University of the East pulled off a shocker when they defeated the defending champion, De La Salle Green Archers, 75-71, in the UAAP’s 87th Season at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Red Warriors also gave La Salle its first loss of the season in front of the 6,946 spectators inside the arena who also witnessed them shoot an astonishing 12-of-30 from downtown.

John Abate led the Recto side with a career game of 20 points while firing a perfect 3-of-3 from the arc, also grabbing four boards, and sinking two-pressure packed free throws with 3.4 seconds left to complete the upset.
Wello Lingolingo had 18 points built on six triples, Gjerard Wilson contributed 10 points, three rebounds, three steals, and two assists, and Precious Momowei produced only five markers but hauled 12 boards.

“This batch is capable of competing and beating the No. 1 team,” beamed coach Jack Santiago as the Red Warriors improved to 2-2.

“I will give credit to my boys 'cause during our practice, I saw the intensity already. I just told them we have a good start and keep the game close,” he added.

UE actually waxed hot from the very beginning and built an early 28-11 and hold on to it until the end even though the Green Archers rallied from a 71-59 deficit in the final three minutes of the game, and got close within two points, 73-71, after Kevin Quiambao made a bucket with 28.4 seconds remaining.

Quiambao, the defending Season and Finals MVP, had a chance to bring the game to overtime but he uncharacteristically missed two free throws with 15.8 remaining on the clock. The misses led to Abate putting the finishing touches by sinking the free throws of his own.

KQ still led La Salle with 17 points, nine rebounds, and five dimes but his 4-of-10 shooting from the line overshadowed his efforts.

Michael Phillips backed him up with 16 markers and nine boards, while Vhoris Marasigan nabbed 10 in the loss.

The National University Lady Bulldogs crumbled the hopes of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses of retaining their crown with a 75-69 win in the UAAP Season 86 women’s basketball Finals at the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, September 21. 

The Growling Tigresses made an effort to rally past NU in the third quarter with seven points, 68-61, anchored from three straight three-pointers courtesy of Karylle Sierba, Eka Soriano, and Kent Pastrana. 

Determined to duplicate their win in Game 3, the Tigresses hauled a 14-point deficit led by rookie Gin Relliquette who basketed a three-pointer to make it 71-64. 

However, the Lady Bulldogs weathered the late comeback of the Tigresses as they recreated a 9-point separation off Cielo Pagdugagan’s layup at the 2:22 mark, 75-64, to seal NU’s victory.

“We’re happy with the win but there’s a lot of work to be done in moving forward with this season. We must get better at protecting leads,” said NU coach Aris Dimaunahan, urging the team to fix its lapses.

Jainaba Konateh tallied a game-high 17 points along with nine rebounds, while Camille Clarin paced the team with 14 markers, 5 boards, and 4 assists. 

Angel Surada finished with a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds as NU remained the lone undefeated team in the women’s basketball tournament with a 4-0 record, sending UST down to a 3-1 slate.

Relliquette, on the other hand, finished with a team-high 12 markers. Bridgette Santos also scored 11 along with five assists, four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.

Meanwhile, the Adamson Lady Falcons overturned a fourth quarter deficit against Ateneo Lady Eagles to claim a 78-72 victory, for a record tie of 3-1 with UST. 

The Lady Falcons recovered a slim 71-70 lead as Elaine Etang sank two crucial free throws. Ateneo was hell-bent on reclaiming the lead but a turnover committed by Kailah Oani after the timeout left Kim Limbago to basket a three-pointer with 42.4 seconds to go.

The Lady Eagles once again lost the ball following another timeout, forcing Junize Calago to foul Etang who sank another free throw to give the Lady Falcons a 75-70 cushion with 36.5 seconds left. 

Kat Agojo sealed the win for Adamson by netting two free throws after a foul from Sandra Villacruz.

Etang paced the team with 15 points and five rebounds followed by Nigerian center Victoria Adeshina with 13 and five boards.

The Scores:

First Game

NU 75 – Konateh 17, Clarin 14, Surada 11, Pagdulagan 9, Pingol 9, Cayabyab 6, Fabruada 4, Betanio 3, Canuto 2, Solis 0, Talas 0.

UST 69 – Relliquette 12, Santos 11, Dionisio 10, Soriano 8, Pastrana 7, Bron 6, Maglupay 5, N. Danganan 5, Sierba 3, Ambos 2, Serrano 0, Pineda 0.

Quarters: 24-16, 41-30, 62-42, 75-69.

Second Game

Adamson 77 – Etang 15, Adeshina 13, Mazo 11, E. Alaba 7, Agojo 7, Limbago 5, Apag 5, Meniano 5, Padilla 3, Ornopia 3, Manlimos 3, Bajo 0, Cortez 0, A. Alaba 0.

Ateneo 72 – Calago 25, Makanjoula 21, Dela Rosa 10, Oani 7, Villacruz 7, Batongbakal 2, Eufemanio 0, Cancio 0, Angala 0, Olivenza 0, Aquirre 0.

Quarters: 16-24, 29-37, 58-55, 77-72.

Finally, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters solved the mystery on how to defeat the mighty San Miguel Beermen as they scored a 122-112 victory on Thursday night and gained a solo lead in Group B of the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Now having a 7-2 record, ROS relied heavily on import Aaron Fuller and Beau Belga to solve the puzzle by limiting June Mar Fajardo's efficiency.

"Sa tagal ng panahon, na-tsambahan din namin (For the longest time, we are lucky to win it)," said Guiao as they somehow neutralized Fajardo and ended an 11-game losing streak against SMB.

The league's eight-time MVP was limited to 14 points and 12 rebounds, just enough for the Elasto Painters to secure the win.

"Masyadong mabigat ang San Miguel, at mabigat na panalo ang nakuha na rin (San Miguel is a heavy opponent and this win is huge for us). At may chance kami ngayon mag No. 1 (Now we have a chance to be No. 1). If we finish that job (versus Blackwater), siguro it's a better place in the quarters, better matchup for us," Guiao also said.

