Basketball
Tim Cone sees bright future as Gilas youngsters emerge in Tall Blacks thriller
A heartbreaking double-overtime loss to New Zealand denied Gilas Pilipinas a statement victory in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, but Friday night’s thriller may have revealed something even more valuable — the clearest sign yet that the program’s next generation is ready to step up.
The team had Scottie Thompson, Calvin Oftana, and CJ Perez sidelined. Justin Brownlee was unable to impose his usual dominance in the 106-102 defeat in Auckland. So Gilas turned to its young core, whose fearless performance nearly carried the Philippines to a stunning road win.
Kevin Quiambao and Juan Gomez de Liaño delivered timely baskets that repeatedly gave Gilas opportunities to take control in both overtime periods.
Earlier in the game, Carl Tamayo caught fire offensively, keeping the Filipinos within striking distance throughout regulation.
Quiambao more than doubled his scoring average of 9.4 points through his first four qualifying games, finishing with 23 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
Gomez de Liaño also turned in one of his finest performances in a Gilas jersey, matching Quiambao with 23 points while adding six rebounds and four assists after averaging just 5.0 points in his previous two outings.
Tamayo likewise bounced back from a slow start to the qualifiers. After averaging only 3.0 points through his first four games, he erupted for 17 points on three triples while collecting four rebounds.
(C) FIBA.basketball
“We’re really proud of those young guys for continuing to improve,” said Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone. “They both play in Korea, KQ and Carl, so they get a lot of improvement there, and Juan is becoming one of the premier point guards in our league back in Manila, so they have great futures ahead of them.
“KQ — when we first got them on the team, they were like 21 years old, and now they’re 24, 25, so they have evolved along with the team.”
Returning guard RJ Abarrientos also made an immediate impact, orchestrating the offense with six points, 10 assists, and five rebounds. Meanwhile, Mike Phillips provided his trademark energy despite modest numbers, finishing with two points and three rebounds while extending possessions through his relentless hustle.
For Cone, the emergence of Gilas’ young core is exactly what the coaching staff envisioned when assembling the current national team.
“That’s how you evolve a team, right? You try to win with your veterans, and you develop your young guys. Our young guys have developed over the past year and a half, two years, and every time they come into a window, they have gotten better,” said the Ginebra head coach.
(C) FIBA.basketball
Although Gilas fell just short of pulling off the upset, Cone believes the rapid development of the team’s younger players is an encouraging sign for the future.
“So that was the vision from the very beginning when we put this team together. That they, at one point, would be the main guys and that may be coming a little more quickly than we thought but they are certainly stepping up and playing at a much higher level than they were when they were first on the team.”
The young core will have another opportunity to build on that performance on Monday when Gilas Pilipinas closes out the first round of the Asian Qualifiers against unbeaten Australia.
Despite dropping to 2-3 after the heartbreaking loss to New Zealand, the Philippines remains third in Group A and has already secured a place in the second round of the Asian Qualifiers alongside Australia and New Zealand.
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Joaquin Tovera has found his new collegiate home.
Days after announcing his decommitment from the University of the Philippines, the reigning FIBA U18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers Most Valuable Player has committed to De La Salle University, being eligible starting UAAP Season 89.
For the 18-year-old guard, the decision went beyond basketball.
“At the end of the day, family was the biggest reason behind my decision,” Tovera said.
“I’ve always been closest to the people who have supported me since day one, and knowing I’ll be in an environment where I can be near them gives me a lot of peace and confidence. That support system means everything to me, and I believe it will help me become a better player and an even better person.”
Tovera has deep connections with the Cortez family, having previously played alongside Mikey Cortez during their time with Tumakbo Basketball.
(C) DLSU
The relationship extends beyond the court, with La Salle legend Mike Cortez being the cousin of Gregg Rivera, Tovera’s uncle, making the Green Archers a familiar environment for the young playmaker.
His commitment comes just days after he revealed that he was reopening his recruitment despite seeing action for the Fighting Maroons during the 2026 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.
During his brief stint with UP, Tovera contributed across three games, tallying six points, five assists, and two steals against De La Salle. He followed with seven points and three assists versus Far Eastern University, before making his first start against Mapua in the quarterfinals.
He also suited up for Gilas Pilipinas Boys in the same tournament, averaging 18.5 points and 7.0 assists per contest.
Now set to wear the green and white, Tovera is eager to begin the next chapter of his basketball journey.
“I’m really excited to join De La Salle University and become part of such a proud basketball program,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to learning from the coaches, competing with my new teammates, and doing everything I can to help us succeed. I can’t wait to get to work.”
