PBA: Ginebra crushes Rain or Shine in crucial win

Inquirer.net - Oct 9, 2026

MANILA, Philippines–Barangay Ginebra blew out Rain or Shine from the onset to take a crucial 129-111 win amid the tight Group B quarterfinal race in the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup at Ninoy Aquino Stadium. RJ Abarrientos, new import Jordan Murphy and Stephen Holt were among the protagonists in the victory that enabled the Gin Kings

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Alex Eala arrives in China for Wuhan Open, projected 13th seed

Oct 9, 2026

Alex Eala arrives in China for Wuhan Open, projected 13th seed

MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala has arrived in China for the upcoming Wuhan Open, marking her return to the WTA Tour. Photos from the official tournament Instagram showed Eala hitting the practice court on Thursday. READ: Alex Eala tells Sharapova she has ‘capacity to suffer’ as she chases ‘crush’ The World No. 18 Eala is projected as

Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev advance at Shanghai Masters

Oct 9, 2026

Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev advance at Shanghai Masters

SHANGHAI— U.S. Open runner-up Ben Shelton celebrated his 24th birthday Friday by advancing to the third round of the Shanghai Masters with a 6-3, 7-6 (6) win over Daniel Altmaier in the ATP 1000-level tournament. Shelton played Davis Cup for the United States after the U.S. Open, losing both his singles matches, after withdrawing from

WNBA: Caitlin Clark denounces hateful messages sent to Kelsey Mitchell

Oct 9, 2026

WNBA: Caitlin Clark denounces hateful messages sent to Kelsey Mitchell

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark still wants Kelsey Mitchell as a teammate — even though Clark understands that’s not always easy. In her final interview of the WNBA season, Clark denounced the hateful messages Mitchell says she’s received on social media and urged the soon-to-be free agent to stay with the Indiana Fever for one more

PVL: Sisi Rondina eager for Cebu homecoming with family in the stands

Oct 9, 2026

PVL: Sisi Rondina eager for Cebu homecoming with family in the stands

CEBU CITY — In the Queen City of the South, Sisi Rondina makes her homecoming from the sands to indoor professional volleyball as Choco Mucho kicks off the Premier Volleyball League’s 10th anniversary on Saturday at SM Seaside Cebu Arena. Rondina, fresh from the Asian Games beach volleyball quarterfinals stint with Bernadeth Pons, is playing

NCAA: Heavy Bombers take care of ‘desperate’ Golden Stags

Oct 9, 2026

NCAA: Heavy Bombers take care of ‘desperate’ Golden Stags

MANILA, Philippines—Jose Rizal University eased past winless San Sebastian, 102-78, in the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament at Philsports Arena on Friday. The Heavy Bombers hiked their winning streak to three games to improve to 5-1 in Group A. READ: NCAA: Mangubat, Hubilla settling into bigger roles at JRU JRU coach Nani Epondulan, however,

PVL: Inspired by sisters, Detdet Pepito embraces pressure of debut

Oct 9, 2026

PVL: Inspired by sisters, Detdet Pepito embraces pressure of debut

CEBU CITY — Detdet Pepito once watched her volleyball idols and older sisters, Marge and MJ, play for San Sebastian in the Shakey’s V-League, the predecessor to the Premier Volleyball League. On Saturday, the Capital1 rookie gets her own moment in the spotlight as she begins her professional career in the league that grew from

UAAP: Ateneo coach Louie Alas gets one-game suspension

Oct 9, 2026

UAAP: Ateneo coach Louie Alas gets one-game suspension

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 89  basketball tournament – first round MANILA, Philippines—Ateneo will have to play without its coach, Louie Alas when it faces Far Eastern University in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday after the league handed him a one-game suspension. The league announced the penalty Friday after Alas accumulated three technical