If ROS wins their next game against Blackwater at the last day of the eliminations on Monday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, they will secure the top seeding in Group which they already occupied as of now.

A three-way tie ensues if Rain or Shine drops that match while San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra win their respective final assignments. In such a case, the Beermen would salvage pole position.

Andrei Caracut top-scored the Elasto Painter with 20 points, while Fuller delivered 17 points and 11 rebounds, Belga logged in a season-best 16 markers that was matched by Adrian Nocum as Gian Mamuyac and Gabe Norwood chipped in 12 and 10, respectively.

CJ Perez scored a game-high 27 points even as he fouled out with over four minutes left to play, with San Miguel trailing 104-116.

SMB's final game will also be against the Bossing on Saturday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Scores:

RAIN OR SHINE 122 - Caracut 20, fuller 17, Belga 16, Nocum 16, Mamuyac 12, Norwood 10, Lemetti 8, Clarito 7, Santillan 6, Ildefonso 5, Tiongson 3, Asistio 2.

SAN MIGUEL 112 - Perez 27, Romeo 24, Adams 24, Fajardo 14, Trollano 6, Cruz 5, Manuel 4, Lassiter 3, Ross 3, Teng 2.

QUARTERS : 33-32, 61-59, 97-88, 122-112.

Being the number one team in the league right now, the TNT Tropang Giga was expected to dominate the winless Terrafirma but the Stanley Pringle and the Dyip have other plans.

Pringle led the bottom team to upset the top team to notch their first win of the tournament, 84-72, on Thursday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The shifty guard produced 15 of his total 18 points in the fourth quarter including 10 straight that inspired his teammates to give their best until the final buzzer.

"We all stood together. At first everybody gets frustrated. Then after a while, we kept losing. And we were just like, 'hey were losing.' We might as well have fun and keep working hard," said the 37-year-old Pringle.

Terrafirma has now ended an 18-game losing streak against TNT. The last win of the franchise against the Tropang Giga was eight years ago already when then-Mahindra Enforcer defeated the KaTropa, 107-104, in the 2016 Governors’ Cup on August 26.

What made the win sweeter for the Dyip was the run they did in the game was the time that import Antonio Hester sat on the bench dealing with a hand injury. Hester still wound up with 22 markers and 10 boards.

Meanwhile, the Tropang Giga succumbed to their second defeat of the tourney in a virtually no-bearing game for them as they already secured the top spot in Group A and is set to face the seed fourth team from the other bracket come quarterfinals.

As usual, import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led TNT with his all-around game producing an almost triple-double performance tallying 25 points, 11 rebounds and nine steals.

Roger Pogoy, the only local player who supported RHJ with double-digit scoring added 23. 

Terrafirma will have their final say of the conference on Saturday when they face the Meralco Bolts at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, while TNT is set to battle NorthPort Batang Pier on Sunday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The scores:

TERRAFIRMA 84 – Hester 22, Pringle 18, Sangalang 10, Cahilig 8, Ramos 7, Hanapi 7, Hernandez 6, Ferrer 2, Olivario 2, Carino 2.

TNT 72 – Hollis-Jefferson 25, Pogoy 23, Oftana 5, Erram 4, Varilla 3, Nambatac 3, Payawal 3, Williams 2, Castro 2, Khobuntin 2, Vosotros 0, Heruela 0, Exciminiano 0.

Quarters: 15-18; 32-36; 50-57; 84-72.

Converge is not yet letting go of its original import Scotty Hopson. 

The FiberXers interim coach Franco Atienza said that they will continue to evaluate the health condition of Hopson especially that they are moving closer to clinching a quarterfinals berth in the PBA Season 49 Governor's Cup.

Because of the injury that Hopson suffered that he even played through in the past three games, Converge was forced to change its import and tapped the services of Jalen Jones.

Jones proved that he is a worthy replacement import as he produced 32 points and 10 rebounds, and helped the FiberXers in their 105-97 win against Meralco on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Though there's a new reinforcement in town, Hopson still watched the game over at the Converge bench while trying to recuperate from a hurting hip flexor.

"Right now Scotty is in the injured/reserved list and he's day to day for us," said Atienza of the import who led them to four wins including two historical victories.

Hopson became the first player who made a four-point game-winner, not just once but twice. And as of writing, he is the only one who has done the feat.

"We want to keep him there as an option, so we will continue to evaluate yung prognosis niya."

However, Franco gave the 31-year-old Jones an A+ on his PBA debut.

"Of course, Scotty is a different specimen and ito naman si Jalen brought a different aspect of the game," Franco said. "But we are very happy. Hopefully, he (Jones) sustains it."

Converge will have their final elimination game against Magnolia on September 23 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Far Eastern University earned its first win under Raiza Palmera-Dy’s mentoring after denying University of the East’s comeback attempt, 62-52, at the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, September 18.

The Lady Tamaraws held their ground despite missing Josee Kaputu, who suffered an ACL tear in her left knee during their game against National University last Saturday.

FEU established a pivotal run of 43-21 at halftime courtesy of Maxene Dela Torre, MJ Manguiat, Shane Salvani, and Rea Ong, who combined for eight three-pointers as opposed to UE who missed all of their 11 attempts after grappling with their perimeter shooting. 

Despite stumbling in the first half, the Lady Warriors pushed through and withstood the might of their opponents in the fourth quarter, propelled through the efforts of Rachel Lacayanga, Dominique Vacalares, Kate Cruz, and Aliyah Ronquillo.

It was almost but not quite for UE as their late-game surge proved to be too late when Salvani’s free throws with 13.1 seconds left sealed the victory for FEU. 

“It feels good to be here. This is what winning feels like. I will look for this feeling. But of course, this win is because of what the players did inside the court,” said FEU head coach Raiza Palmera-Dy, who saw her team improve to a 1-2 record and occupy sixth place in the standings.

