Born at the height of the pandemic, the podcast was set up by sports marketing group XMPLR as a platform to reach out to the Filipino youth who are finding their way amid the challenging times.

The Goal Diggers YOUTH podcast has world-class athletes as guest speakers, who share the program鈥檚 vision and are out to inspire and empower participants with their real-life experiences and advice.

The Goal Diggers Youth Season 2 streams every Saturday at 8 p.m. and will run until Oct. 29.

Professional volleyball player and national athlete, and now volleyball program director of Far Eastern University, Dzi Gervacio got the ball rolling for the new season with her episode airing on Saturday, Aug. 20.

In it, the former Ateneo volleyball star talked about the importance of serving your purpose in sports and in life, drawing from her experiences as an athlete, sports organizer and collegiate sports official.

Also set to grace the podcast are Olympic equestrienne Toni Leviste, Paralympian Ernie Gawilan, and World Cup-bound footballer Camille Rodriguez.

Ms. Leviste will talk about overcoming hurdles and proving that challenge is only a pathway for bigger things; Mr. Gawilan about his experiences as a Paralympian and how physical disability is not a limitation from reaching your goals; and Ms. Rodriguez on developing a winning mentality that led to their historic win in the recent 2022 ASEAN Football Federation Women鈥檚 Championship.

Joining the podcast, too, this season are karateka Junna Tsukii, triathlete Kim Mangrobang, basketball players Kiefer Ravena and Ella Fajardo, motor racer Ashley Sison and world number three pole-vaulter EJ Obiena.

With the new season up, Robbie de Vera, founder and chief sports advocate of XMPLR, said they are happy with how things are panning out for The Goal Diggers YOUTH to date and reiterated the significance of having such platforms during this time.

The new season of The Goal Diggers YOUTH is hosted by Bey Pinlac, ZanD Bajarias, Louisa Tagulinao, and newcomers Johnny Tango and Kyra Dimaandal. 鈥� MASM

As per the league, the PBA 3×3 will have 13 competing teams in its maiden offering which is set to begin around the same time the five-a-side tournament kicks off later this month.

Ten teams are made up of PBA member squads and three are guests.

League mainstays Magnolia, NLEX, Rain or Shine, Phoenix, San Miguel, Barangay Ginebra, TnT, Meralco, Northport, and Terrafirma will be parading teams with Blackwater and Alaska declining to field squads for the time being for various reasons.

The guest teams are the Zamboanga Valientes MLV, Platinum Karaoke and Pioneer Pro Tibay.

Magnolia, to play as the Purefoods Tender Juicy Titans, will have Val Acuna, Pao Javelona, Jed Mendoza and Jun Bonsubre; CAVITEX Road Warriors (NLEX) will be led by seven-time PBA champion Larry Fonacier; Sista Super Sealers (ROS) have Joseph Eriobu, Franky Johnson, Prince Rivero and Kenneth Mocon part of the team; and the Limitless Appmasters (Phoenix) have Mike Gamboa and Nico Salva in the squad.

Barangay Ginebra is bannered by Dennis Villamor; Meralco by Tonino Gonzaga and Alfred Batino; Northport had Jervy Cruz, Sean Manganti and LA Revilla; San Miguel is led by Bacon Austria; Terrafirma has Roider Cabrera and Matt Salem; and TnT will have Samboy de Leon, Lervin Flores, Jeremiah Gray and Almond Vosotros.

Dylan Ababou, JR Alabanza, Chris De Chavez, Karl Dehesa and Yutien Andrada play for Platinum Karaoke; Carlo Escalambre, Robin Rono, Gian Abrigo, Christian Rivera, Carlo De Chavez and Dan Reducto for Pioneer Tibay; and Mac Cardona, Gabby Espinas, Rudy Lingganay and JR Cawaling for Zamboanga Valientes.

The league, through 3×3 commissioner Dickie Bachmann, said the tournament will have three conferences composed of two-day legs and a grand final in the end.

In coming up with the 3×3 tournament, the PBA hopes to help in the further growth of the sport in the country as well as to provide employment for players, especially during this time of the pandemic.

It is also positioning PBA 3脳3 as complementing the efforts of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas for three-on-three basketball.

The tournament was originally set to start early this year but had to be deferred several times because of the changing quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Set at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite, the tournament, named after Filipino football legend Paulino Alcantara, starts on Nov. 7 and ushers in the Philippines Football League鈥檚 (PFL) 2022 season.

It also marks the return of football competition in the country after a year since the PFL staged its 鈥渂ubble鈥� tournament in 2020.

鈥淭he staging of the Cup is PFF鈥檚 commitment to provide a proper and intense football competition, and livelihood to all stakeholders, particularly the players and officials,鈥� said PFF general secretary Edwin Gastanes in a statement of the tournament which is taking the place of the league competition for the time being because of the pandemic.

The PFF, however, assured that the 2022 PFL season will push through in the first quarter next year.

The Cup was originally set to see six clubs competing until reigning PFL champion United City Football Club pulled out this week.

League Commissioner Coco Torre said the Copa will still push through with five clubs, namely: Stallion Laguna FC, Dynamic Herb Cebu FC, Kaya FC-Iloilo, Mendiola FC 1991, and the Azkals Development Team (ADT).

United City was supposed to play in Group A along with the Stallions and newcomer Dynamic Herb. The development leaves Stallion and Cebu as the remaining clubs that will contest the top seeding in the group for the crossover semifinals.

Playing in Group B are Kaya, Mendiola, and ADT.

In staging the Copa, to be held under a closed-circuit biomedical bubble, organizers are making sure they comply with the Department of Health-Philippine Sports Commission-Games and Amusements Board Joint Administrative Order 2021-0002, including requiring clubs to arrange their own accommodation with provisions for health and safety protocols while inside their respective bubbles.

They, too, are hoping the tournament will reinvigorate the domestic football scene greatly affected by the pandemic.

鈥淭he Copa is a viable competition for clubs to remain physically and mentally active during these trying times while adhering to the health and safety protocols,鈥� said Mr. Torre. 鈥淭he competition will provide healthy and compelling rivalries and at the same time will determine clubs鈥� performance on sporting merit.鈥� 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

It is at the center of the latest Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) project dubbed MAKE It Sports.

MAKE (Modules for Asynchronous Knowledge Enhancement) It Sports is designed to provide information on different topics in everyday life, touching on the boundaries of sports like law, medicine, economics, and technology, among others.

It is a module-based, asynchronous learning opportunity for various sports stakeholders.

The project picks up from the many topics discussed during the National Sports Summit and will feature invited speakers.

The PSC said participants in MAKE It Sports can learn at their own pace and time and may apply for certification by getting the exam.

Courses will be given exclusively to registered learners for the first three months, after which the courses will be uploaded to the PSC鈥檚 website for public access. Registration for the program starts on Friday.

鈥淟earning never stops. For some of our athletes, studies gave way to their training, but learning should never stop. We must find a way,鈥� said PSC Chairman William Ramirez in highlighting their thrust for the program.

