drought in the tournament.

McCullough previously scored 15 points in Strong Group’s massive 107-49 victory over United Arab Emirates (UAE) on opening day last Saturday, July 13.

Also standing out for the Philippines were Gilas naturalized big man Ange Kouame chipping in 16 markers, 10 boards and one steal while Tajuan Agee contributed 14 points, four rebounds and two steals.

Meanwhile, Jesse Ghee paced the Australian team with his own double-double 19 points and 10 rebounds while Atem Bior scored with 14 markers.

Strong Group will aim for its third win when it battles Ukraine on Monday, July 15.

Gilas Pilipinas Women ended their 43rd William Jones Cup campaign with a tough 82-66 defeat to Chinese Taipei A on Wednesday July 10, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.

The nationals fell behind early, trailing 26-10 at the end of the first quarter and never recovered from that initial onslaught by the host country.

It did not help that Jack Animam was held down to just six attempts for eight points and nine rebounds, while Janine Pontejos and Afril Bernardino battled foul trouble the entire game.

Naomi Panganiban top-scored for them with 19 points, four rebounds, and two assists, while Bernardino had 12 markers and six rebounds for Gilas Women.

Panganiban and Stephanie Berabe tried everything they could to spark a comeback, but Chinese Taipei’s lead proved to be too much to overcome.

Yu-Ting Lin led her pack with 15 points. Tieh Lin finished with 14 markers, Wenyou Lin contributed 10, while Shihan Xu and Mengxin Chen added nine points each.

With the loss, the Philippines finished fourth among six teams in the competition with a 2-3 slate while Japan bagged the title with a 5-0 record.

Gilas defeated Malaysia and Thailand, marking a one-game improvement from last year’s run.

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) hopefuls get a chance to showcase their skills for potential interested teams as the pro league holds its two-day Draft Combine at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Wednesday, July 10.

This year’s Draft consists of top collegiate stars with Justin Baltazar leading the top selection, the likes of RJ Abarrientos, CJ Cansino, Evan Nelle, Peter Alfaro, Serick Barefield, Mark Nonoy, Kai Ballungay, Caelan Tiongson, Jerom Lastimosa, Dave Ildefonso, Jonnel Policarpio, and Ben Philips make up the list of leading the newest crop of future PBA stars.

They will undergo biometrics and get to perform various athletic tests and shooting drills. The cagers will be grouped into six teams and play 5-on-5 matches starting in the afternoon of the opening day leading up to the second and final day of the event where Asia's first pro basketball league coaches or their deputies are expected to show up to scour their picks.

Top performers at the end of the mini tournament will be recognized with the Most Valuable Player and Mythical Team selection honors.

All 70 aspirants who declared for the Rookie Draft in Glorietta in Makati slated for July 14 are expected to show up. 

San Miguel big man June Mar Fajardo further embellished his status of potentially winning his eighth PBA MVP crown as he currently leads the race at the conclusion of the two-conference PBA Season 48 last month.

The official tally released by the league on Tuesday showed the 6-foot-10 Fajardo accumulating 42.1 statistical points after the two-conference season which saw the Beermen win the Commissioner’s Cup and settle for runner-up honors in the Philippine Cup. 

Fajardo, who just wrapped up Gilas Pilipinas duty at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, also posted averages of 17.8 points and a league-best 13.4 rebounds together with 2.8 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 0.7 steals.

Challenging him for the MVP award are Barangay Ginebra’s Christian Stanhardinger and his own San Miguel Beermen teammate CJ Perez.

Stanhardinger is in second spot with a 37.8 statistical points after averaging 19.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Meanwhile, Perez occupies the third spot with 37,4 statistical points.

Apart from his edge in statistics, Fajardo also won the Best Player of the Conference Award in the Philippine Cup despite San Miguel losing to Meralco in the championships.

Gilas Pilipinas Women bagged its second win following a 68-58 victory over Thailand in the 2024 Jones Cup on Tuesday, July 9, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.

The Philippines now holds a 2-2 win-loss record after bouncing back from a heartbreaking 83-85 loss to Japan.

The Filipina cagers utilized their size and shooting by grabbing 63 rebounds and unloading 10 triples against the Southeast Asian neighbor.

Veteran cager Jack Animam delivered her usual strong performance, leading the pack with a double-double game of 10 points and 15 rebounds while both Naomi Panganiban and Camille Nolasco scored nine markers each.

Afril Bernardino helped Animam on the boards, adding five points and 17 rebounds, while youth player Gabby Ramos hauled eight rebounds to go along with her eight markers for the squad.

Sasiporn Wongtapha, a long-time member of Thailand national team, paced her team with 18 markers alongside nine rebounds and two assists.

The Philippines will face Chinese Taipei A on Wednesday, July 10.

For his exceptional effort and stellar performance for Gilas Pilipinas, Justin Brownlee earned a spot in the All Star 5 of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia.

The naturalized player was the lone Gilas Pilipinas to be included in the list, joining Rihards Lomazs of Latvia, Jeremiah Hill of Cameroon, and the Brazil duo Leo Meindly and Bruno Caboclo, who won the MVP trophy.

Despite the lavish praise he received in the past week, Brownlee has been his trademark humble self.

"I definitely appreciate the compliment, but I would be nothing without my teammates," he said.

Brownlee averaged 23 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the FIBA OQT where they came two wins short of qualifying in the Paris Olympics.

He set the tone for Gilas when he produced 26 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists in the historic upset of world No. 6 Latvia, 89-80, on their home soil.

Gilas teammate Kai Sotto even hailed Brownlee as the ‘Michael Jordan of the Philippines’ after demonstrating an epic performance in the competition. 

After the FIBA OQT, Brownlee is set to rejoin Barangay Ginebra in its campaign in the PBA 49th Season Governor’s Cup where he will be eyeing for his seventh title in the domestic league.

The national women’s basketball team failed to complete its comeback bid as it ultimately ran out of steam following a two-point loss to Japan Universiade, 85-83, in the 2024 William Jones Cup in Taiwan on Monday evening, July 8.

The loss sent the Filipina cagers to a 1-2 win-loss card and are currently in fourth place, while the Japanese team kept its record unblemished at 3-0.

Afril Bernardino starred for the Philippines yet again, putting up 21 points, and 11 rebounds, while Jack Animam finished with 20 markers and finished with the same number of boards.

Naomi Panganiban and Khate Castillo also displayed brilliance in their playoffs as the duo finished with 12 points each.

Yamada Aoi, meanwhile, made two free throws for Japan after drawing a foul on her drive to the basket with 5.3 seconds left to break the tie after the Philippines came back from a 15-point deficit.

Gilas will look to bounce back once more when it takes Thailand on Tuesday, July 9.