Dela Torre top-scored for the Lady Tamaraws with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal, while Manguiat and Salvani scored nine and eight, respectively.

Ong and Erica Lopez, on the other hand, produced seven apiece in the breakthrough victory.

The Lady Warriors remained winless in three games and the loss marks their 40th consecutive defeat dating back to Season 82.

Rachel Lacayanga fueled UE with 19 markers on 7-of-25 shooting from the field with eight boards as well. Ronquillo chimed in with 11 points, while Cruz and Vacalares scored eight and seven, respectively.

FEU will seek to overcome University of the Philippines on Sunday, September 22, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, aiming to capture another win, while UE will attempt to secure its first win against De La Salle University slated to play on the same day.

The Scores:

FEU 62 – Dela Torre 16, Manguiat 9, Salvani 8, Ong 7, Lopez 7, Pasilang 5, Nagma 2, Paras 2, Villanueva 2, Gavaran 2, Pagtielan 2, Libor 0, Mendaros 0.     

UE 56 – Lacayanga 19, Ronquillo 11, Cruz 8, Vacalares 7, Kone 6, Yanes 3, Ganade 2, Buscar 0, Ruiz 0, Delig 0, Lumibao 0.

Quarterscores: 24-16, 43-21, 54-32, 62-56.

University of the Philippines continued its strong campaign in the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament as they demolished National University to record their third straight victory on Wednesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The Fighting Maroons delivered haymakers after another to suffocate the Bulldogs from the beginning and finished the game with an 89-62 victory.

An early onslaught by the State U's wards made the people forget that the game was expected to be a close encounter as the two squads had been in the Final Four last season.

The game seemed like it was already over in the first half alone as the UP already erected a 31-point lead, 53-22 at the end of it.

Same scenario happened in the second half of play as the Fighting Maroons continued their dominance and even reached the peak of their lead at 39 off Harold Alarcon's three-pointer.

Mark Belmonte and JD Cagulangan led the domination with their combined 27 points. Belmonte also collared three boards and dished three assists, while Cagulangan had four dimes and two rebounds.

On the other side, only Jake Figueroa finished in double-figures with 11 markers for the Bulldogs.

The National University Lady Bulldogs powered its way to a 76-44 victory after clamping the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Basketball tournament on Wednesday, September 18, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Bulldogs unleashed a strong third quarter after settling for a tied 41 points at the half-time break, tallying 16 unanswered points for a 62-43 cushion heading into the final frame. 

The Lady Maroons endured the scoring drought and just managed to basket two points from the free-throw line courtesy of Alex Mendoza and Achrissa Maw. 

“We never look at the past things already. We move forward and we play UST in the next couple of days, we prepare for them and no emotions. It’s just playing the same basketball that has to be played the right way,” said NU coach Aris Dimaunahan.

"This game was a game of runs. Luckily, in our third quarter, we stepped on the gas, we clamped down on defense after the halftime break.”

Pringle Fabruada led the offense with 16 points and five rebounds for the Lady Bulldogs. Aloha Betanio contributed 13 markers, four boards, and four steals, while Jainaba Konateh scored 12, six rebounds, and a deflection. 

The UP Lady Maroons, meanwhile, were paced by Christie Bariquit with 14 points, in which 13 of those came in the first half. Maw posted 12 markers, three rebounds, three steals, and two blocks, while Kaye Pesquera chipped in 10 along with seven boards in the losing cause. 

NU’s victory arranged them a highly-anticipated duel with the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses on Saturday, September 21, at the Big Dome. 

On the other hand, UP will aim for a bounce back performance on Sunday, September 22, when they lock horns with Far Eastern University at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The Scores:

NU 76 - Fabruada 16, Betanio 13, Konateh 12, Pingol 9, Cayabyab 7, Surada 6, Canuto 5, Pagdulangan 4, Clarin 2, Solis 1, Ico 1, Talas 0, Pring 0, Alterado 0.

UP 64 - Bariquit 14, Maw 12, Pesquera 10, Barba 6, Ozar 5, Mendoza 5, Nolasco 4, Jimenez 3, Solitario 3, Vingno 2, Tapawan 0, Lozada 0, Sauz 0, Quinquinio 0.

Quarterscores: 25-12, 41-41, 62-43, 76-64.

After an embarrassing 49-point beating from SMB, Barangay Ginebra bounced back big through a boost by RJ Abarrientos to deliver a 112-96 victory against Phoenix on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Abarrientos produced a career-high 24 points highlighted by a four-pointer and three triples, together with five rebounds and five assists to lead the Gin Kings in clinching a quarterfinals berth.

Japeth Aguilar joined the fray by firing 21 points, while Scottie Thompson added 20. Justin Brownlee and Maverick Ahanmisi contributed 13 and 12, respectively to balance the scoring for the crowd-favorite team.

Ginebra now has a 6-3 win-loss record, half-game behind the joint leader San Miguel and Rain or Shine which both 6-2 slates.

"We really started doing our thing and got control of the game early and kept it the whole way," said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone. "There were moments that weren't pretty, but for the most part, we played a solid game tonight."

On the Phoenix side, Jason Perkins and Sean Manganti paced the Fuel Masters with 18 markers, while import Brandone Francis added 17 and rookie Kai Ballungay produced 16.

Alec Stockton came out clutch for Converge, scoring seven of the team’s last nine points in their victory over the Meralco Bolts, 105-97 in the PBA Season 49 Governor’s Cup on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Stockton scored 12 of his 27 points in the payoff period including a big three-pointer in the final two minutes of play to put the FiberXers ahead for good, 99-97.

The Fil-Am guard also grabbed 11 rebounds to record a double-double performance and complement the game-high 32 points and 10 rebounds of their new import Jalen Jones, who came in to replace the injured Scotty Hopson.

"I just really want to give my best for the team to win. We really wanted it bad, this game," said Stockton.