The first module to be released will deal with Sports Law, to be discussed by sports law-for-all advocate and Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation President Alberto Agra. To be offered as well this month are courses on Arbitration in Sports and Netball. 鈥� MASM

Set for late this month, the league鈥檚 Reinforced Conference will see foreign reinforcements taking the PBA floor anew to add flavor to the competition.

Height limit for imports has been set at 6鈥�6鈥�.

As of this writing, all 12 competing teams have identified the reinforcements that will banner their campaigns and are currently finalizing their papers to make it all official.

It will be a mixed bag of old and new faces as far as the imports go.

Newly minted Philippine Cup champions TnT Tropang Giga try to go for back-to-back titles with import McKenzie Moore, who is in his first tour of duty in the PBA.

A native of Santa Rosa, California, Mr. Moore, 29, has played for TnT as reinforcement but in the 2019 edition of the East Asia Super League held in Macau, China.

He also saw action for the Mighty Sports squad that swept its way to the 2019 Jones Cup title in Chinese Taipei. In the team, he was teammates with now-TnT star Mikey Williams.

Mr. Moore also had stints in leagues in New Zealand, Belgium, Greece, Russia, Turkey and Poland.

Joining Mr. Moore in the new batch of PBA reinforcements are former National Basketball Association (NBA) campaigner Shabazz Muhammad of the Meralco Bolts, Antonio Hester of the Terrafirma Dyip, Jaylen Bond of the Blackwater Bossing and Cameron Forte of the Northport Batang Pier.

The Bolts鈥� Mr. Muhammad, 28, carries with him much credentials after being selected 14^th overall pick by the Utah Jazz in the 2013 draft before his draft rights were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In six seasons in the NBA, which included a year with the Milwaukee Bucks, he averaged nine points and 2.8 rebounds.

He spent the last two years playing in the Chinese basketball league.

The rest of the reinforcements seeing action in the second conference of the PBA this season are composed of returning imports, led by Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings鈥� Justin Brownlee.

Mr. Brownlee is looking to sustain the success he has had in the PBA, where he has led the Kings to a championship each year since coming on board in 2016.

He helped Barangay Ginebra to the Governors鈥� Cup championship in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and the Commissioner鈥檚 Cup in 2018.

Former best import awardee Mike Harris is also set for a return, but this time for the Magnolia Hotshots after playing for the Alaska Aces in 2018.

Many-time PBA import Henry Walker is to play for the Rain or Shine Elastopainters while league champion Paul Harris will see action for the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters.

The San Miguel Beermen will have Brandon Brown, formerly of Phoenix. Former TnT import KJ McDaniels will now play for the NLEX Road Warriors while Alaska will parade ex-Road Warriors import Olu Ashaolu.

All imports seeing action in the Reinforced Conference must be fully vaccinated.

The PBA is currently in talks with pertinent government agencies, particularly the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), regarding the staging of the second conference.

But reports have that the league has also secured permits from the Foreign Affairs department for the above-mentioned imports to travel to the country while the league awaits government approval for the import-laced tournament.

The staging of the second conference is in line with the PBA鈥檚 push to have at least two tournaments this season as opposed to the lone conference held in 2020 because of the pandemic.

It is angling to have the action back in the National Capital Region after finishing the Philippine Cup in a semi-bubble in Bacolor, Pampanga. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Golfer Yuka听Saso听is going to be a Japanese citizen when the time comes she has to make a choice.听

The 20-year-old Filipino-Japanese made the disclosure to a Japanese news portal on Wednesday, on the eve of the Toto Japan Classic where she is set to compete.听

鈥淚 chose Japan because of its nationality law,鈥� said Ms.听Saso, who was born in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, to a Filipino mother and Japanese father.听

Under Japanese law, citizens who hold dual passports must decide by the age of 22 which citizenship to take up.听

Ms.听Saso, who is currently the world number six player, turns 22 on June 20, 2023.听

The golfer previously made it known that choosing between the Philippines and Japan would not be an easy decision to make but that regardless she is proud of her roots on both sides.听

鈥淚 have in my heart that I am both Japanese and Filipino no matter which one I choose,鈥� she said.听

Ms.听Saso听has represented the Philippines in many international competitions since her junior鈥�playing days.听

She was one of the country鈥檚 representatives in the sport in this year鈥檚 Tokyo Olympic Games, where she finished tied for ninth.听

While the decision is yet to be made final, Ms.听Saso听will continue to represent the Philippines in various tournaments, including the Toto Japan Classic.听

The $2-million tournament marks the return of Ms.听Saso听after being out of action for three weeks.听

She last played in early October at the Cognizant Founders Cup in New Jersey where she finished joint fourth place.听

It will kick off what is a busy November for her on the LPGA Tour, where she will also compete at the Pelican Women鈥檚 Championship on Nov. 11-14 and the CME Group Tour Championship on Nov. 18-21, both happening in Florida.听

In the Toto Classic, which will run from Nov. 4 to 7, Ms.听Saso听will tee off with Japanese Hinako听Shibuno听and veteran听Momoko听Ueda in the first two rounds at the Seta Golf鈥檚 North course.鈥�鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo听

FELL short in their third stab at the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) All-Filipino title in the last four years, the Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots are staying the course of improvement towards success.

Bowed to the TnT Tropang Giga, 4-1, in their best-of-seven finals series in the just-concluded 2021 Philippine Cup, the Hotshots are disappointed but are not allowing it to stop them from achieving their goal of keeping their top-level standing in the league and winning championships.

The loss to TnT was the third time for Magnolia in the All-Filipino finals after defeats in 2018 and 2019, both at the hands of the San Miguel Beermen.

Against the Tropang Giga, Magnolia never really got its way, playing catch-up throughout, save for Game Three where it won, which proved to be telling in the end.

The Hotshots did try to compete though, and did not go down without a fight, but TnT just had all the answers en route to the championship.

And that is something that Magnolia coach Chito Victolero is holding on to amid the disappointment and looking to build on moving forward.

鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 not our time yet. Hopefully, next time,鈥� Mr. Victolero was quoted as saying by the official PBA website following the league鈥檚 鈥渟emi-bubble鈥� in Bacolor, Pampanga.

鈥淲e鈥檙e up there among the top teams and have been competing but we just have to figure a way to go over the hump,鈥� added the coach, who gave Magnolia the 2018 Governors鈥� Cup title.

The Hotshots were a force to be reckoned with in the Philippine Cup this season, consistently in the top half of the standings and a handful in the playoffs until they ran to the Tropang Giga.

They added a key piece in Calvin Abueva in the offseason, which immediately paid dividends as he was still the all-around player that he is on his way to winning the best player of the conference award.

Ian Sangalang had a resurgence in the bubble and underscored his status as one of the top big men in the league while guards Paul Lee, Mark Barroca and Jio Jalalon were steady presence on both ends of the court.

Magnolia, too, has auxiliaries which complement its core well.

But Mr. Victolero shared that some improvements may still be needed to achieve what they have set out to do.

鈥淲e鈥檙e still building our team and I鈥檓 proud of what we have been doing. We鈥檒l keep on trying. The main goal is to win the championship,鈥� he said.