TNT, SMB collide in titanic PBA rematch

Oct 9, 2026

TNT, SMB collide in titanic PBA rematch

POWERHOUSE squads San Miguel Beer (SMB) and TNT collide in a titanic matchup, highlighting the Saturday schedule of the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City. The Beermen (7-2) and the Tropang 5G (5-4) square off at 7:30 p.m. TNT managed to squeak past SMB, 93-89, in overtime in their first meeting over a month ago at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Kim Aurin came through with a game-high 22 points, hitting big shots in the extra period to bail TNT out. That game saw the Tropang 5G play with a depleted roster as veterans Roger Pogoy, Calvin Oftana, Jordan Heading, and Jayson Castro were still out due to various injuries at that time. But their second face off on Saturday will feature a TNT side that is at full strength as the four key players are back in harness. Oftana actually tossed in 31 points in leading TNT past Terrafirma, 116-92, at the resumption of the tournament last Wednesday. TNT also saw new import Nick Hornsby with a solid PBA debut of 26 points as he took the spot of Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson. San Miguel, though, is on a three-game roll just before the tournament took a temporary seven-week halt to give way to the international tournaments of Gilas Pilipinas. The Beermen piled up three straight wins prior to the break, routing the Converge FiberXers, 126-114, the Macau Giant Pandas, 131-79, and the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 143-113.  High-scoring import George King will be leading the SMB charge, along with June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Don Trollano and reigning PBA 3-point king Jerrick Ahanmisi. Meanwhile, Terrafirma fights for playoff life and needs to win against a decimated Macau side on Saturday. The Dyip suffered back-to-back blowout defeats against Converge and TNT and dropped to a 3-6 win-loss record.  Macau, which enters the game without its core of Ramon Cao, Damian Chonqui, and Jenning Leung, is also fighting for its postseason hopes. The Giant Pandas are coming off humiliating 138-78 beating from the NLEX Road Warriors, marking the worst-ever defeat in league history.  Macau carries an anemic 2-7 record in Group A.

PVL celebrates 10th year with triple-header in Cebu

Oct 9, 2026

PVL celebrates 10th year with triple-header in Cebu

PREMIER Volleyball League (PVL) celebrates a decade of high standard volleyball action with a one of a kind triple-header to open the All-Filipino Conference at the newly opened SM Seaside Cebu Arena on Saturday. For the first time, the men’s counterpart — Spikers’ Turf — joins the PVL schedule on the same play date with a game sandwiched by two women’s matches. It is also the first time the PVL opens a season at the SM Seaside Cebu Arena and the first major professional volleyball event staged at the venue. The triple-header action features Capital 1 Solar Spikers and Choco Mucho Flying Titans at 1 p.m. followed by Spikers’ Turf teams Alpha Insurance Protectors and Savogue Aesthetics at 3:30 p.m. and the much-awaited match between Creamline and Akari at 6 p.m. The All-Filipino Conference features a new format, built on three series. The first round, referred to as Siklab, is slated from Oct. 10 to Dec. 4 and is a single round-robin with a mandatory “all-to-play” rule requiring every declared and available player in the team to see action. The top four teams will advance to the semifinals where the two best teams in the elims having the twice-to-beat advantage. The championship showdown is a best of three affair. The second round is slated from January to March with the same format but without the all-play requirement, allowing coaches to have full flexibility. And for the final round, points from the first two series determine seedings for a stepladder-style finale where the first-ever Philippine grand champion will be crowned. To kickoff the opening day, Capital 1 will be bannered by prize acquisition and national team standout Bella Belen, together with former Cignal Super Spikers stars Vanie Gandler and Erika Santos. The lethal trio aims to upscale the young franchise, which was founded in 2024. However, the Solar Spikers need to brace for the heavy favorites Choco Mucho, bannered by Sisi Rondina and setter Deanna Wong, who both have Cebu roots. Rondina, who was out from the previous season as she was serving her national team duties, returns to the court with Choco Mucho star Eya Laure. After their match, the men’s team Alpha Insurance Protectors and Savogue Aesthetics begin their campaigns. For the final game, Creamline begins its quest for a record-stretching 12th championship after a fourth-place finish in the 2026 Invitational Conference. The Cool Smashers will be bannered by stars Alyssa Valdez, Jia de Guzman, Bernadeth Pons, Michele Gumabao, and Jema Galanza. Creamline, which historically dominated Akari, needs to brace for the fortified team powered by captain Justine Jazareno and setter Mars Alba. The Chargers achieved rare victories over Creamline in the Reinforced and All-Filipino Conferences, and aim to pull another upset.