The FiberXers (5-4) now hold the solo third place in Group A after the win, which was also their third straight victory. They are now ahead of Magnolia (4-4) and NorthPort (3-5) in the standings and are inching their way to have a quarterfinals berth.

“We want to prepare for the playoffs, but we want to get in there first,” said interim coach Franco Atienza.

Meanwhile, Allen Durham paced Meralco with 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while rookie CJ Cansino had a career-high 21 points together with six boards.

Chris Newsome added 14 markers and 11 rebounds before fouling out with 2:41 remaining on a contested call and the score still tied at 94.

Meralco will have their last elimination round assignment on September 21 when they face Terrafirma at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, while Converge will battle Magnolia on September 23 at the same venue.

The Scores :

CONVERGE 105 - Jones 32, Stockton 27, Arana 12, Winston 8, Caralipio 8, Delos Santos 7, Santos 6, Ambohot 3, Nieto 2, Melecio 0, Andrade 0, Vigan-Fleming 0, Fornilos 0.

MERALCO 97 - Durham 25, Cansino 21, Newsome 14, Quinto 12, Banchero 10, Caram 6, Hodge 5, Bates 2, Almazan 2, Jose 0, Mendoza 0, Rios 0.

QUARTERS: 29-30, 51-53, 79-77, 105-97.

TNT solidified their hold as the top team in Group A of the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup after defeating Magnolia in the second round of eliminations with an 84-82 decision on Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the Tropang Giga with his monstrous performance. He produced 29 points alongside his career-high 25 rebounds.

It was a bounce-back game for RHJ as he missed a double-double performance for the first time in his PBA career. In their last game against Meralco he still produced 22 points and nine assists, one shy away of his usual double-figures in either boards or dimes.

Hollis-Jefferson said he came to the game prepared and made an effort to step-up as TNT was shorthanded in personnel as Rey Nambatac and Kim Aurin were out due to injuries.

“That comes down to effort,” said Rondae.

“Seeing a lot of guys, I played against dudes like Kenneth Faried, he is the name the stands out, Jared Sullinger, those dudes are resilient on the glass. And it just came from effort, wanting to get the rebounds. Knowing that a lot of shots would be taken, with that comes a lot of misses, trying to secure the rebound, that’s just my goal.”

The Season 48 Governors’ Cup best import also showed his defensive prowess as he registered four blocks in his name and helped the Tropang Giga their fifth straight victory. The biggest was the block against Zav Lucero with 2:27 left in the fourth period.

“I’m tired but that’s part of giving your all, being resilient, leaving it on the court, wanting to win, having that will. You might be tired, and need to take a play-off. But we really need a basket or we really need a stop,” said RHJ.

“That one block, I was gassed but we needed that block. All that (fatigue) goes behind you when you are in the moment. Now I can go eat and go to sleep now,” he added.

The game was a tight duel as neither team got a double digit lead. TNT’s largest lead was the 82-75 count off Hollis-Jefferson’s four straight points, while the biggest gap that Magnolia produced was at 51-44.

RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana churned out 19 and 10 points, respectively to back-up their hard-working import.

Magnolia still managed to have a toe-to-toe match against their rival even though they lost Mark Barroca with more than three minutes remaining in the game as he suffered a nose injury when Kelly Williams elbows inadvertently hit him.

Barroca produced 10 points, eight rebounds, six assists and one steal against two turnovers before the freak accident happened.

Shabazz Muhammad produced good numbers in his second game with the Hotshots but not enough to bring them to victory. The Magnolia import had 30 points and 17 rebounds.

Paul Lee, Jerrick Ahanmisi and Zavier Lucero added 13, 12 and 10 markers, respectively.

The scores:

TNT 84 – Hollis-Jefferson 29, Pogoy 19, Oftana 10, Castro 9, Williams 9, Khobuntin 4, Heruela 3, 1, Exciminiano 0, Vosotros 0, Varilla 0.

Magnolia 82 – Muhammad 30, Lee 13, Ahanmisi 12, Barroca 10, Lucero 10, Dela Rosa 2, Abueva 2, Laput 2, Dionisio 1, Mendoza 0, Sangalang 0.

Quarters: 18-19; 40-36; 60-64; 84-82.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters denied the NLEX Road Warriors a game win as Adrian Nocum delivered a late-game surge to secure a hard-fought 123-114 overtime victory in the 2024 PBA Governor’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Tuesday, September 17.

The Elasto Painters bounced back from their beatdown from Barangay Ginebra San Miguel as they bravely conquered the standout performances of Road Warriors import DeQuan Jones posting a 49-point explosion and Robert Bolick tallying 28 markers, 11 boards, and nine assists. 

Adrian Nocum steered the overtime gameplay as he dropped seven points that gave the team a six-point cushion at 120-114. Anton Asistio then made the final say after making his 25th point, sealing the team’s sixth win. 

“Good test for us. This is a good experience. We have to learn how to win close games,” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao told the reporters post-game.

Asistio top-scored for the Elasto Painters with 25 points, including 14 in the opening period alone where he fired up four of his five triples, while import Aaron Fuller contributed a double-double with 23 markers and 25 rebounds.

Jhonard Clarito produced his usual number by tallying 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and three steals.

Rookies Felix Lemetti and Caelan Tiongson added 14 and 11 markers, respectively.

Aside from his wasted 49 points, import Jones also snagged 11 rebounds. Newly debuted Road Warrior Javee Mocon, who was traded in exchange for Ato Ular, had nine points, 11 boards, and nine assists in the losing cause. 

The Elasto Painters will have a chance to take the solo No. 1 spot in Group B when they face San Miguel Beermen in their highly-anticipated showdown on Thursday, September 19, at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Scores:

Rain or Shine 123 – Asistio 25, Fuller 23, Clarito 15, Lemetti 14, Tiongson 11, Nocum 11, Santillan 7, Datu 7, Mamuyac 5, Ildefonso 3, Belga 2, Caracut 0.

