TNT welcomes back RHJ vs Macau

Manila Times - Oct 12, 2026

THE timing is perfect for defending champion TNT as it is now at full strength heading into the PBA playoffs. Having secured a spot in the post-season, the Tropang 5G will just simply work on their team chemistry with as they welcome the return of three-time Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (RHJ) when the team battles woeful Macau on Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in the PBA Governors’ Cup. Game time is at 5:15 p.m. The game against the Giant Pandas will give RHJ time to get into the system, along with Calvin Oftana, Jordan Heading and Jayson Castro, who all recently returned after being grounded due to separate injuries. TNT enters the match carrying a 6-4 record, in a tie with Converge for Group A. Macau has dropped out of the playoff race with its woeful 2-8 record in the same group. Coach Chot Reyes knows the road to defending its crown won’t be easy. “Whoever it is we will face (in the quarterfinals) it’s going to be a tough match-up,” said Reyes, whose team scored a resounding 116-98 win over San Miguel Beer last Saturday. Hollis-Jefferson is back in harness since hurting his Achilles while playing for the Meralco Bolts in the EASL in December 2025. He...

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Oct 23, 2026

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Oct 23, 2026

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Oct 23, 2026

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GM Wesley So conquers US Chess Championships for 4th time

Oct 23, 2026

GM Wesley So conquers US Chess Championships for 4th time

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Yulo aims for floor exercise gold at 2026 World Championships

Oct 23, 2026

Yulo aims for floor exercise gold at 2026 World Championships

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Salary cap debate intensifies ahead of World Series

Oct 23, 2026

Salary cap debate intensifies ahead of World Series

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Williams, Santos lead Bears over Patriots

Oct 23, 2026

Williams, Santos lead Bears over Patriots

LOS ANGELES — Caleb Williams threw two touchdowns and finished with 308 passing yards as the Chicago Bears finally edged clear of the New England Patriots to clinch a 30-24 victory at Soldier Field on Thursday (Friday in Manila). The Bears — playing their first home game since the passing of legendary former coach Mike Ditka earlier this month — improved to 5-2 thanks to a composed display from Williams, who made 22-of-33 passes with no interceptions. Chicago were also grateful for a career-long 58-yard field goal from veteran kicker Cairo Santos in the final two minutes that gave Chicago a nine-point lead and effectively settled the game. “It felt great being able to be back with the guys, being able to be back out here in front of our fans,” said Williams, playing his first home game since a monthlong injury layoff. Earlier, the Bears defense dominated the early exchanges, winning a turnover on downs on the opening New England drive before forcing the visitors to punt twice. Chicago got on the board early with a 43-yard Santos field goal before D’Andre Swift rushed over for a close-range touchdown late in the first quarter to make it 10-0. New England however got back into the game early in the second quarter, with an inspired weaving run from quarterback Drake Maye to cap a 74-yard touchdown drive. Initially it looked as if Maye had been stopped just short of the goal-line, but New England challenged the call and replays showed he had just managed to break the plane as he stretched for the end zone. Chicago restored their double-digit advantage with 10 unanswered points through Santos’ second field goal and a Luther Burden touchdown to make it 20-7. Yet once again New England hit back and on the stroke of half-time, conjured a touchdown out of nothing when Maye connected with Rhamondre Stevenson for a 48-yard score that caught the Bears secondary napping. The back-and-forth scoring continued in the third quarter, with Colton Loveland collecting a 12-yard pass from Williams to put the Bears 27-14 ahead, only for Maye to toss his second touchdown to set up a score for Eli Raridon and make it a six-point game at 27-21. Chicago flirted with disaster in the final two minutes, when Williams was sacked on third down to leave Santos with a long-range field goal attempt. Santos though drilled the kick to put the Bears out of reach, with New England’s final points coming from an Andy Borregales field goal. The Patriots, runners-up in last year’s Super Bowl, fell to 4-3 with the loss. AFP

76ers erase 29-point deficit to defeat Cavs  

Oct 23, 2026

76ers erase 29-point deficit to defeat Cavs  

LOS ANGELES — The Philadelphia 76ers erased a 29-point deficit to stun the Cleveland Cavaliers, 114-106, on Thursday (Friday in Manila) in NBA superstar LeBron James’ first home game since landing in Philly as a free agent. Tyrese Maxey scored 32 points and Joel Embiid added 24 — including a jump shot with 6:54 left to play that gave the Sixers their first lead of the night — one they wouldn’t relinquish on the way to an epic comeback. Former Celtics star Jaylen Brown, the Sixers’ other big off-season acquisition, scored 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds and four-time NBA champion James added 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to help the 76ers author their biggest comeback of the play-by-play era that started in 1996. It was also the biggest comeback of James’ storied career. The league’s all-time leading scorer called it a good win — but not a position he wants to be in often. “You don’t want to rely on that,” he said. “I think it’s great to know (that) deep down we’re not going to have that quit mentality. You never want to look around and say guys gave up. “But you don’t want to put yourself in too many of those situations.” Cleveland, disappointed not to land hometown hero James after he announced he was leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons, appeared to be on a mission to show him what he missed. Donovan Mitchell scored 22 of his 32 points in the first half as the Cavs seized control against a 76ers team struggling to find a rhythm and protect the ball. Philadelphia center Joel Embiid looked creaky, and James had five of the Sixers’ 15 first-half turnovers — which led to 22 Cavs points and provoked boos from Philly fans whose hopes of a title run have been raised by the arrivals of James and Brown. The boos turned to raucous cheers as the reenergized 76ers opened the third quarter on an 11-0 run. They cut the lead to single digits on back-to-back baskets from Maxey that pulled them within 80-73. The Cavs were struggling to regroup. Maxey reduced the deficit to two points with a running finger roll layup with 2:33 left in the third before Cleveland reeled off six straight points to take a 90-82 lead into the fourth quarter. But the 76ers, who beat the reigning champion New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, kept coming. They outscored the Cavaliers, 60-37, in the second half, clamping down defensively and giving up just two turnovers. Evan Mobley scored 18 points for Cleveland but had just three in the second half. Jarrett Allen scored 14 but was held scoreless after the break. “We stayed together, that’s the main thing,” Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe said. “When it got worse we could have given up, we didn’t. It’s an early season test, early season adversity, and we overcame it.” AFP

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