IMPORTS ENLISTED
Meanwhile, competing PBA teams are in the process of preparing for the next conference slated to start later this month.

Imports are being enlisted for the Reinforced Conference.

Justin Brownlee is reported to be back for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, looking to win a fifth title after helping the team to the Governors鈥� Cup championship in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and the Commissioner鈥檚 Cup in 2018.

He is set to be joined by returning imports Mike Harris (Magnolia), Paul Harris (Phoenix), Henry Walker (Rain or Shine), Brandon Brown (San Miguel), KJ McDaniels (NLEX), and Olu Ashaolu (Alaska).

New imports are Antonio Hester (Terrafirma), Jaylen Bond (Blackwater), Shabazz Muhammad (Meralco), Cameron Forte (Northport), and McKenzie Moore (TnT).

The PBA is looking to kick off the second conference this month in line with its push two have at least two tournaments this season as opposed to the lone conference held in 2020 because of the pandemic.

It is angling to have the action back in the National Capital Region after finishing the Philippine Cup in a semi-bubble in Bacolor.

The league is currently in talks with pertinent government agencies regarding the staging of the second conference. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Done in collaboration with Nike, the uniforms will be available for sale beginning Nov. 15 at NBAStore.com, Nike.com and select retailers globally.

This season being a milestone year, the NBA and Nike made sure that each uniform highlights the franchises鈥� greatest hits through the years in every design while throwing in many subtle touches that underscore pivotal moments from each team鈥檚 history.

The Los Angeles Lakers鈥� uniform, for one, has the shorts incorporating the baby blue from the original championship team in Minneapolis while the primary head-to-toe color is the Lakers purple that emerged in the late 鈥�60s. The belt buckle, meanwhile, includes the 鈥淟鈥� logo from the three-peat era of the 2000s.

Brooklyn鈥檚, for its part, marks the team鈥檚 path from New York to New Jersey and back again. The argyle side panel is a tribute to the repeat Eastern Conference championships from the 鈥�01-鈥�02 and 鈥�02-鈥�03 seasons. The patch on the shorts is a throwback to the 鈥�80s, while the red, white and blue color blocking reaches back to the franchise鈥檚 American Basketball Association (ABA) roots. On top of the navy body color, the black space is said to symbolize a team on the rise, poised to leave a new mark on the league.

For defending champion Milwaukee, meanwhile, the uniform features green and Lake Michigan blue from the team鈥檚 current uniform sets, side panel blocking from 2001, the neckline from the 2010s, and the number set worn by the team during its second championship in 2021. A remixed waistband logo from 1971 is a callback to skyhooks and triple-double averages.

鈥淭he moments included in the Nike NBA City Edition uniforms span across decades and remind fans, old and new, of some of their fondest memories of their favorite teams,鈥� said Christopher Arena, Head of On-Court and Brand Partnerships at the NBA in a statement. 鈥淭he NBA鈥檚 75^th Anniversary season gave us a unique opportunity to work alongside the teams and Nike to bring the league鈥檚 rich history to life, showcasing each team鈥檚 fandom in a truly special way.鈥�

Apart of the City Edition uniforms, the NBA also released the NBA Diamond Album, which tells the history of the league and each team, showcasing the NBA uniform behind every iconic NBA moment. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Immediate on their sights is the next tournament in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) calendar which is targeted to start late this month possibly back in Metro Manila.

TnT is aiming to make it back-to-back titles after waiting for six years to be crowned champions anew.

鈥淎s much as we want to savor this (Philippine Cup title), we鈥檙e now looking forward to the next. On to the next, and I hope we can compete well again,鈥� TnT coach Chot Reyes following their 94-79 Game Five victory on Friday that completed for them a 4-1 finals series win over the Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots.

The win ended for the Tropang Giga a six-year title drought and gave them their sixth All-Filipino title in franchise history and eighth championship overall in the PBA.

TnT dominated Magnolia in the series on solid collective effort and desire to continuously better itself.

It is the same track it wants to establish in the next conference, which is being eyed as an import-laced tournament.

The Tropang Giga are looking at their options for possible reinforcement, including bringing back former import Terrence Jones, who helped the team reach the finals of the Commissioner鈥檚 Cup in 2019.

Apart from finding the right import, TnT is also banking on having its core playing on top of their game and staying resilient and hungry.

The PBA is looking to kick off the second conference this month in line with its push two have at least two tournaments this season as opposed to the lone conference held in 2020 because of the pandemic.

It is angling to have the action back in the National Capital Region after finishing the Philippine Cup in a semi-bubble in Bacolor, Pampanga.

The league is currently in talks with pertinent government agencies regarding the staging of the second conference while the teams are also girding for the possible start. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Mr. Sultan, 29, claimed the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental bantamweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Mr. Caraballo in their 10-round showdown at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden on Sunday (Manila time).

The Filipino bet, who was installed as an underdog entering the fight, knocked down his opponent four times throughout the course of the contest and wound up a 94-93 winner in all three judges鈥� scorecards.

It was Mr. Sultan鈥檚 third straight victory and second for the year after his knockdown win over American Sharone Carter in August.

For local boxing analyst Nissi Icasiano, more than keeping his winning streak going, the Caraballo win showed Mr. Sultan鈥檚 abilities as a solid fighter and potential to go places if provided the opportunities needed.

鈥淪ultan was intended to be another pedestrian opponent for an up-and-coming boxer like Caraballo. But in the fight, Sultan insisted that he鈥檚 nobody鈥檚 footstool and flipped the script,鈥� said Mr. Icasiano when asked by鈥�叠耻蝉颈苍别蝉蝉奥辞谤濒诲鈥�for his thoughts post-fight.

The analyst highlighted how Mr. Sultan showed perseverance, stayed the course and remained go-getting even when Mr. Caraballo put up a tough resistance.

鈥淭he Filipino just wanted it so bad and worked hard to get the win,鈥� Mr. Icasiano said.

The analyst, however,鈥痭oted it remains to be seen if the win would open bigger opportunities for Mr. Sultan immediately just as he said the boxer鈥檚 handlers at MP Promotions should build on the gains its fighter achieved in his latest triumph.

鈥淚 just hope that MP Promotions can sustain the momentum and ride on it at the same time. It鈥檚 too early to say if he will get a title shot. He鈥檚 ranked No. 9 in the WBA (World Boxing Association), but the Intercontinental title that鈥檚 now in his possession came from WBO. He鈥檚 nowhere to be found yet in the WBO bantamweight rankings, but that win may break him in the WBO鈥檚 rankings,鈥� Mr. Icasiano said.

Adding, 鈥淚 would like to see Sultan in a 12-round fight first against an opponent who鈥檚 outside the Top 10 or Top 15 before taking on ranked fighters that will help him secure a world title shot.鈥�

Mr. Sultan now sports an 18-5 record, 11 wins coming by way of knockout. 鈥斺��Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Looking to finish their bid on a high note with a victory after dropping their first two matches in Group H of the qualifiers, the U23 Azkals instead absorbed another defeat, 0-1, at the hands of Timor-Leste at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

The Philippine side held its opponent to a nil-nil count for much of the contest until forward Zenivio Mota broke through for Timor-Leste in the 89^th鈥痬颈苍耻迟别.