NLEX 114 – Jones 49, Bolick 28, Mocon 9, Herndon 9, Valdez 8, Miranda 6, Amer 3, Marcelo 2, Rodger 0, Semerad 0, Fajardo 0.

Quarterscores: 34-33, 56-61, 89-83, 110-110, 123-114 (OT).

The 30th edition of the PBA Press Corps Annual Awards will be full of history when they conduct it on September 24 at the Novotel Manila.

First on the list will be the presence of former Commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios as he will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker on the awards night, and finally reconnect with his PBA family.

Barrios was the longtime deputy commissioner to the late Emilio “Jun” Bernardino before becoming the main man of Asia's first pay-for-play league in 2008.

He left the league in 2010 but continued to work hand-in-hand with the PBA when he became the executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP). He held the position from that year until his retirement earlier this year.

Barrios, along with the entire Press Corps led by its president Vladi Eduarte of the Abante Group, will recognize the PBA's top performers who made the previous season a memorable one.

Fajardo receives his third citation, Bolick gets his first

The PBA’s only eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo will etch his name in history books again as he receives his third Order of Merit honor. He has received the same citation in 2018 and 2019.

On the other hand, Robert Bolick will receive his first ever Scoring Champion accolade.

In the PBA’s Season 48 edition, Bolick averaged 25.4 points per game to lead the league in scoring in his first season with NLEX Road Warriors after acquiring him in a blockbuster trade with NorthPort Batang Pier for Don Trollano.

Game of the Season happens in the Finals

Meralco Bolts and San Miguel Beermen will share the spotlight as their Game 6 of the Season 48 Philippine Cup Finals will be honored as the Game of the Season.

It was the game where JMF and Chris Newsome exchanged clutch plays in the end game.

In a game where the Beermen climbed up from a 17-point deficit, the 34-year-old Fajardo made a surprise attempt at the three-point area off a broken play to tie the game at 78-all with 3.3 remaining.

But Meralco’s captain, Chris Newsome buried his trademark hang-time jumper to lead the Bolts to their first-ever PBA championship in franchise history.

Holt and Quinto join the fray

Stephen Holt and Bong Quinto get to share the center stage as they get their first award of the annual event.

Holt, the unanimous winner of Season 48 Rookie of the Year Award, will now lead the All-Rookie Team selection.

He will be joined by Cade Flores of NorthPort, Adrian Nocum of Rain or Shine, Ken Tuffin of Phoenix, and Kemark Carino of Terrafirma.

The 6-foot-4 Fil-Am, was the no. 1 overall pick of Terrafirma last season and as a promising rookie, he led the Dyip to its first playoffs appearance in the last eight years. With that, he was even included in the MVP race and became part of the season’s 2nd Mythical Team.

Meanwhile, Quinto will receive his first Mr. Quality Minutes award - the PBAPC’s version the Sixth Man of the Year.

The Meralco guard edged out SMB’s Jericho Cruz who won the award last year.

Quinto played 39 games last year and he averaged 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 26 minutes for the Bolts.

Other accolades

Lifetime Achievement Award will be handed out for the second time in the 30-year history of the awards night handed out by the men and women who cover the PBA.

Other citations to be given out are the President’s Award, Defensive Player of the Year, and Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year.

There would also be a special tribute to the PBA family members who passed away. They will be honored with a minute of silence and a final buzzer.

“Super” Marcio Lassiter has become the Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) all-time leader in three-points made on Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Going into their game against sibling rival Barangay Ginebra, Lassiter just needed three 3-pointers to surpass Jimmy Alapag’s 1,250 record. And the SMB faithful expected that to happen.

The sweet-shooting guard didn’t disappoint their fans as he reached the milestone in the first quarter alone where he drained four triples - the first two to tie the record of the “Mighty Mouse” while the third one broke it and the fourth one to set another milestone.

He made another two in the second half to further etch his legacy as the best three-pointer in the first ever pay-for-play league in Asia.

Lassiter finished with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from downtown to be awarded as the Best Player of the game and tallied a new three-point record of 1,254. The game ball used in the historic feat was awarded by Commissioner Willie Marcial during half. Lassiter was joined on center stage by wife and five children.

Alapag, who texted Lassiter on the eve of the game before Cio targets the historical feat, is now ranked no. 2 with 1,250 3-pointers made while the “Triggerman” Allan Caidad is at third place with 1,242.

Lassiter was the fastest and most efficient to get the “three-point king” honors as he did it in only 537 games, shooting 39 percent off the arc.

Caidic did it in 598 games while shooting 37 percent. Alapag, on the other hand, did it in 601 games behind 36 percent shooting.

The Beermen sniper still has a chance to make a better legacy by adding more three-pointers to his name as he is still an active player and not yet announcing when he will hang his sneakers.

Ateneo de Manila University narrowly escaped a late-game surge by archrival De La Salle University to triumph, 65-62, in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on Sunday, September 15, at Adamson Gym.

The Lady Blue Eagles built a commanding 47-29 lead early in the third quarter anchored from dominant performances of reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kacey Dela Rosa, Junize Calago, rookie Kai Oani, and Nigerian center Sarah Makanjuola.

Despite ruling the period with a comfortable 51-38 cushion, a game surge in the fourth quarter helmed by Luisa San Juan ignited a comeback for the Lady Archers. 

“I think we started slow in the game and ended slower. We adjusted late and that was on us coaches. San Juan got into a flow,” said Ateneo assistant coach Bacon Austria, as head coach LA Mumar was unavailable after the game.

San Juan nearly squandered Ateneo’s advantage after firing four triples to start the fourth quarter and turn it into a three-point game, 62-59, with four minutes left.

Calago split her free throws padding Ateneo’s lead but Bea Dalisay responded with a three-pointer to bring the Lady Archers within one point with 31.5 seconds remaining. La Salle, however, couldn’t complete a comeback as Oani sank a pair of free throws, sealing the victory for Ateneo.

