For Eli Soyud, trust has been the driving force behind her explosive performance in the Akari Chargers’ back-to-back wins in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series. The veteran winger delivered one of the best performances of her pro career when she erupted for a career-high 30 points to power the Chargers’ come-from-behind

Just before plunging into her final WTA event of the year, Alex Eala hit another new milestone by climbing to a new career-high in the world rankings at No. 17.

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg drained six 3-pointers as a foundation for a career-best 37 points and the Golden State Warriors, despite resting Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, recorded a fourth straight win, 124-112 over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night in San Francisco.

The NBA suspended Atlanta Hawks guard Kingston Flemings one game without pay for intentionally elbowing New Orleans guard Bryce McGowens in the head during the Pelicans' 121-99 home win on Saturday.

Fresh from a successful comeback from injury, British jockey Hollie Doyle will return to Hong Kong for another winter stint from November 29 to January 31. The Jockey Club confirmed on Monday that Doyle has been granted a visiting jockey’s licence “with a view to start accepting race riding engagements on December 2”. The 30-year-old was sidelined for five months by a complex lower-leg fracture suffered in a fall in May, but returned with victory in her first ride back at Southwell on...

Michael Porter Jr. scored 23 points on Sunday to help the Brooklyn Nets secure their elusive first win with a 98-90 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.

WASHINGTON, United States — Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell was carted off the field and taken to a nearby hospital for overnight evaluation of a neck injury in Sunday's 19-15 NFL victory over previously unbeaten Minnesota. The Lions announced the details after Campbell was placed onto a backboard by medical personnel and driven off the field early in the fourth quarter, and the team later released an updated statement. "Jack Campbell is resting and will remain in a local hospital tonight, for continued evaluation and monitoring," the Lions said. "The team will provide further updates as we have them." Campbell was injured after making his third tackle of the contest by stopping Minnesota tight end TJ Hockenson. He was prone face down on the field and not moving. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Jack and his family," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said in his comments immediately after the game. "He's being taken care of. We don't have any new information. We'll keep you updated as this goes, but we're thinking about him." The 26-year-old from Iowa was a first-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Lions, chosen 18th overall. Campbell had a career-best season for Detroit in 2025 with 89 solo tackles, five sacks and 176 combined tackles. He also forced three fumbles and recovered two. "Jack's deal was definitely scary," Lions quarterback Jared Goff said. "It just brings you back to reality for a moment that he's a husband and a father. "Scary. We're praying for him and hope he's going to be all right. If anyone is tough enough to get through something like that, it's going to be him." The Lions signed Campbell last May to a four-year contract extension worth $81 million.

MEXICO CITY, Mexico —  Twenty-year-old Kimi Antonelli ripped up the record books to become the youngest Formula One champion on Sunday in Mexico, emphasising his domination by collecting the title with four races still scheduled for the season. The young Italian finished third, following two great champions Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton across the line, to put himself clear of Mercedes teammate George Russell and seven-time world champion Hamilton, the only ones who might possibly catch him. The fresh-faced prodigy, who was in tears as he crossed the line, has brought a breath of fresh air to the paddock, which he has completely won over with his performances and personality, as he became the first Italian to win the title since Alberto Ascari 73 years ago. At 20 years and 68 days old, he is by far the youngest ever champion: the previous record holder Sebastian Vettel was 23 years and 133 days old when he won his first title in 2010. Flung into Formula One in 2025 at just 18, he has dazzled in his second season. His Mercedes team has dominated but the Italian has emphatically outperformed his British team-mate Russell. After finishing second to Russell in the opener in Australia, Antonelli won the next five races. Coming into Mexico, he had won nine of the 18 races, displaying his consistency with six other podium finishes. His ability and chutzpah were best illustrated in Monza when, after starting 19th, he weaved his way through the pack - and past Russell who had started on pole - to win his home grand prix comfortably. It was one of the all-time great race performances. The son of Elisabetta, who stays out of the spotlight, and Marco, a former driver and team principal, Andrea Kimi Antonelli started karting at seven, although his father, surprisingly, opposed a career in the sport. "He didn't want me to become a driver because motorsports can be very cruel at times, especially financially, since it's very hard to succeed without the support of the right people," said Antonelli before the US Grand Prix. "He taught me everything he knew, first about racing, and now about life. It's really important to have him by my side during races." Antonelli was spotted and, at the age of 11, recruited by Frenchman Gwen Lagrue, head of the Mercedes junior driver programme, where Hamilton was his mentor. "He's incredibly impressive and deserves to be world champion," said the Englishman, whose record of seven world titles may one day come under threat from his protege. 'Handle the pressure'  Antonelli began in karting, dominating the sport in 2020 and 2021. He was Italian and German F4 champion in 2022, and champion in Formula Regional, in F3 cars, in 2023. He skipped F3 and went straight into F2 in 2024. Although he only finished sixth, another leap followed when Hamilton left Mercedes for Ferrari. There were a few bumps and brushes in his rookie year in F1 but he still managed a second place in Sao Paulo and two other podiums, finishing seventh in the championship. "I said from the start that he had tremendous talent and a great personality, but that he would need a season in F1 to grow and learn through both great moments and setbacks," Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told AFP. "He was catapulted into F1, and it wasn't easy, even though he had always driven very well. He had to handle the pressure, the media, and the expectations. "And it's all the more satisfying to see just how good he's been this year. It was a bit of a surprise that he performed at such a high level." After Antonelli became the second-youngest Formula One winner with his first victory in China in March, Lagrue sent an emotional message. "It's hard to put into words the feelings we experienced during the final laps of the Chinese Grand Prix, watching you attack every corner that brought you closer to your first F1 victory. Speed is one thing. Mental toughness is another. On Sunday, you demonstrated both." Always cheerful, smiling, and full of jokes, Antonelli has become the life and soul of the paddock. Every press conference is laced with humour with other drivers joining in the fun. Peter Bonnington, his race engineer who previously worked with Hamilton, has lost count of the jokes the Italian has played on him this year - or the cream pies the youngster has thrown in his face. Behind the jokes, however, lies a brilliant, deserving world champion.