Mr. Mota found himself open inside the box and did not waste the opportunity to score and give his team the win.

The Azkals scrambled to get back the point after, including inside the added three minutes, but could not catch the break it was angling for.

The defeat was the third straight for the Philippine U23 team, following defeats to Korea, 0-3, and Singapore, 0-1, previously.

Korea advanced to the U23 Asian Cup in Group H with an unblemished 3-0 record and nine points, with Singapore and Timor-Leste tied for second with a record 1-1-1 and four points.

The AFC U23 Asian Cup is set for June next year in Uzbekistan. 鈥斺��Michael Angelo S. Murillo

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

THE TnT Tropang Giga are back on the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) summit after six years following their successful conquest of this year鈥檚 All-Filipino championship.

Defeated the Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots, 4-1, in their best-of-seven Philippine Cup finals series, capped by a 94-79 win in Game Five on Friday, TnT is a champion for the first time since 2015.

It was a culmination of a long process of transition for a winning franchise that saw it go through a number of personnel changes in search of a team that would click and get it back to the top.

The journey was anything, but easy, including having no finals appearance in 11 of the previous 14 PBA tournaments. And in the three they did make it to the 鈥淏ig Dance,鈥� it was on the losing end, the most recent in 2020 in the Philippine Cup against the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings.

Leading the Tropang Giga to the Promised Land anew was comebacking PBA coach Chot Reyes, who returned to the sidelines this season after nearly a decade away to take on other pursuits, including being coach of the national team.

Anchored on the push of consistently bettering themselves, Reyes-led TnT overcame every obstacle that was thrown its way throughout the tournament.

鈥淚 have to give it to these guys鈥� They put in all the effort. They stayed together through adversity. It鈥檚 been a long journey and I鈥檓 proud of these guys,鈥� said Mr. Reyes during the trophy presentation at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

The latest title is the sixth All-Filipino crown for Mr. Reyes, tying him with the great Baby Dalupan, and ninth overall in the PBA, good for joint fourth place with Jong Uichico.

Playing a key role in TnT鈥檚 title run was rookie Mikey Williams.

In the lead-up to the Philippine Cup, there were concerns of his availability as he was among those late to join their teams in the preparation.

But when he got on board, everything practically went well.

Mr. Williams, the fourth overall pick in this year鈥檚 rookie draft, flourished in a starting role, helping the team to the best record of 10-1 in the elimination round before continuing to ascend in the playoffs.

In the finals, he had it memorable with averages of 27.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assist en route to being named finals most valuable player. He was the first rookie to achieve such a feat after Brandon Cablay in 2003 for Alaska.

鈥淭he whole team definitely made my job a lot easier. They just gave me confidence and continued to push me. Thanks to the 15 (players) and the coaches,鈥� said Mr. Williams upon receiving the award.

Also stepping up and doing their share were young veterans Roger Pogoy, Troy Rosario and JP Erram, who did it on both ends of the court and were rewarded with their first-ever PBA title.

Mr. Rosario, in particular, was all heart after playing hurt in the last two games of the series following his freak on-court accident in Game Three where he injured his back and left pinkie.

While he was ruled out for the rest of the series, he forged ahead and played, providing valuable on-court contributions as well as inspiration to his team.

Mr. Pogoy had his ups and down throughout, but continued to be confident and go-getting while Mr. Erram did everything asked of him be that as a starter or off the bench.

While they took a step back for their younger teammates, old hands Jayson Castro, Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes did not fail to make an impact in their title run.

Mr. Castro was a true mentor to the young guards of the team while still doing Jayson Castro things despite limited minutes. Mr. Williams showed he still has a lot in him notwithstanding retiring last season. Mr. Reyes was his do-it-all self.

鈥淚t was worth it. This is really special for me. I hope we can another championship,鈥� said Mr. Castro, now a seven-time PBA champion.

On their way to winning the title, the Tropang Giga defeated erstwhile defending champion Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinals and the San Miguel Beermen in the semifinals.

Incidentally, Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel and Magnolia were the champions in 13 of the last 14 conferences prior to this year.

The 2021 PBA Philippine Cup is the sixth All-Filipino championship of the Tropang Giga in franchise history and eighth overall in the PBA.

Zamboanga del Norte native Mr. Sultan, 29, proved to be a tough nut to crack for erstwhile undefeated Mr. Caraballo, sending the latter to the canvas four times en route to the unanimous decision victory that netted for him the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental bantamweight title. All three judges scored the fight, 94-93, in his favor.听 听

Mr. Sultan knocked down Mr. Carballo in the second and third rounds, but the Puerto Rican would bounce back each time.

But the MP Promotions fighter was unrelenting in his push in the succeeding rounds, landing a right hand in the sixth that sent his opponent down for the third time.

The two boxers brought it against each other in the next two rounds before Mr. Sultan knocked down Mr. Caraballo in the ninth round with a left hook.

Mr. Caraballo survived the onslaught and was able to send the match to the judges鈥� scoreboard which unfortunately for him all went for Mr. Sultan in the end.

The win was Mr. Sultan鈥檚 third straight victory and second for this year. He previously defeated American Sharone Carter by knockout in August. Mr. Sultan now sports an 18-5 (11 KOs) record.

Mr. Caraballo, meanwhile, dropped to a 14-1 record. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

In an official announcement on Oct. 28, officials of TAP Digital Media Ventures Corp. (TAP DMV) shared that they are now offering UFC All-Access to Tap Go subscribers where they can have access to more live UFC fights, shows, and events.

Also available is an exclusive access to the world鈥檚 largest MMA library that includes legendary fights, shows, and interviews.

It is a step-up for the Philippine-based sports and entertainment media company which is angling to provide all the best that the UFC can offer to Filipino MMA fans.

鈥淚t has always been the plan of TAP DMV to make sure that when we put out a content or an event, we go big and not just offer piecemeal offerings. We want to go all the way to make sure the viewing experience of our subscribers will be filled,鈥� said Chiqui Reyes, business development officer of TAP DMV, in a media conference.

鈥淲e try to listen to our subscribers and viewers. We did our research and by providing them with a variety of live events and videos on demand we can give what they need for their sports entertainment needs especially during this time of the pandemic when our movements are still limited,鈥� he added.

Available on UFC All-Access are the promotion鈥檚 live events, including Sunday鈥檚 UFC Light Heavyweight title match from Abu Dhabi between Glover Teixeira against Jan B艂achowicz where the former emerged as winner.

Non-live programs such as UFC Classics, UFC Submissions, UFC The Walk, UFC Greatest Fights, UFC Ultimate Knockouts and many more can be accessed on demand.

To subscribe, log on to www.tapgo.tv or download the Tap Go app on IOS and Android. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

The TnT Tropang Giga are back as Philippine Basketball Association champions after closing out the Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots, 94-79, in Game Five of their best-of-seven Philippine Cup finals series on Friday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

TnT won the series, 4-1, and marked its return to the PBA summit for the first time since 2015.