Despite his move, Tovera stressed that he leaves UP with nothing but appreciation for the Fighting Maroons.
“I’ll always be grateful to UP for welcoming me into the program and believing in me,” he said.
“The coaches, my teammates, and everyone behind the team treated me with so much respect, and I’ll always appreciate the opportunity they gave me. I have nothing but gratitude for my time there and wish UP nothing but success moving forward.”
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- JKL Lady Dolphins 44-68 JT Lady Jaguars (0-2)
JT Lady Jaguars swept the defending champions, JKL Lady Dolphins, to secure a semifinal slot.
JT Lady Jaguars secured a well-deserved 68-44 victory over JKL Lady Dolphins in game two of the best-of-three National Basketball League quarterfinals at YMCA Court, Wandegeya, on Sunday.
The Lady Jaguars came out of the blocks early as they limited the Lady Dolphins to only six points before opening up a 15-point (21-6) lead at the end of the opening period.
The Lady Jaguars kept the foot on the gas pedal thus extending the lead to 21 points by halftime before eventually securing a 24-point victory.
This brings an end to the Lady Dolphins’ struggling campaign, where they lost most of their stars, thus resorting to upcoming talents.
However, they endured a tough spell and made it to the playoffs after finishing eighth. The Lady Dolphins’ dominance comes to an end after three-year run of collecting trophies comes to an end.
Sarah Ageno recorded a double-double, dropping 13 points and collecting 12 rebounds. Priscillar Nambogo (23 points) and Maimuna Nabbosa (12 points) joined with double digits.
On the other hand, only Tamasha Nsubuga (13 points), Florence Ogundha (10 rebounds), and Blessing Vandelum (10 rebounds) managed to reach double digits for the Lady Dolphins.
The post NBL Playoffs: JT Lady Jaguars sweep defending champions appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
Basketball
Afril Bernardino’s 20-20 masterpiece keeps Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire’s WMPBL title defense alive
With its bid for a second straight championship on the line, Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire responded in dominant fashion, routing Akari-Rizal, 83-60, on Sunday night at the Paco Arena to force a winner-take-all Game 3 in the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Finals.
The Sparks struck first by scoring the game’s opening five points, but the Valkyries quickly seized control with a devastating 26-4 run to close the opening quarter. They took a commanding 26-9 advantage and blew the game wide open before the second period even began.
Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire never looked back, methodically extending its lead throughout the middle quarters. A jumper by Charmine Torres — just five seconds into the fourth quarter — stretched the margin to 30 points, 71-41, effectively putting the game out of Akari-Rizal’s reach.
(C) WMPBL
“We didn’t give up. Our backs were against the wall, and our character came out. The heart of a champion,” said Valkyries head coach Cholo Villanueva after the Game 2 victory.
“The girls didn’t want to give up. They worked hard and the other guys stepped up like Rizza Lozada, Chris Bariquit, Queenie Aquino. The intangible guys helped us get the win tonight and again, like any other series, we need someone to step up, and they did,” he added.
Fresh off winning her third tournament MVP award presented by Aktive, Afril Bernardino powered Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire with a monster double-double of 24 points and 21 rebounds. She also tallied three assists, three blocks, and two steals to keep the defending champions’ title hopes alive.
(C) WMPBL
Camille Claro chipped in 14 points off the bench, while Patricia Peñaranda and Khate Castillo contributed 10 and nine points, respectively.
For Akari-Rizal, Allana Lim was the lone bright spot, posting a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.
Mar Prado, Janine Pontejos, and Jhenn Angeles each scored nine points. Meanwhile, Raiza Palmera-Dy found herself limited to just four points and seven rebounds.
With the series now tied at one game apiece, Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire and Akari-Rizal will battle for the championship in a winner-take-all Game 3 on Wednesday at 6:00 PM at the Parañaque Coliseum.
The Scores:
Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire 83 – Bernardino 24, Claro 14, Peñaranda 10, Castillo 9, Lozada 7, Tongco 7, Aquino 4, Bariquit 4, Torres 2, Calang 2, Arciga 0, Manzanares 0, Fabruada 0, Dionisio 0
Akari-Rizal 60 – Lim 15, Prado 9, Pontejos 9, Angeles 9, Candelario 8, Adlawan 4, Palmera-Dy 4, Abatayo 2, Ventura 0, Sambile 0
Quarterscores: 26-9, 51-32, 69-41, 83-60
The post Afril Bernardino’s 20-20 masterpiece keeps Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire’s WMPBL title defense alive appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
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