Jayson Tatum tossed in a game-high 32 points to help the visiting Boston Celtics extend their winning streak to five games by beating the Orlando Magic 108-97 on Sunday.

A tearful Kimi Antonelli became Formula One's youngest world champion at 20 years and 68 days old on Sunday when he finished third for Mercedes in a red-flagged and restarted Mexico City Grand Prix won by Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

CARMONA–The foreign contingent seeing action in the 108th Philippine Open presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will not lack firepower, with former Asian Tour Order of Merit winners John Catlin of the United States and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond leading the field. The finale of the Tour’s 2026 season will be held from Nov. 12

MANILA, Philippines–There was a humbling tone in the voice of Magnolia coach LA Tenorio as his rookie season came to a close in a rough way with a quarterfinal sweep at the hands of TNT. And Tenorio knows that there are plenty of things to work on before he can find himself among the elite

MANILA, Philippines—Despite the loss to La Salle, Ateneo rookie Kieffer Alas had some positive takeaways on Saturday night. Alas was mum after the Blue Eagles’ first-round loss to the Green Archers last month, but this time, he was in high spirits. “It feels good. The losses don’t, but we get experience. I feell like these

MANILA, Philippines—With Jacob Cortez still sidelined with a right knee injury, La Salle turned to its rookie Joaquin Tovera in a crucial rivalry game against Ateneo in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament. Tovera delivered and led the Green Archers to a thrilling 76-73 overtime win for their third straight victory. He shone with

MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Rookie Cameron Boozer had 27 points and nine rebounds, and Isaiah Stewart added 24 points as the Memphis Grizzlies remained the only unbeaten team in the NBA with a 136-105 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday (Sunday in Manila). The Grizzlies’ 6-0 record matches the 2014-15 season for the best start in franchise history. After the Houston Rockets’ 116-111 loss at Dallas on Friday night, Memphis was the last unbeaten team in the league. The Grizzlies dominated the Kings in the second half to coast home, with the lead reaching 34 in the second half. GG Jackson finished with 21 points, connecting on all five of his 3-pointers as Memphis built its lead in the first half. Cam Spencer, starting at point guard as Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. sat out with back issues, had 10 points and 13 assists. Meanwhile, the Kings, led by 38 points from Darus Acuff Jr., continue to struggle in the season’s early stages, dropping to 0-6. Acuff, the rookie from Arkansas, scored 34 points against New Orleans in a loss Thursday; De’Andre Hunter finished with 19 points. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine scored 11 points each, Sabonis adding 14 rebounds and eight assists. Memphis led by 21 points in the first half behind Jackson’s 3-point shooting, but Acuff was able to keep the Kings into the game with 21 first-half points. The Grizzlies led a 66-55 lead at intermission as Jackson connected on all five of his 3-point attempts. The double-digit margin ballooned to 30 in the third quarter as Stewart and Boozer, the third pick in last summer’s draft, fueled the Memphis offense. The Grizzlies outscored Sacramento 42-25 in the third. Meanwhile, Jabari Smith Jr. had 30 points and nine rebounds, Marcus Smart added 24 points and the Houston Rockets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-98. Smith shot 10 of 18 from the field, including 6 of 12 on 3-pointers. Smart was 7 of 10 on 3s as the Rockets shot 46 percent as a team and were 18 of 41 from behind the arc. Alperen Sengun, who returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with lower back soreness, finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists, and Kevin Durant scored 14 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting, and Kenrich Williams and Bennett Stirtz scored 11 apiece for Oklahoma City, which lost its second straight after beginning the season 4-0. Isaiah Hartenstein and Jared McCain had 10 points each for the Thunder, which shot 44 percent and were 10 of 32 on 3s.