Rookie Mikey Williams led the way for the Tropang Giga, which controlled the game from late in the opening quarter all the way to the end. He finished with 24 points.

Magnolia tried to fashion out a comeback but just could not generate the needed wave to do so.

Roger Pogoy had 19 points for TnT, whose coach Chot Reyes is a champion anew in his first season back as coach in the PBA.

Jayson Castro had 10 points.

For Magnolia it was Ian Sangalang who showed the way with 18 markers.

TnT was last champion in 2015 with the Commissioner’s Cup.

The latest title was the sixth All-Filipino championship by the Tropang Giga in franchise history and eighth overall in the PBA.

THE TnT Tropang Giga go for the jugular and claim the PBA Philippine Cup title when they trek back to action on Friday for Game Five of the best-of-seven finals series at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Currently holding a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots after taking Game Four, 106-89, on Wednesday, TnT now seeks to close out the proceedings and return to being Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) after six years.

The Tropang Giga put themselves in great position to win the title of the ongoing All-Filipino tournament with a steady performance on both ends last time around.

They used an explosive second quarter where they outscored the Hotshots, 33-15, to build a considerable lead, 57-39, at the break, and never relinquished control en route to the victory.

Rookie Mikey Williams took charge again for TnT in the Game Four victory, scoring a team-high 26 points and going 6-of-11 from beyond the arc.

Veterans Jayson Castro and Ryan Reyes also provided ample support from the bench as the team continuously fended off any comeback Magnolia tried to make.

Forward Troy Rosario showed tremendous heart despite nursing an injured finger and back. The athletic forward started the game which he was expected to miss after failing to finish Game Three following a hard fall.

Mr. Rosario played 19 minutes in Game Four, finishing with five points, two rebounds and a block.

TnT coach Chot Reyes lauded the collective effort that his wards put up to make the victory possible, including that of Mr. Rosario.

鈥淥ur team doesn鈥檛 have a first group or a second group. We just have 15 guys and everyone, when asked to come in to play, is accountable to be able to deliver. Anyone can start and anyone can play off the bench, it doesn鈥檛 matter. That鈥檚 our team,鈥� Mr. Reyes said in the post-game press conference.

鈥淪hout out to Troy. He should not be playing. The reason we played him was for inspirational purposes. You see he couldn鈥檛 even catch the ball, but he wanted to try to play. The message of courage rubbed off on his teammates. It鈥檚 a great heart shown by Troy, then everything followed,鈥� he added.

TnT is seeking its sixth All-Filipino title and eighth PBA crown in franchise history. It was last a champion in 2015 with the Commissioner鈥檚 Cup.

For Magnolia, it will try to extend the series further and sweep the remaining games of the series.

In Game Four, best player of the conference winner Calvin Abueva tried to tow the Hotshots to the win with 28 points, but they just could not get the leverage they were angling for to fashion out a comeback.

Ian Sangalang had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds while Paul Lee had 15.

Magnolia is in search of Philippine Cup title number seven and 15^th league championship. The Hotshots鈥� most recent title was the 2018 Governors鈥� Cup.

Game Five of the PBA Philippine Cup finals is set for 6 p.m.

It is this kind of predicament that Olympic gold medalist and top weightlifter Hidilyn F. Diaz wants to avoid and for fellow athletes and other people to learn from.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen so many athletes who after their careers didn鈥檛 have anything to turn to. They focused more on their 鈥榳ants鈥� and not on their 鈥榥eeds,鈥� which is really sad. I don鈥檛 want that to happen to me and to the current and future athletes,鈥� said Ms. Diaz, 30, in a press conference hosted by BDO Unibank on Wednesday where she was introduced as the bank鈥檚 new brand ambassador.

She went on to share that she has put in a lot in her chosen path as an athlete and does not want them to go to waste.

鈥淭here is still life after sports and we have to be ready for it. Whatever we are getting right now, we have to use it properly in preparation for the future not only for ourselves, but also for our loved ones,鈥� she said.

Ms. Diaz received a huge windfall both from the government and private sector for making history by winning the country鈥檚 first-ever Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games this year.

Such blessings only further underscored for her the need to be financially responsible with her earnings, something she admitted to be doing with help from like-minded people and organizations like BDO.

鈥淭he worst investment as an athlete is to be with people who don鈥檛 share the same goal as you. It will be a waste of time,鈥� said Ms. Diaz, who is a Business Management student at the College of Saint Benilde.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to establish a good relationship and trust with people and organizations who can help us make sound decisions in terms of our finances, like where to invest our hard-earned money and provide services that we could use that suit our needs. It is something I found in BDO,鈥� she added.

Apart from the weightlifting gym she put up in Zamboanga City where she hopes to produce future medalists in the sport, Ms. Diaz has plans of setting up different businesses, like restaurants and a caf茅, saying 鈥淚鈥檓 dreaming big.鈥�

She is also studying investing in stocks and bonds with help from a financial adviser.

鈥淢y journey as an athlete started as a dream. I just went for it. So I encourage others to dream high as well, but also be discerning on their choices and decisions, including financially,鈥� Ms. Diaz said.

鈥淚n our case, we will not be forever athletes. So we have to invest in our future as well so that we can reap the fruits of our hard work the best way possible.鈥� 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

The groupings were known following the official draw on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The national team is lumped along with Australia, Thailand and Indonesia where it hopes to go deep in the tournament and vie for an historic FIFA World Cup qualification in 2023.

Former Australia coach听Alen Stajcic will steer the Philippine women鈥檚 team in the Asian Cup after being named early this week.

He replaced Marlon Maro at the helm and will be turning to his vast experience in international play, which includes a five-year stint with the 鈥淢atildas,鈥� the moniker of the Australian squad, that saw them qualify for 听the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women鈥檚 World Cup and the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, where the team reached the quarterfinals.

Joining Mr. Stajcic is assistant coach Nahuel Arrarte.

The Philippine Football Federation is currently in the process of finalizing the team鈥檚 preparation for the Asian Cup that will see it hold tryouts and training in California beginning November.

The other groupings, meanwhile, have India, China, Chinese Taipei and Iran in Group A and defending champion Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Myanmar in Group C.

The AFC Asian Cup format calls for the top two countries from each of the three groups making the last eight together with the two best-ranked third placed teams. 鈥撎�Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Ms. Olsim (5-2), out Team Lakay, will vie for a spot in the ONE atomweight grand prix final against India鈥檚 Ritu Phogat while strawweight bet Mr. Miado fights China鈥檚 Miao Li Tao in a rematch of their 2019 encounter.

A surprise replacement for Japanese semifinalist Itsuki Hirata, Ms. Olsim said she is looking to take advantage of the grand opportunity given her to advance her MMA career.

鈥淚 never expected to be in this position in such a short time. But all I know is that I trained as hard as I could, I grabbed every opportunity that ONE has given me, and now here I am,鈥� Ms. Olsim, a strawweight when she first competed in ONE, was quoted as saying by the promotion鈥檚 official website.

Mr. Miado (9-4), for his part, is out to win his second straight fight in ONE, and against Mr. Miao, who he defeated in November 2019 by way of a first-round knockout (flying knee). The win was a bounce-back for him after losing in his previous fight.

