Basketball
Messi or Ronaldo? Antetokounmpo Makes His GOAT Choice, Flaunts His Nigerian Heritage
The age-old debate over football’s greatest player of all time has received a fresh perspective from Greek-Nigerian NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has openly declared his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo.
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For decades, football fans have argued over the sport’s ultimate icon.
Earlier generations swore allegiance to Pelé or Diego Maradona, but in the modern era, the conversation has been dominated by two names — Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Antetokounmpo, a global sporting icon in his own right with the Milwaukee Bucks, has now revealed where his loyalty lies.
“My Mentality Is Closer to Ronaldo”
Speaking on the debate, Antetokounmpo acknowledged Messi’s extraordinary talent but explained that Ronaldo’s mindset mirrors his own approach to sport.
“Choosing between Messi and Ronaldo is like choosing between Jordan and LeBron,” he said.
“Messi is pure talent, and with discipline he’s remained at the top for so long. He could easily be called the greatest ever.
“But I connect more with hard work, consistency, discipline, and taking care of your body. Cristiano is still playing at a high level in his forties. That mentality is closer to mine, so I pick Ronaldo.”
The NBA champion also noted that once a player reaches the heights achieved by either Messi or Ronaldo, comparisons almost become secondary, given their unmatched legacies.
Proud of His Nigerian Heritage
Though he plays international basketball for Greece, Antetokounmpo’s roots are firmly Nigerian.
Born in Athens to Nigerian parents, his family name was originally Adetokunbo before it was changed to Antetokounmpo following his naturalisation as a Greek citizen.
Despite this, the Bucks superstar has never distanced himself from his Nigerian background.
He frequently speaks about his heritage with pride and maintains a strong cultural connection to Nigeria.
As the Messi-versus-Ronaldo argument continues to divide fans across the globe, Antetokounmpo’s stance is clear — for him, Cristiano Ronaldo’s work ethic, longevity, and mentality make him the ultimate football GOAT.
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The post Messi or Ronaldo? Antetokounmpo Makes His GOAT Choice, Flaunts His Nigerian Heritage appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.
Basketball
Abra overpowers Meycauayan Marilao to tighten MPBL North race
Abra Solid North handed Meycauayan Marilao a harsh reality check on Friday in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the One Arena Cainta in Rizal Province.
The defending champions cruised to a dominant 101-75 victory in the nightcap to improve to 10-1, moving closer to the leaders in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Abra remains behind North Division leader Caloocan (11-1) and just ahead of San Juan (9-1) in the race for playoff positioning. In the South Division, Quezon Province leads with an unbeaten 8-0 record, followed by General Santos City at 12-1.
Jake Figueroa paced the Weavers with 12 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, earning Best Player of the Game honors. He received ample support from Shaun Ildefonso, who finished with 15 points and eight rebounds, and Encho Serrano, who added 13 points and three assists. Fil-Am DJ Fenner chipped in nine points and four rebounds.
Mike Ayonayon capped Abra’s dominance with an alley-oop finish off a Nico Elorde pass that stretched the lead to its largest at 88-53 with 5:46 remaining.
The loss snapped Meycauayan Marilao’s five-game winning streak as the Gems dropped to 7-4. Jayson Apolonio led the team with 22 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Agem Miranda scored 14 points.
Jimboy Pasturan contributed 12 points, three rebounds, and four assists, and Shawn Argente added 11 points.
Abra controlled the rebounding battle, 53-32, with 6-foot-8 Drex Delos Reyes grabbing seven boards to help Figueroa and Ildefonso.
In the earlier game, Parañaque leaned on a stellar performance from Marlon Monte to upset Imus, 102-96, and snap a 13-game losing streak.
Monte erupted for a career-high 34 points, including 18 in the pivotal third quarter, while also collecting six rebounds, five assists, and two steals to earn Best Player of the Game honors. Domark Matillano also played a key role with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and three steals.
Samuel Peralta contributed 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Jomar Santos added 12 points, two rebounds, and two assists. Jobert Medina chipped in nine points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Ryusei Koha orchestrated the offense with 11 assists to go along with five points and two steals.