DIAMNIADIO, Senegal — The Youth Olympic Games opened in Senegal on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), marking the first Olympic event in Africa as the continent seeks a bigger role in international sports competitions. Tens of thousands of spectators cheered on the opening ceremony in the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium near the capital Dakar. Hundreds of drummers and dancers celebrated Senegalese and African culture in line with the Games motto, “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.” A giant map of Africa was created by performers dressed in yellow, black and white traditional Senegalese gowns, dancing in unison, in a grandiose ceremony that saw West African oral storytelling, concerts by Senegalese singers and athletes parading. Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared the Games open. “This is a historic event and it was so important for me to be here,” said Aby Diouf, 25, a Senegalese spectator at the stadium. “It’s a marvellous celebration and we are all here to bring the energy and get people hyped." About 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 will compete through Nov. 13 in Dakar, the nearby city of Diamniadio and the beach resort of Saly. Russia’s delegation of 13 athletes is competing under its national flag for the first time at an Olympic event since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to its suspension. The first refugee team at a Youth Olympics will field six athletes based in Kenya and Uganda in track and field, judo and taekwondo. Athletes overall will compete in 153 medal events across 25 sports. Singapore hosted the first summer Youth Games in 2010. Dakar was initially due to host in 2022 but the coronavirus pandemic delayed the Games. “This is a historic moment for Senegal, for Africa and for our entire Olympic family” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said at the opening ceremony. Coventry, a former swimming gold medalist from Zimbabwe, became the first female and African boss of the International Olympic Committee last year. AP

BARCELONA — Raphinha and Lamine Yamal each struck twice as Barcelona thrashed Alaves, 6-1, on Saturday to reclaim their La Liga lead and get back on track after two damaging defeats. Earlier Atletico Madrid, second, earned a solid 2-0 win at Levante, but Barca moved back two points clear of the Rojiblancos by routing the Basque visitors at Camp Nou. Still stinging after a Champions League defeat by Paris Saint-Germain and then last weekend's La Liga home Clasico loss against rivals Real Madrid, Hansi Flick's side found their groove once more. Raphinha netted twice in the first half, either side of a Fermin Lopez strike, and Yamal found the net just before the interval. Teenage winger Yamal netted again midway through the second half and substitute Anthony Gordon chipped home Barca's sixth, before Mariano Diaz pulled one back for Alaves. "It was a hard week for us, there was no better place than Camp Nou in front of our fans (to bounce back)," Lopez told Movistar. "They make the difference, Lamine and Raphinha, with them we will achieve big things." There was a minute's silence at the start of each of the day's matches in memory of the 69 victims of the train crash in the province of Toledo that rocked Spain this week. Flick lined up with Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong playing at center-back and youngster Brian Farinas making his first start at right-back, amid a spate of defensive injuries. It did not hamper the champions. Barcelona moved ahead in the eighth minute, with La Liga's top scorer Raphinha continuing his red-hot form after Lopez teed him up. Lopez doubled Barcelona's lead himself in the 23rd minute. Yamal slipped the midfielder in and, from a tight angle, he smashed the ball across goal and fortuitously in at the far post, seemingly intending to cross it. Karim Adeyemi and Yamal both missed glorious chances from close range to expand on Barca's lead, with Raphinha showing the duo how to do it as he bagged his 15th league goal. Lopez sent the forward through on goal and Raphinha produced a lethal finish across Antonio Sivera. Perhaps frustrated by his miss, Yamal smashed home the fourth with an instinctive low strike from the edge of the box in first half stoppage time. Adeyemi blazed another presentable chance over the crossbar early in the second half after Lopez unselfishly set him up. Yamal got Barca's fifth with a neat dink over the goalkeeper after substitute Gabriel Jesus played him through on goal. Gordon produced a similar finish for Barca's sixth and the only tarnish on their evening was former Real Madrid striker Diaz netting late on.