While it took a while to finally fight again, Mr. Miado of Marrok Force is confident he has put in the work in training to come out on top in his return.

鈥淚 kept training during the (pandemic-forced) break with my new team at Marrok Force so that I鈥檒l be ready anytime I鈥檓 called up for a fight. Now, I鈥檓 looking forward to getting back and getting those wins,鈥� he said in an interview with 大象传媒.

NextGen will be headlined by the women鈥檚 atomweight world grand prix semifinal match between Thailand鈥檚 Stamp and Brazil鈥檚 Julie Mezabarba.

The winners of the tournament semifinal bouts will meet in the world grand prix championship final, which is planned to take place before the year ends.

ONE: NextGen will be shown live in the country on One Sports and One Sports+ beginning at 8:30 p.m. as well as on the ONE mobile app. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

THE best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup finals series between the TnT Tropang Giga and Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots hits a critical juncture with Game Four on Wednesday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Set for 6 p.m., the contest will either see currently leading TnT move a win away from being crowned champion or Magnolia leveling the series at two games apiece and seizing momentum.

The Tropang Giga tried to take the fight out of the Hotshots in Game Three and go up 3-0, but just could not complete it as Magnolia came out with more sense of urgency than the previous games and made the necessary adjustments, which they successfully executed to go away with the 106-98 victory.

TnT rookie Mikey Williams had a historic shooting night, connecting on 10 three-pointers, a new Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) finals record, on his way to a game-high 39 points.

He nearly single-handedly towed the Tropang Giga to a come-from-behind win.

Magnolia, however, had the answers in the end to preserve the victory and infuse new life in its erstwhile flickering title hopes.

Gaining some traction in the series, the Hotshots are now looking to build on the win and further propel their push.

鈥淲e鈥檙e taking it a game at a time. We鈥檝e been in this situation before. We鈥檝e experienced it and now looking forward to coming back on Wednesday prepared and ready to play again,鈥� said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero following their Game Three win.

Paul Lee finally broke through for the Hotshots last time around, finishing with 21 points, higher than his 12-point average in the first two games of the series.

鈥淚t would have been tough had we fell to 0-3. So we talked as a team and said to ourselves that we had to play the best way we can, make the adjustments on offense and defense. And we bought in to the system of Coach Chito,鈥� said Mr. Lee in Filipino of the mindset they had.

Big man Ian Sangalang was also a catalyst for Magnolia with all-around numbers of 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four blocks.

Mark Barroca and Calvin Abueva, meanwhile, added 16 and 14 points, respectively.

Keenly being eyed heading into Game Four is the availability of TnT forward Troy Rosario, who failed to finish the last game after dislocating his left pinkie following a hard fall off a whistled flagrant foul on Magnolia鈥檚 Jackson Corpuz late in the third quarter.

Mr. Rosario was taken to a medical facility for further evaluation after the incident while Mr. Corpuz was summoned by the league office on Tuesday to discuss what happened.

TnT is seeking its eighth PBA title in franchise history and first since winning the 2015 Commissioner鈥檚 Cup while Magnolia is seeking their 15^th PBA title in franchise history, and seventh All-Filipino crown.

Meanwhile, the Best Player of the Conference award will be handed out prior to the start of Game Four. In the running for the plum are Magnolia鈥檚 Abueva and Sangalang, TnT鈥檚 Williams, Northport鈥檚 Robert Bolick and San Miguel鈥檚 June Mar Fajardo.

Originally set to compete in ONE: NextGen II in November against Jihin Radzuan of Malaysia, Ms. Olsim is now battling India鈥檚 Ritu Phogat as a replacement opponent in a women鈥檚 atomweight world grand prix semifinal match.

Ms. Ritu was supposed to take on Japan鈥檚 Itsuki Hirata, who had to pull out for an undisclosed medical issue.

Team Lakay鈥檚 Olsim (5-2) is coming off a successful initial foray in ONE鈥檚 atomweight division in her last fight, beating American-Vietnamese Bi Nguyen by unanimous decision in August.

Prior to that, she competed in the women鈥檚 strawweight division and is currently the number five-ranked contender in the weight class.

Apart from an expected all-out fight between the two fighters, also of interest is how Ms. Olsim was actually looking forward to facing Ms. Phogat over Ms. Hirata in the semifinals if ever she was named a replacement.

鈥淚 also want to face Ritu. She is a good wrestler and popular. I want to test my wrestling,鈥� said Ms. Olsim in a recent press conference for NextGen II.

Featured in the main event of ONE: NextGen is the women鈥檚 atomweight world grand prix semifinal match between Thailand鈥檚 Stamp and Brazil鈥檚 Julie Mezabarba.

The winners of the tournament semifinal bouts will meet in the world grand prix championship final, which is planned to take place before the year ends.

Another Filipino seeing action in NextGen is strawweight Jeremy Miado in a rematch with China鈥檚 Miao Li Tao. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

The Magnolia Pambasang Manok Hotshots were relieved to finally break through with a win in the ongoing best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup finals after taking Game Three, 106-98, over the TnT Tropang Giga on Sunday, thanks they said to adjustments they made particularly on the defensive end.

Following losses in the first two matches, the Hotshots were in desperate need of a win lest they kiss their title hopes in the season-opening Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) tournament goodbye.

And while they still had to dig deeper against a no-quit Tropang Giga crew in Game Three, they nonetheless positioned themselves better to compete on a firmer footing than the previous outings.

鈥淚 think we played defense better than we did in the first two games. The defensive mindset is very important. It brought us where we are now. And we all agreed that we have to play better defense to win. And we did,鈥� said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero after their win.

Magnolia finally got the good opening half in Game Three that eluded it early in the series.

Led by the trio of Paul Lee, Calvin Abueva and Jio Jalalon, the Hotshots took the first quarter, 26-20, and kept the Tropang Giga at bay, 52-46, at the break.

The Hotshots continued to hum to start the third quarter.

They outscored TnT, 23-15, in the first seven minutes to stretch their lead to 14 points, 75-61.

But the Tropang Giga just showed much resolve, even after Troy Rosario went down with a dislocated left pinkie following a hard fall, narrowing their deficit to just five points, 82-77, heading into the final quarter.

Rattled at the end of the previous quarter, Magnolia reestablished control at the start of the payoff canto, extending its lead to 18 points, 95-77, with 7:49 to go in the match.

The Tropang Giga charged back, led by the hot-shooting of rookie Mikey Williams, trimming the Magnolia lead to just three points, 98-95, with 1:11 left.

However, Magnolia scored four straight points after to put the game out of reach.

鈥淲e鈥檙e happy for the win but we鈥檙e taking it a game at a time. We鈥檝e been in this situation before. We鈥檝e experienced it and looking forward to coming back on Wednesday prepared and ready to play again,鈥� said Mr. Victolero.

Magnolia tries to level the series in Game Four set for Wednesday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Mr. Williams, 28, the number four pick in this year鈥檚 rookie draft, shot his way to Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) finals history by uncorking 10 three-pointers in Game Three at the weekend.