"It is a rivalry game, so it's big for us. A win against La Salle is a win against La Salle. It's a good test for us, but there's still so much to learn," added Austria.

Dela Rosa delivered another double-double of 24 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks to improve to a 2-1. Meanwhile, La Salle dropped to 0-3.

Calago and Oani tallied 13 and 10 markers, respectively, while Makanjuola contributed eight points and 12 boards. 

San Juan, on the other hand, finished with a career-high 24 points, while graduating forward Bernice Paraiso scored 13 markers and seven rebounds in La Salle’s losing cause.

The Lady Blue Eagles’ feat arranged them a duel against Adamson Soaring Falcons on Saturday, September 21, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, while the Lady Archers will aim to clinch their first win when they take on the University of the East Lady Warriors on Sunday, September 22, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

THE SCORES:

Ateneo 65 - Dela Rosa 24, Calago 13, Oani 10, Makanjuila 8, Villacruz 7, Batongbakal 3, Eufemiano 0, Nieves 0, Angala 0, Aquirre 0, Cancio 0, Cruza 0.

DLSU 62 - San Juan 24, Paraiso 13, Dalisay 6, Santos 5, Sario 5, Dela Paz 4, Sunga 4, Delos Reyes 1, Camba 0, Mendoza 0, Rodriguez 0, Baciento 0.

Quarterscores: 17-14, 37-29, 51-38, 65-62.

The San Miguel Beermen never looked back after their fiery start to contain their lead until the very end against the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, 131-82, on Sunday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

In the first quarter of play, Marcio Lassiter already made history by draining four triples that made him the all-time league leader in three-pointers made by tallying his 1,252nd career three. He surpassed Jimmy Alapag’s record of 1,250 when the Beermen raced to an early 37-13.

Lassiter finished with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from downtown to be awarded as the Best Player of the game and tallied a new three-point record of 1,254. The game ball used in the historic feat was awarded by Commissioner Willie Marcial during halftime. Lassiter was joined on center stage by his wife and five children.

SMB also made history as they recorded a franchise-high 49-point lead at the end of the game. The dominating win also gave them the ticket to the quarterfinals as they already reached six wins.

Eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo made another monstrous double-double performance to back up Lassiter. JMF scored 24 points, including a triple in the first quarter, and grabbed 17 rebounds.

CJ Perez added 22 markers, while Terrence Romeo, import Jordan Adams, and Don Trollano combined for 37 points in helping the team deal Barangay Ginebra its biggest losing margin in franchise history.

Rookie RJ Abbarientos led Ginebra in scoring with 19 points, and Justin Brownlee helped by producing 16 quiet points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.

The Gin Kings now have a 5-3 record, and their four-game win streak has come to an end already in a game where coach Tim Cone suffered his biggest losing margin as a PBA coach.

Ginebra’s next assignment will be Phoenix on September 18 at 7:30 PM at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, while the Beermen will face the Elasto Painters on September 19 at the same time at the same venue.

The Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters finally clinched a victory in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup when they defeated Blackwater Bossing, 119-114 on Sunday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Import Brandone Francis and veteran RR Garcia gave the lift for the Fuel masters in the end game to get their first ever victory of the season.

Francis scored a team-high 23 points, including seven in the last 49 seconds of play to put an end to the run of Bossing, which had a 20-point third quarter deficit.

Garcia played a vital role too by contributing 16 of his 20 total points in the final canto when Blackwater came within 98-102 with 6:42 remaining in the game.

Three more Fuel Masters scored in double figures to get their important win. Jason Perkins tallied 19 markers while Ricci Rivero added 14 and rookie Kai Ballungay had 12.

"As long as we got some schedules, games to be played, we will continue playing our best," said Phoenix coach Jamike Jarin. "So we're gonna come out in our next game well prepared and going for a win."

Garcia said he simply wanted to grant Jarin's wish for a breakthrough. "Yesterday, coach requested to give him a win today. That’s what’s in my mind and that’s my motivation,” said the 34-year-old guard.

On the other hand, Blackwater has suffered their second straight defeat. They fell at 3-5 and now placed 5th in Group B. Only the top four teams in each group will advance to the crossover quarterfinals.

As usual, the usual performers led the Bossing. Import George King scored 32, rookie Sedrick Barefiled added 30, sophomore James Kwekuteye contributed 20, and veterans Troy Rosario and Richard Escoto produced 10 each.

The Scores :

PHOENIX 119 - Francis 23, Garcia 20, Perkins 19, Rivero 14, Ballungay 12, Tio 7, Ular 5, Tuffin 5, Jazul 4, Soyud 3, Manganti 3, Muyang 2, Salado 2, Verano 0, Alejandro 0.

BLACKWATER 114 - King 32, Barefield 30, Kwekuteye 20, Rosario 10, Escoto 10, Ilagan 4, Chua 3, Suerte 3, David 2, Micthell 0, Casio 0.

QUARTERS: 30-29, 64-47, 90-78, 119-114.

Oftana drained six triples as TNT continued mastery over Meralco

Calvin Oftana scored a team-high 25 points, while Kelly Williams and Jayson Castro provided veteran-smarts in TNT Tropang Giga’s 108-99 win over Meralco on Thursday night in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup held at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The trio powered the Tropang Giga from a mere 100-97 lead into a more comfortable 106-97 cushion with 50 seconds of play remaining.

Oftana’s 25 points (eight in the fourth quarter) included sinking six three-pointers, grabbing 7 rebounds and dishing off three assists.

TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson also helped out by producing 22 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists.

Jayson Castro contributed 12 markers, four boards and four dimes, while Kelly Williams scored nine points in his 15:45 playing time, and did his usual job in the defensive end.

"I thought we got great contributions defensively from Kelly Williams off the bench, I thought he was big," said TNT head coach Chot Reyes. "We knew Allen Durham was going to go out and attack us after his so-so performance in our first game against them. So it was important we had Kelly as secondary defender tonight."