MANILA, Philippines — Veteran setter Mars Alba is eager to make the most of Akari’s talent by orchestrating a balanced offense in the PVL All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series. Alba dished out 22 excellent sets and scored eight points in Akari’s second straight win of the tournament, outlasting Farm Fresh, 25-22, 25-27, 22-25, 25-23, 15-12, last

FILIPINO tennis ace Alex Eala faces American Alycia Parks for the third time — this time at the WTA 250 Hong Kong Open in China, where Eala plays her final tournament of the season. Eala and Parks enter their third clash on Monday, if not Tuesday, with a 1-1 head-to-head record. Main draw matches of the tournament which will run until Nov. 8 start on Monday but the order o play wasn't available yet as of writing. World No. 19 and tournament No. 2 seed Eala and world No. 65 Parks were pitted against each other in the draw ceremony Saturday. Parks topped Eala in their first meeting at the Australian Open first round, 0–6, 6–3, 6–2, last January. Eala got back at Parks at the Toronto Open second round, 6–1, 4–6, 6–2, last August. The two netters were coming off their respective campaigns at the WTA 500 Tokyo Open in Japan. Eala reached the quarterfinal where she lost to world No. 13 Diana Shnaider in an epic 3-set battle, 2-6, 6(5)-7, 4-6, last Friday. While Eala didn't make a deep run, she finally broke her Asian Swing "second round wall" and make a breakthrough quarterfinal appearance. Eala could not get past the second round in the previous tournaments of the Asian Swing. The 21-year-old suffered upset losses to world No. 180 Tatiana Prozoroava at the Singapore Open second round and to No. 217 Shi Han in the Wuhan first round. Eala finally scored back-to-back wins in Tokyo, where she defeated world No. 411 and wildcard Mika Stojsavljevic in the opener, 6-1, 6-2, and No. 38 Talia Gibson in the second, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0. Meanwhile, Parks fell to world No. 144 Mia Pohánková in her quarterfinal bracket, 6-7 (3), 3-6.

DESPITE bowing out of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour Philippines Pro, 15-year-old Filipino surfer Mara Lopez earned something more meaningful than a victory after drawing praise from none other than world No. 1 Molly Picklum. The Australian surfing star was impressed by the young La Union native, who faced her in Round 1 and Heat 5, and saw in Lopez a promising talent capable of inspiring the next generation of Filipino surfers. Lopez finished with 4.50 points against Picklum's 11.50 in the competition at the famed Cloud 9 reef break in Siargao on Sunday morning. The young wildcard managed a 2.50-point ride on her third wave and added 2.00 on her fourth. The reigning world No. 1 produced scores of 5.33 and 6.17 to secure the victory in the historic competition presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and backed by Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, General Luna Mayor Johnson Sajulga and Vice Mayor Romina Sajulga. But beyond the result, Picklum was particularly touched after learning that she may have been one of Lopez's inspirations in taking up the sport. "Maybe I'm one of her inspirations. And that stuff to me is just so special," Picklum said, reflecting on her encounter with the young Filipino surfer. Picklum also had encouraging words for Lopez, praising her surfing ability and revealing that the teenager is also an outstanding longboarder. "I said to her, you're surfing so well. And she's also an A-one longboarder," the Australian star said. More than recognizing Lopez's talent, Picklum believes the young surfer can become a role model for other aspiring athletes in the country. "Either way, she's going to inspire the next generation, which is just so cool," she added. The world No. 1 also expressed admiration for Siargao's closely-knit surfing community, pointing out how the small island has built a strong culture around the sport. "Siargao is such a small island and they have such a strong surfing community. So that was really cool," Picklum said. For Lopez, the encounter with one of the sport's biggest names provided a valuable experience despite the early exit. Picklum's words also served as a strong vote of confidence in the young Filipina's ability to make her mark in the sport. Also backing the event are the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza), and NEA/Siarelco.