The feat, as per league statistics, eclipsed the previous record set by teammate Jayson Castro, who fired nine triples back in 2015 against the Rain or Shine Elastopainters in the Commissioner鈥檚 Cup championship series.

It was also the most three-pointers made by a rookie, topping the eight by fellow 2021 draftee Calvin Oftana of the NLEX Road Warriors set earlier this conference.

Mr. Williams achieved the feat with much efficiency, going 10-of-18 from beyond the arc for a 55% shooting clip.

He finished the game with 39 points, and almost single handedly led his team to a come-from-behind win.

His total output in Game Three was the most of any rookie in the finals since 1999 when Eric Menk of Tanduay scored 42 points in a Game Three loss in the All-Filipino title series.

So good Mr. Williams was last time around that their Magnolia opponents could not help but heave praises to the young gun.

鈥淭he kid can score. You can only hope to limit him,鈥� said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero, who put different defenders on Mr. Williams to try to stop him, even big man Rafi Reavis down the stretch.

鈥淢ikey is a born scorer. And we saw that today,鈥� Hotshots guard Paul Lee, for his part, said.

Mr. Williams and the Tropang Giga try to bounce back in Game Four of the series on Wednesday. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

In an announcement made on Monday, Chooks-to-Go said an agreement was reached at the weekend between its President Ronald Mascari帽as and MPBL founder Manny Pacquiao for the rotisserie firm to take a more prominent role in the handling of the league.

The latest development elevates further the partnership between the two groups, which started in December 2019 when Chooks-to-Go signed a five-year deal to be the MPBL鈥檚 title sponsor.

In agreeing for Chooks-to-Go to have a more active role in the league, Mr. Pacquiao said they took into consideration its organizational skills and go-getting mindset as attested by successful tournaments it has mounted in the past years, particularly in the 3×3 basketball scene.

Earlier, the future of the MPBL, which started in 2017, was rendered uncertain after Mr. Pacquiao, also a sitting senator of the republic, announced his bid for the presidency in next year鈥檚 national elections.

Mr. Mascari帽as, for their part, said they are ready to take on the challenge involved in operating the MPBL, signifying their intention to work with league commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.

The MPBL is currently in the early stages of holding an invitational tournament for its member teams to close out the year while Chooks-to-Go is also planning to integrate its 3×3 basketball program with the MPBL.

While they are going to be more involved in the MPBL, Mr. Mascari帽as assured that they remain committed to supporting regional professional leagues Pilipinas Vismin Super Cup and National Basketball League-Pilipinas, which are in line with the organization鈥檚 thrust of leveling the playing field for players in the countryside and for them to have same opportunities in basketball as a source of livelihood. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

1 of 3

THE NIKE store at Glorietta 3 in Makati City is now sporting a new look, is twice the size it used to be, and has a wider range of services. The store houses footwear and apparel for men, women and kids while also seeking to elevate customers鈥� shopping experience.

The new-look Nike Glorietta, which opened to the public on Oct. 21, brings a renewed focus on member services with personalized offerings. These include Women鈥檚 First Hour, where female customers can book appointments to shop in-store; Style My Squad, for friends and family shopping; and Tights Styling for consumers鈥� sport and wellness needs.

The focus on female shoppers is further highlighted with bra fitting and styling services to help them find the right product.

Curbside pickup is also available where shoppers can pick up their Nike gear at designated points within the mall.

Some 65% of the products at Nike Glorietta are dedicated to performance shoes like Vaporfly and Alphafly. And to help customers be more discerning about improving their performance, treadmill trials are also offered to test shoes prior to purchase.

鈥淭he new Nike Glorietta has been designed to create experiences for our customers to be active,鈥� said Tarundeep Singh, senior director Nike Stores, Southeast Asia & India, in a release.

鈥淎 thoughtful attention has been paid to women and children to delight them with products and services that will encourage them to express themselves through dance fitness, running, yoga collection or as sneakerheads,鈥� he added.

RETURN TO SPORTS
For Nike Philippines Country Marketing Manager Jino Ferrer, the launch of the bigger Nike Glorietta is also in anticipation of people returning to sports as pandemic restrictions ease.

鈥淎s the country opens up, we are expecting our consumers to do more sport hence that can directly translate into buying more Nike products,鈥� he said in Messenger chat with 大象传媒.

He was quick to point out though that they are doing it with the safety and wellness of customers as a priority, which is why they made it a point to come up with services specifically designed to address such.

鈥淪ince we know that the expectations of our consumers now is to shop in a 鈥榥ew normal鈥� environment as safety and well-being is the utmost priority, our member services like women鈥檚 only first hour shopping and curbside pickups will not just be an experience that will make our consumers more comfortable to go to our stores but it will also help encourage and inspire them to gear up and move since they will have easier and safer access to products through the services,鈥� Mr. Ferrer said.

Nike Glorietta is located at Unit 227, second floor of Glorietta 3. It is owned and operated by Green Tee, Inc. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

THE Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots regained some ground in their best-of-seven Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup finals series with the TnT Tropang Giga by taking Game Three, 106-98, on Sunday to narrow their deficit, 1-2.

Had their backs against the wall after losing the first two games of the finals at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga, the Hotshots played with a sense of urgency en route to the win that reignited their erstwhile flickering title hopes in the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association tournament.

Magnolia finally got the good opening half it was looking for in the series to establish a firmer footing in the contest.

Led by the trio of Paul Lee, Calvin Abueva and Jio Jalalon, the Hotshots took the first quarter, 26-20, and kept the Tropang Giga at bay, 52-46, at the break.

The Hotshots continued to hum to start the third quarter.

They outscored TnT, 23-15, in the first seven minutes to stretch their lead to 14 points, 75-61.

Making matters worse for the Tropang Giga was forward Troy Rosario dislocating his left pinkie on a flagrant foul by Jackson Corpuz with 3:02 left in the frame.

Mr. Rosario was then taken to the dugout to be reassessed while Mr. Corpuz was thrown out after being assessed with a technical foul earlier in the match.

But TnT continued to fight, going on a 9-7 run after the incident to cut Magnolia鈥檚 lead to just five points, 82-77, heading into the final quarter.

Rattled at the end of the third, Magnolia established control at the start of the payoff canto, extending its lead to 18 points, 95-77, with 7:49 to go in the match.

The Tropang Giga tried to rally back, narrowing the Magnolia lead to just three points, 98-95, with 1:11 left.

Four straight points by Magnolia after put the game away for it.

Mr. Lee led the way for the Hotshots with 21 points, followed by Ian Sangalang with 20.

For TnT, it was rookie Mikey Williams who showed the way 39 points, padded by 10 three-pointers.

Game Four of the finals is set for Wednesday.

Twenty-one-year-old Mr. Yulo scored an average of 14.916 points to take the top spot in the vault finals held at the听Kitakyushu City Gymnasium. He finished ahead of Yonekura Hidenobu of Japan (14.866) and Medvedev Andrey of Israel (14.649), who placed second and third, respectively.