True enough, Durham, who only scored eight points in their first meeting, came out better this time by producing game-high 26 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Chris Newsome paced the Bolts local with 23, while Bong Quinto and CJ Cansino contributed 12 each, and Chris Banchero added 10.

The scores:

TNT 108 – Oftana 25, Hollis-Jefferson 22, Aurin 16, Castro 12, Erram 11, Williams 9, Pogoy 9, Nambatac 4, Heruela 0, Khobuntin 0.

MERALCO 99 – Durham 26, Newsome 23, Cansino 12, Quinto 12, Banchero 10, Caram 8, Pasaol 4, Rios 4, Bates 0, Pascual 0, Jose 0, Mendoza 0.

Quarters: 32-20; 49-44; 78-67; 108-99.

Magnolia Hotshots new import Shabazz Muhammad sank a running shot with 8.1 seconds remaining in the game to overcome the gritty Terrafirma Dyip, 99-98, and kept them in the solo third place of Group in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup.

The two teams traded clutch baskets in the final seconds of the game.

Paul Lee drained a four-pointer to give the Hotshots a two-point lead, 97-95. In the next play, Dyip’s rookie Paolo Hernandez sank a step-back triple that brought his team back with the lead, 98-97. But the last laugh belonged to Muhammad when he delivered the winning basket with 7.8 seconds left in the game.

Kevin Ferrer has one last say but his desperation three was way off the mark as Terrafirma stayed winless in the conference.

It was also the 19th straight win of the Magnolia against Terrafirma since July 15, 2016. The Dyip was still called Mahindra Enforcer by then while the Hotshots were named Star.

“I know it’s an ugly win, but I will take it. One point, two points, three points, 10 points, 20 points, as long as we win the game,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.

Shabazz Muhammad had a team-high 20 points despite being in foul-trouble, while Zav Lucero stayed consistent by producing 17 markers and grabbed five important boards. Calvin also helped the team cause by adding 15 points.

Antonio Hester produced 39 points and 16 rebounds against his former team for Terrafirma, which played in the absence of Christian Standhardinger but played their best game of the conference.

The Scores:

MAGNOLIA 99 - Muhammad 20, Lucero 17, Abueva 15, Ahanmisi 9, Lee 9, Sangalang 8, Dionisio 8, Barroca 7, Mendoza 3, Eriobu 2, Reavis 1, Laput 0, Alfaro 0, Balanza 0.

TERRAFIRMA 98 - Hester 39, Ferrer 18, Pringle 17, Hernandez 7, Olivario 6, Ramos 5, Cahilig 3, Sangalang 3, Carino 0, Hanapi 0.

QUARTERS: 17-20, 48-44, 69-71, 99-98.

Adamson University clinched two wins in a row after outclassing De La Salle University, 65-54, in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, September 11, at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Archers bounced back in the third frame after falling behind 19-33 in the second, forcing a 35-all deadlock with 6:07 to go on an Arabell Bacierto triple.

However, the Lady Falcons reinstated its advantage as Elaine Etang, Jam Meniano, and Brianna Bajo led a strong finish in the third quarter for an 11-point lead heading in the fourth, 48-37.

Etang, who was part of Gilas Women’s 3x3 roster that competed in the FIBA 3x3 Nations League, paced the team with 15 points, five rebounds, and five steals.

“I want to commend the players with the tight schedule. We only had two days to prepare and they bought into what we wanted to do for La Salle – the girls responded well,” said Adamson head coach Ryan Monteclaro. 

Kat Agojo delivered 12 markers and five boards, while Cris Padilla contributed nine points, three boards, three dimes, and three deflections.

Meanwhile, Lee Sario tallied 12 points, eight rebounds, and four assists against five turnovers as the green and white squad dropped to 0-2.

Tricia Mendoza added 10 and nine boards in the losing cause, in a game in which La Salle committed 31 turnovers.

Both teams will be back in action on Sunday, September 15, at the Adamson Gym.

The Lady Falcons will try to sustain their unblemished scorecard on its home court against Season 86 defending champion University of Santo Tomas, while the Lady Archers will aim to get its first win against Ateneo de Manila University.

The Scores:

AdU 65 – Etang 15, Agojo 12, Padilla 9, Apag 6, Meniano 6, Alaba 5, Limbago 4, Adeshina 4, Mazo 2, Bajo 2, Cortez 0, Alaba 0, Ornopia 0.

DLSU 54 – Sario 12, Mendoza 10, Paraiso 7, Camba 6, Dela Paz 5, San Juan 5, Dalisay 4, Bacierto 3, Sunga 2, Delos Reyes 0, Villava-Cua 0, Rodriguez 0.

Quarterscores: 9-11, 33-23, 48-37, 65-54

San Miguel Beer got back at NLEX with a 119-114 win that boosted its playoff chances in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Beermen brought in a new reinforcement in Sheldon Mac in lieu of Jordan Adams but the locals carried much of the load to record a 4-2 slate in Group B.

They are now tied with Barangay Ginebra at second place, behind the pacesetting Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at 5-1.

CJ Perez led the scoring for SMB with 24 points together with five rebounds while June Mar Fajado added 17 markers and nine boards.

But Marcio Lassiter was the one put on the spotlight as he moved past Allan Caidic to become the No. 2 in the most career three-pointers made after making four triples to have a total of 1,243, seven beams shy of tying Jimmy Alapag for most in the league.

Marcio Lassiter achieves three-point milestone

Lassiter had a total of 17 points in the game and his timely three-point conversions, helped the Beermen come back from an eight-point deficit in the third canto before outplaying the Road Warriors in the final period.

"Coming into the game, my expectation is to win. But thanks to my teammates they kept finding me, and getting to the elite list feels amazing," said Lassiter.

"But the most important thing is to win, and it's a great win for us tonight," he added.

As usual for NLEX, Robert Bolick led the way with 24 points, followed by the improving Mike Miranda with 18, while import Myke Henry, who might be playing his last game as a Road Warrior contributed 17.