JAU Umandal’s love for volleyball resurrected after stepping away from the court for six months. The 28-year-old Umandal admitted that his motivation for the game diminished and was not the same as before — but he was glad that he joined the young VNS (Volleyball Never Stops) Griffins squad, where he rediscovered his passion for the sport once again. Umandal, a 2024 PNVF Men’s Champions League Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a four-time MVP in Spikers’ Turf, assisted VNS in scoring its first win in the 2026 Invitational Conference after a 30-28, 25-20, 25-21 sweep of AFP. “I stepped away for some time. I lost my willingness and my patience, and now, joining this team, I realized a lot. I realized that I am just like them back then, dreaming and trying,” he told the media in Filipino. “I am happy that it all returned; that’s why I am thankful that I was given a chance. I am happy for this opportunity.” Umandal formerly headlined the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup lineup for Alas men, and is a co-captain with Marck Espejo. This time, Umandal is leading a younger group in the local league, and his experience is much needed. “My experience has also expanded too because I am working with a younger generation. We know that there’s a lot to work on, but we train very hard in training so that they can also keep up with the veterans," said Umandal, who was formerly one of the key cogs of the now-defunct Cignal HD Spikers. He was part of the historic silver finish at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held in Manila, and he also became one of the team’s anchors in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia. He also became the third Filipino men's volleyball player of his generation to secure a professional contract overseas when he signed with Bani Jamra in the Isa bin Rashid Volleyball League in 2022. Umandal, now leading the VNS grassroots team, embraces a new challenge in passing on all the knowledge that he picked up in his years of experience in volleyball.

MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala wraps up her Asian swing and breakthrough season at the Hong Kong Open. Eala opens her campaign against American Alycia Parks in the round of 32 on Monday at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium. The 21-year-old Eala and Parks split their first two meetings, which took place this year. READ: Alex Eala aiming

SIARGAO, Philippines —  Filipino wildcard Jayuard Alciso upset French Olympic gold medalist Kauli Vaast to advance to Round 2 of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour Philippines Pro at Cloud 9 on Sunday. The Asian Games bronze medalist posted 12.93 points in Round 1, Heat 8, with a 7.33 on his seventh wave and a 5.60 on his ninth to beat Vaast, the world's No. 9 surfer. “I'm so happy to win this heat. This is my first time competing here, and beating an Olympic gold medalist is not easy. I'm really proud of myself,” Alciso said after the victory. He said seeing his family, friends and girlfriend watching from the beach helped him during the competition. “I'm 100 percent focused because all my friends, my family and my girlfriend were there watching me. Their support helped me stay focused, and I was able to come up with big scores,” he said. Alciso also thanked the local fans in Siargao who cheered him on throughout his heat. “I'm so happy to make it to Round 2. I just want to thank my supporters, my family, friends, my girlfriend and all the locals here in Siargao. Thank you all for supporting me,” he added. The historic competition is presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), with the support of Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, General Luna Mayor Johnson Sajulga and Vice Mayor Romina Sajulga. Surfers eliminated in the opening round will receive US$13,000 (around P830,000), while the champion will pocket US$80,000 (approximately P5.1 million). Also supporting the event are the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and NEA/SIARELCO. Fans can watch the competition live on the One Sports YouTube channel and Cignal Play. TMT

DIAMNIADIO, Senegal—Angel Polo ranked third in the preliminaries of women’s Taijishan of wushu and Jamesray Mishael Ajido qualified for the men’s 100 meters butterfly of swimming for a potential start for Team Philippines in the Dakar 4th Youth Olympic Games on Sunday. Polo admitted committing errors with the fan and her balance midway her routine to momentarily seize the lead with 9.223 points, but wound up third behind former world youth championships gold medalist Ng Zhe Nin of Singapore and Chu Yu En of Chinese-Taipei. A favorite in the event, Ng garnered 9.300 points with Chu matching Polo’s score in the first of two events—the Taijiquan preliminaries are set Monday with the top eight on combined scores advancing to the final on Tuesday. “I had an error, I didn’t keep my grip on the fan properly causing me to lose my balance a bit,” said Polo, 15, and a bronze medalist in last March’s world juniors championship in Tanjin, China. Ajido, on the other hand, clocked 56.33 seconds, 1.32 seconds off his personal best, to salvage seventh in the list of eight qualifiers for the final set 3 p.m. (Senegal time) also Sunday. Egypt’s Ali Sain looked formidable at 53.96 seconds, followed by Slovakia’s Matias Kristof (54.68) and India’s Tirthank Pegu (55.15). No other swimmer from Southeast Asia made the final with Vietnam’s Van Hoang Quy Duong at ninth with 56.78 seconds. TMT