Imus fell to 2-10 despite strong performances from Eroll Soriano, who tallied 24 points and eight rebounds, and Jordan Rios, who posted 21 points, 15 rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Regie Boy Basibas added 17 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Joseph Mark Marquez recorded 14 points, 15 rebounds, and three assists. Janjan Salazar finished with 13 points, 12 assists, three rebounds, and three steals.
Meanwhile, Marikina was awarded a 20-0 forfeiture victory over Iloilo in the second game, improving to 5-8.
Iloilo dropped to 2-8. Under FIBA rules, the official score for a forfeited game is 20-0.
The MPBL returns to the One Arena Cainta on Saturday with a triple-header featuring Biñan against Zamboanga at 4 p.m., Caloocan versus Mindoro at 6 p.m., and Batangas taking on Negros at 8 p.m.
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The post Abra overpowers Meycauayan Marilao to tighten MPBL North race appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
Basketball
UCU Lady Canons stun JKL Lady Dolphins with dominant victory

UCU Lady Canons delivered a masterclass performance on Friday, securing a commanding 71-48 victory over the JKL Lady Dolphins in a highly anticipated National Basketball League (NBL) encounter at the Lugogo Indoor Arena.
With the emphatic win, the Lady Canons completed a regular-season double against the defending champions, who are currently chasing their fourth consecutive NBL title.
Despite the setback, the Lady Dolphins enter their final regular-season game still holding onto an impressive overall record, having come into Friday’s matchup on the back of a strong winning streak.
The Lady Canons set the tone early in the match, suffocating their opponents defensively while executing flawlessly on offence.
Sylivia Nakituuka capped off a dominant opening quarter with a brilliant three-point jump shot, giving the Lady Canons a commanding 17-point lead at 24-07.
Things only worsened for the defending champions in the second period. The Lady Canons’ relentless defence restricted the Lady Dolphins to just seven points in the quarter, allowing UCU to head into the long halftime break with a massive 29-point cushion.
The Lady Dolphins managed to find some footing after halftime, matching the Lady Canons 17-17 in a competitive third quarter. However, the damage had already been done, and UCU maintained their comfortable 29-point advantage heading into the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, the Lady Dolphins mounted a spirited late rally to outscore UCU, but the deficit proved far too large to overcome, with the game concluding in a 23-point margin of victory for the Canons.
Sylivia Nakituuka led the charge for the Lady Canons with a game-high 19 points, supported by Sylivia Nantongo, who chipped in 12 points.
The Lady Dolphins’ offence was spearheaded by Tamasha Nsubuga with 16 points and Charity Nantalo with 11 points, alongside contributions from Shadia Nassanga.
The post UCU Lady Canons stun JKL Lady Dolphins with dominant victory appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
Basketball
JKL Lady Dolphins hold off Nabisunsa Girls in vital victory

JKL Lady Dolphins secure a well-deserved 68-57 victory against Nabisunsa Girls in the National Basketball League encounter at YMCA Court on Wednesday.
The Lady Dolphins came into the game seeking a must-win as they take on relegated Nabisunsa Girls.
Ekone Brenda’s 3-point jumpshot concluded the opening period as the Lady Dolphins opened a two-point lead (14-12).
In the second quarter, Nabisunsa were limited to only eight points as the Lady Dolphins took a 13-point lead (33-20) into the long break.
Coming from the long break, the third quarter was tied 16-16, and the Lady Dolphins held onto a 13-point lead going into the final frame.
Nabisunsa Girls tried to return to the game late but their fight was late as they trailed to 11 points on the end of the day.
Tamasha Nsubuga (24 points), Shadia Nasanga (13 points) and Ekone Brenda’s (11 points) led the Dolphins’ scoring chart in double digits.
On the other hand, Keturah Joy Auma (22 points) and Martha Yikuru (12 points and 12 rebounds) reached the double digits for Nabisunsa..
The post JKL Lady Dolphins hold off Nabisunsa Girls in vital victory appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
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