Mr. Yulo鈥檚 gold in the vault was his first title in this year鈥檚 edition of the world championships and provided redemption after he fell short in his push to defend his floor exercise title on Saturday by finishing fifth in the event.

The currently Japan-based gymnast won the world championship in floor exercise back in 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany, which also earned him a spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

In winning gold in the vault event, Mr. Yulo was towed by a solid showing in the second vault with a听Dragulescu听(front handspring double front with a half twist out) where he scored 15.033, built on a difficulty of 5.600 and execution of 9.433.

In the first vault, where he did听three twists before landing,听he had a score of 14.800 鈥� 5.600 (difficulty) and 9.200 (execution).

Japan鈥檚 Hidenobu had a score of 15.000 in his first vault, but fell in the second with a 14.733 output.

Mr. Yulo鈥檚 world championship title in the vault was also a bounce-back for him after failing to land a podium finish in the event in the Tokyo Games in August. He finished fourth in the vault finals in his Olympic debut.

Disappointed, he immediately went back to work, fine-tuning his skills to live up to the standards he has put up for himself.

He made it known that the world championships in Japan was part of his redemption tour.

Apart from winning the gold in the vault event, Mr. Yulo also nabbed the silver medal in the parallel bars on Sunday, tallying a total of 15.300 points. China鈥檚 Hu Xuwei topped the event with 15.466. 鈥�听Michael Angelo S. Murillo听听

Playing in Group H of the qualification phase, the U23 Azkals seek to top their grouping for automatic qualification for the Asian Cup, or be among the top runners-up in group play for possible qualification.

Qualification format has the 11 group winners and the four best runners-up qualifying for the Asian Cup, happening in Uzbekistan next year.

In their group, the U23 Azkals will play Korea Republic on Monday at 5 p.m., followed by host Singapore on Oct. 28 (8 p.m.) and Timor-Leste on Oct. 31 (5 p.m.). Venue for all the matches is the Jalan Besar Stadium.

The 23-man Philippine team is composed of Quincy Kammeraad, Enrico Mangaoang and Jessie Semblante (goalkeepers), and defenders Justin Baas, Paolo Nicola Perez, Christian Rontini and David Kevin Setters.

Also in the team are midfielders Oliver Bias, Jethro Borlongan, Dennis Chung, Yrick Gallantes, Mandy Lloyd Ignacio, Oskari Johannes Kekkonen, Jacob Francis Maniti, Sandro Miguel Reyes, Nathan Rilloraza, Mark Francis Swainston, Shanden Vergara and Mark Winhoffer, and forwards Kieran Hayes, Miguel Antonio Mendoza, Marcel Ivan Ouano, and Jens Sebastian Rasmussen.

The team is coached by Scott Cooper with Dan Palami as team manager.

鈥淲e鈥檙e here (Singapore) and we鈥檙e ready,鈥� said Mr. Cooper in a virtual press conference organized by the Philippine Football Federation on Friday.

鈥淲e鈥檝e brought in the best available players at this time from the domestic league and those playing outside of the Philippines. It鈥檚 a culmination of long scouting and assessing them. Everyone鈥檚 Filipino and everybody is dedicated,鈥� he added.

Mr. Cooper further said that they had a good camp in Qatar, but admitted that a tall order awaits them come tournament time.

Prior to going to Doha for the final stages of the training camp, the team also conducted a closed-circuit training bubble last September at the Aboitiz Pitch in Lipa, Batangas, under strict monitoring and adhering to existing health and safety protocols.

The matches of U23 Azkals can be seen live over the Premier Football Channel (SkyCable and Cignal TV) and streamed over TapGo. 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo

THE TnT Tropang Giga go for a 2-0 lead over the Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots in their best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup finals series when they reengage for Game Two on Friday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Lorded it over the Hotshots in the series-opener, 88-70, the Tropang Giga are looking to sustain the momentum they have built and propel further their push for the title in the season-opening tournament of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Rookie Mikey Williams led the way for TnT in the Game One victory, which saw them go to a fast start and never seriously threatened after.

The fourth overall pick in this year鈥檚 rookie draft finished with all-around numbers of 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

The Tropang Giga opened the proceedings with a 7-0 run in the first two minutes of the match, which it used to build a 24-14 advantage after the first quarter.

In the second frame, the Hotshots continued with their offensive struggles and TnT capitalized on it to build an even bigger lead by the half time break, 53-34.

TnT鈥檚 juggernaut continued at the start of the second half, with the team outscoring Magnolia, 20-7, in the opening seven minutes of the third quarter to extend its lead to 32 points, 73-41.

Magnolia would not recover after that.

Big man JP Erram had 14 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for TnT while Kelly Williams had 10 points.

鈥淲e wanted our focus, our energy, our preparation to be according to the rhythm we鈥檝e established. Our concern now is to be better. We wanted to be better in the finals than in the semis. I thought if we came into the finals and just put the same game we put in the semifinals, we would be in trouble,鈥� said TnT coach Chot Reyes, in the postgame press conference, of the mindset they have in the finals.

A concern though for the team is the status of Kelly Williams, who failed to finish the game after reportedly straining his back. The former league most valuable player was going for a dunk when he got hurt. He was brought out of the DHVSU Gym after the game on a stretcher.

Mr. Reyes said Mr. Williams was up for assessment and that they would just adjust playing without him in Game Two if ever.

Magnolia, for its part, is seeking to bounce back big time after absorbing a thorough beat-up in Game One.

As a team, the Hotshots only shot 27% (16-of-53) on the field, which according to the league was one of the worst in PBA finals history.

Paul Lee and Jackson Corpuz top-scored for Magnolia with 12 points each while Calvin Abueva had a double-double of 11 points and 11 boards.

After them, no other Hotshot scored in double digits, including starters Ian Sangalang (five points) and Mark Barroca (four points).

It was reported, however, that Mr. Sangalang suffered back spasm, which was why he was limited to just 10 minutes of play. His status for Game Two is still to be determined as of this writing.

Game Two of the PBA finals is at 6 p.m.

Twenty-one-year old Mr. Yulo, who represented the Philippines in this year鈥檚 Olympic Games, advanced to the finals of three events in the ongoing gymnastics meet happening at the Kitakyushu City Gymnasium.

Mr. Yulo is through to the finals of the floor exercise, where he is the defending champion, as well as in the parallel bars and the vault.

The Philippine bet landed in the top eight in each of the three events to book his place in the medal round.

He topped the floor exercise with 15.166 points, ahead of Italy鈥檚 Nicola Bartolini (14.966) and Japan鈥檚 Minami Kazuki (14.966).

It is the same event that he ruled in 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany, which also secured him a spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

The finals of the floor exercise in the 2021 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships is set for Saturday.

Mr. Yulo also topped the qualifiers in the parallel bars with 15.566 points, ahead of China鈥檚 Zhang Boheng (15.300) and Hu Xuwei (15.233).

He placed third in the vault with 14.808 points.

The finals for both the parallel bars and vault are on Sunday.

Mr. Yulo made it known that the world championships is part of his redemption tour after a disappointing showing in the Tokyo Olympics where he only qualified for one event (vault). 鈥� Michael Angelo S. Murillo