SALT LAKE CITY — Deni Avdija scored 24 points, Damian Lillard added 22, and the Portland Trail Blazers rebounded from their first loss of the season by blowing past the Utah Jazz 112-90 on Saturday. Toumani Camara, Scoot Henderson, and Jrue Holiday each tallied 14 points as Portland (4-1) rebounded from losing to Memphis on

NEW ORLEANS — Saddiq Bey scored 25 points in a reserve role, Jeremiah Fears added 20 points, and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Atlanta Hawks 121-99 on Saturday night. Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III each scored 15 for the Pelicans, who lead by 28 en route to their second straight victory after losing

Russia’s Diana Shnaider won her first title of the year on Sunday with a hard-fought 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the Pan Pacific Open final in Tokyo. World number 13 Shnaider looked to be cruising to victory after winning the first set and taking a 4-0 lead in the second. World

UNCASVILLE, Connecticut — With Golden State the newly crowned WNBA champion, the league turns its attention to a pivotal offseason. Unlike last year when a new collective bargaining agreement dominated the offseason, the top priority is finding new leadership. Outgoing Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who has been in the position nearly seven years, announced last month that she was retiring at the end of the calendar with year. A search has begun and the next commissiner will inherit a host of issues, including officiating, the transgender debate scheduling and improving a strained relationship with players. Here's a look at some of the main topics that will be center stage over the next few months before the season tips off again next May with a 50-game schedule: Improving relationship with players The league thrived in many ways during Engelbert's tenure. Under her leadership, the WNBA enjoyed record growth and popularity, and signed a record-breaking broadcasting deal. Players surpassed million-dollar annual salaries. But despite her accomplishments, Engelbert's relationship with players cordial at best, confrontational at other times. Breanna Stewart may have summed it up best when said that players “respect” Engelbert. Building a stronger relationship with players will likely be one of the first things on the new commissioner's to-do list. Officiating improvements Complaints about officiating felt like it reached a crescendo this season. The WNBA is taking various steps to address the situation. The league is opening a the new officiating replay center. The WNBA, along with the NBA, completed a multi-million dollar renovation in New Jersey to the official replay center. It will be fully operational next season. The WNBA is working to upgrade techonology and video infrastructure at arenas to help the process. There were improvements this year after a rough start to the season where teams struggled to adjust to the emphasis on players' freedom of movement. The league put together a task force, which Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve is on, in the offseason to help clean up some of the physicality in the game. The main point of emphasis was to help players’ freedom of movement. Despite some hiccups early on, it has led to more offense as teams are averaging around 86 points a game — the highest ever. Scheduling challenges WNBA teams will play a record 50 games next season. It helps that there's no break for either the women's FIBA World Cup or the Olympics. Still the playoffs could once again go into the start of the NBA season. Nearly every team will be playing in an NBA arena next season with a few exceptions. To avoid a repeat of this year where Game 6 of the WNBA Finals was played at 12:30 p.m. EDT because of arena availability, the teams need to lock in potential playoff dates way ahead of time. Transgender debate The WNBA has criticized those trying to create a narrative about transgender women playing in the league. “There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others,” a league spokesperson said in August after an anti-hate task force met virtually and discussed a variety of topics, including social media vitriol and transgender athletes. The league’s collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” but it does not include any more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. Two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft, saying they identify as women. The league has said they aren't eligible. Welcome back Houston Comets The Connecticut Sun will relocate to Houston as the Comets will return after folding in 2008. The Sun were bought by the Houston Rockets ownership group led by Tilman Fertitta for $300 million. The Comets will begin play next season and are tied with Toronto for the best chance to win the WNBA draft lottery that will be held on Nov. 15. While the Sun relocated to Houston, there will be no expansion teams entering the league next year. Cleveland will enter in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030.

HOUSTON — Jabari Smith Jr. had 30 points and nine rebounds, Marcus Smart added 24 points and the Houston Rockets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-98 on Saturday night. Smith shot 10 of 18 from the field, including 6 of 12 on 3-pointers. Smart was 7 of 10 on 3s as the Rockets shot 46%

A former bodybuilder who grew up in a Pakistani refugee camp and idolises Arnold Schwarzenegger has captained Afghanistan to victory in a cosmopolitan Hong Kong Cricket Sixes that “showcased this vibrant city to the world”. He was aided by the unheralded Imran Mir, who had mustered one run from his previous two innings in the tournament, but smote 53 from 14 balls in the final as the Afghans chased 116 to beat Australia by four wickets on Sunday and become the Sixes’ eighth different...