Guardians rally to stay alive in MLB playoffs

Oct 9, 2026

Guardians rally to stay alive in MLB playoffs

LOS ANGELES — The Cleveland Guardians exploded for six runs in the sixth inning to beat the Chicago White Sox, 9-5, on Thursday (Friday in Manila) and force a deciding Game 5 in their Major League Baseball (MLB) playoff series. Jose Ramirez belted a two-run home run in fifth inning and delivered a run-scoring single in the Guardians’ big sixth to help Cleveland win a second straight game in Chicago after dropping the first two games of the best-of-five American League division series at home. Having denied the White Sox’s bid to clinch a playoff series at home for the first time since 1906, the Guardians will host game five on Saturday. Ten teams have come back from an 0-2 deficit to win a best-of-five playoff series, the most recent the New York Yankees in 2017 — against Cleveland. “It’s going to be a crazy energy,” said Ramirez, who followed pinch-hitter Patrick Bailey’s solo homer in the fifth by belting a 99.9 mph fastball from White Sox relief pitcher Jordan Hicks into the bullpen for a two-run home run that put the Guardians up, 3-2. The White Sox edged back in front with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. But Cleveland poured it on in the sixth, sending 10 batters to the plate. Angel Martinez was hit by a pitch to take first and stole second. He scored on Travis Bazzana’s double. Bailey, Ramirez, Chase De Lauter and Jo Adell added run-scoring hits. The White Sox, trying to extend a fairytale year that has seen them bounce back from three straight 100-loss seasons to improbably reach the playoffs, scored their first four runs on a walk, a hit-by-pitch and a pair of sacrifice flys. Miguel Vargas led off the bottom of the ninth with a solo home run off Guardians relief pitcher Cade Smith to briefly energize the Chicago crowd. But after Munetaka Murakami walked, Cleveland sent their ace starting pitcher Gavin Williams to the mound. He gave up a single to Sam Antonacci before retiring the next three batters to seal the win. Williams was the eighth pitcher to take the mound for the Guardians. The White Sox used seven, with starter Hagen Smith exiting in the first inning after recording two outs but walking the bases loaded to get the hook after 27 pitches. Chicago reliever Grant Taylor, who pitched 5 1/2 scoreless innings in the first two games of the series, gave up four runs on four hits without recording an out in the sixth inning. The winner of the series will face the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League championship series, with a World Series berth on the line. The Rays, the top seeds in the American League, polished off a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees on Wednesday.

Wilson wins WNBA record 5th MVP

Oct 9, 2026

Wilson wins WNBA record 5th MVP

NEW YORK — Las Vegas Aces center-forward A’ja Wilson was named the WNBA Most Valuable Player for a record fifth time, bagging the award for an unprecedented third straight season, the league said Thursday (Friday in Manila). Wilson, who earned MVP honors in leading the United States to Olympic gold in Paris in 2024, became the first WNBA player to average 25 points, 50-percent shooting and 40 percent from three-point range in the 2026 regular season. She averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocked shots and 1.4 steals per game, leading the league in points per game for the third straight season. Drafted number one in 2018, she has been the face of the franchise that relocated to Las Vegas in her rookie season. This year the Aces won their last seven games of the regular season, finishing 31-13 to claim the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. They are chasing a fourth title but trail the Golden State Valkyries, 2-0, in the semifinals ahead of Friday’s Game 3. Wilson received 65 of 74 first-place votes and nine second-place votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Minnesota Lynx rookie guard Olivia Miles finished second in the voting. Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson are the only other players to win three WNBA MVP awards.

MLB proposes reducing regular season games   

Oct 9, 2026

MLB proposes reducing regular season games   

LOS ANGELES — Major League Baseball (MLB) on Thursday (Friday in Manila) proposed reducing the number of regular-season games from 162 to 154 and changing playoffs so that top seeds can pick their opponents. The proposals, which also included expanding post-season division series from best-of-five to best-of-seven, were presented in the latest bargaining session between the MLB and its players association, as fears loom of a standoff over salary restrictions that could interrupt next season. “MLB has proposed returning to a 154-game Regular Season, best-of-seven Division Series, and opponent selection in the Wild Card and Division Series,” said a league statement. The league said shortening the regular season would create a standard weekly off day that would benefit player health. More off days would also be added in the postseason to allow extra rest, with fewer daytime playoff games and additional primetime games, said MLB. A new system that allowed higher-seeded clubs in the playoff wild card and division series rounds to select their opponents would be implemented from next year, if agreed. The proposals come as baseball faces the prospect of an owner lockout and potential player strike in the coming months. The next collective bargaining agreement is due to be negotiated by December. Team owners are pushing for a salary cap and floor, citing huge payroll disparities between clubs which they say have damaged competition. The players association is opposed to any move to reduce the amount clubs pay, and has accused team owners of simply wishing to save themselves money. In a statement to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the players association said it was reviewing the latest proposals, and would let players weigh in before responding at the bargaining table. “Unfortunately, the league once again made clear that all of its proposals are contingent on players’ agreement to a salary cap, a system that guts player rights and compensation, as well as its other anti-player proposals,” said the Major League Baseball Players Association statement. Under the proposals to pick playoff opponents, the third-seeded team in each league would have the option of playing either the fifth or sixth seed in the wild card round. The top seed in each league, which receives a bye in the wild card round, would choose which wild card winner to play in the subsequent round. The proposed shorter regular season, and expanded division series round, would both begin in 2029.

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