The scores:

SAN MIGUEL 119 – Perez 24, Fajardo 17, Lassiter 17, Mac 16, Trollano 16, Romeo 13, Cruz 10, Ross 3, Tautuaa 2, Brondial 1, Rosales 0, Nava 0.

NLEX 114 – Bolick 24, Miranda 18, Henry 17, Valdez 15, Rodger 11, Amer 10, Herndon 9, Policarpio 4, Marcelo 4, Fajardo 2, Nermal 0.

Quarters: 27-23; 57-57; 86-92; 119-114.

Alec Stockton, Bryan Santos, and Schonny Winston pulled out the trigger in the end game to give Converge a 107-99 win over NorthPort on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The FiberXers led by the trio came out in a big 18-3 run late in the game to gain the victory and cut the team’s three-game slump. They are now tied with Batang Pier at fourth place in Group A with 3-4 identical records.

Stockton produced 21 points including a three-point play in the dying minutes of the game, while Santos finished with 15 markers including two crucial back-to-back triples that brought them back to the game, and Winston added 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Converge coach Franco Atienza said that they started well at the first half of play but struggled in the third period when NorthPort tied the game at the end of it after posting a 16-point second quarter lead.

"We started out quite well in the first half, but then 'yung third quarter was our loophole in this game," said Atienza.

"Basically, we all know na we're up against a really fast team, No. 1 in fastbreak, No. 2 turnover points and No. 1 in steals. So we just wanted to slow the game down somehow, but you cannot really keep a good team at bay for so long," added Atienza.

"It just so happened that in the fourth quarter we had our resolve. We were able to get a grind out win."

Scotty Hopson was just limited to 12 points only on 3-of-14 shooting but still grabbed 12 boards and dished off six assists, while star center Justin Arana just chipped in with only four points before fouling out of the game.

"We're glad that our locals... stepped up, but more so on the defensive end," noted Atienza.

Venky Jois led all scorers with 24 points on top of 14 rebounds and Arvin Tolentino had his own double-double of 21 markers and 10 boards to lead NorthPort.

The Batang Pier did get awarded a franchise-best 57 free throws, which is also the ninth-most for any team in league history, but could only get 36 points out of those charities.

Scottie Thompson stood out the best king of the night by posting 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists to exact revenge on George King and the Blackwater Bossing in their rematch at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium last night.

Thompson’s triple-double led the Barangay Ginebra to a 112-98 victory over the Bossing to gain a solo second in Group with 4-2 slate.

"I'm slowly getting back, and that’s what I wanted to achieve at this conference, to be healthy again. I know that it will come,” said Thompson, back from an injury that sidelined him in the last Philippine Cup.

"Overall, we have to get better. For me, I also have to serve as role model for our younger players. Be a model in the game and in practice for the young guys so that they will also buy into the system that we are doing,” added Thompson.

Justin Brownlee added 20 points and nine rebounds to back-up ST9, while RJ Abarrientos tallied 15 markers.

Stephen Holt also produced 14 points, seven rebounds, and five assists to help their cause, while Japeth Aguilar also churn out the same number of points in a game where the Kings led by as many as 19.

"I think we needed to kind of have an attitude change and come out with a higher level of intensity because they've proven to be a strong team," said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. and they did exactly what he said.

Ginebra might have seen another monster game from Bossing’s import George King when he produced 19 points in the first half but they limited him to only two in the second half and that spelled doom for Blackwater.

George King still paced the Bossing with 21 on 7-of-14 from the field, while Troy Rosario backed him up with 18 points and seven rebounds. Christian David added 13 points while Justine Chua fired 12 for Blackwater, which misfired on 1-of-9 shooting from the rainbow country.

The Gin Kings now have a three-game win streak after the defeat they suffered from Blackwater on their first meeting last August 30. The win also snapped Bossing’s three-game romp.

The scores:

BARANGAY GINEBRA 112 – Thompson 21, Brownlee 20, Abarrientos 15, Holt 14, J. Aguilar 14, Ahanmisi 8, Go 7, Tenorio 6, Mariano 4, Pinto 3, R. Aguilar 0.

BLACKWATER 98 – King 21, Rosario 18, Barefield 15, David 13, Chua 12, Ilagan 6, Escoto 5, Kwekuteye 3, Mitchell 3, Suerte 2, Corteza 0, Montalbo 0, Ponferrada 0.

Quarters: 36-22; 67-58; 91-82; 112-98.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters relied on their huge fourth quarter surge to promptly get back on the winning track after defeating Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters 122-107 on Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Caelan Tiongson, Andrei Caracut and Gian Mamuyac poured out the buckets they needed while Adrian Nocum and Aaron Fuller painted their own will to lead a 24-4 run from a 95-97 deficit that gave the Elasto Painters a safe 119-101 lead, only 1:22 left.

Nocum led the Elasto Painters with 16 points, partnered with a career-high 10 rebounds to notch his first career double-double while import Aaron Fuller added 16 markers and 11 boards, even though he’s buckled with foul trouble.

Gian Mamuyac poured out 14 points which included back-to-back triples during their fourth quarter run. Anton Asistio and Jhonard Clarito put up 13 and 10 respectively while ROS prized rookies Tiongson and Felix Lemetti both tallied 12 points.

Guiao played down the win, saying Phoenix isn't playing to its potential.

“They’re struggling. I think their import got in a little late. Maybe if their import arrived earlier, they have a big chance to go in the next round,” said Guiao of the Fuel Masters.

“But we really had a hard time containing the import in the first half most especially. He is really a prolific scorer. We just tried to make his a little difficult, just to make him less efficient. But we know he’s going to score anyway.”

Brandone Francis still led Phoenix with his 31 points but only scored two in the final canto when he was just limited to a 1-of-6 shooting from the field.

Jason Perkins also showed a monster game especially in the shaded lane as he poured out 22 points and 10 rebounds in a losing effort.