Basketball
Derrick Pumaren finally strikes gold in women’s basketball with Akari-Rizal
For nearly four decades, Derrick Pumaren has built a résumé filled with championships across Philippine basketball. He conquered the UAAP with La Salle, ruled the Philippine Basketball League with Magnolia and Triple-V, and won PBA titles with Sunkist.
The Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League was the lone chapter left unwritten.
Last Wednesday night, Pumaren finally completed the collection.
Steering Akari-Rizal to a dethroning of defending champion Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire in a grueling three-game Finals series, the veteran mentor captured his first title in the women’s ranks, making him a champion in every major league he has coached.
The milestone carried even greater significance after falling short in his WMPBL debut last season. Instead of walking away, Pumaren returned with unfinished business, determined to finish what they had started.
“Actually, I was asked to coach the team, to handle the women’s team. But I said, ‘Let’s try. Let’s see what happens’,” Pumaren recalled.
“I came back this season because we fell short last year, and it was a mission for me to come back. It’s not just about winning my first championship in the women’s division, but also for the girls — for my players who worked hard,” he added.
That mission was evident throughout the season. Akari-Rizal emerged as the league’s most consistent team, finishing with a league-best 9-1 record in the elimination round. The team then eliminated RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT in the semifinals before exacting revenge on Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire in the Finals.
(C) WMPBL
For Pumaren, however, the championship was never about adding another trophy to his already decorated résumé. It was about rewarding a team that bought into his system from opening day until the final buzzer.
“Well, I’m really proud of this group because, may I say, we dominated the season this time. They ran what they were supposed to run, the attitude was great, and everybody was on the same page,” said Pumaren.
“Except for the last game, medyo nawala kami sa concentration, but the most important thing is how we bounced back, and we bounced back hard tonight,” he added, referring to the team’s Game 2 loss.
After dropping Game 2, Akari-Rizal responded with a commanding 73-59 victory in the winner-take-all Game 3, validating Pumaren’s belief that the team had grown in every aspect.
“Well, I think we had more materials this season. We played more as a team, we were the hungrier team this time, and I think we came out and proved something tonight. I’m happy the girls really proved themselves.”
The journey also demanded a different approach from one of the country’s most accomplished coaches.
After spending decades coaching men’s teams, Pumaren admitted that handling a women’s squad required him to adapt.
“I think because I had never coached a women’s team before — this is my first time coaching a women’s team — it was challenging. I made a lot of adjustments because iba ‘yung way you handle ‘yung mga babae. It was tough. It was tough coaching a women’s team.”
Those adjustments ultimately paid off. Pumaren not only delivered the Sparks’ first WMPBL championship in just the franchise’s second season in the league, but also completed a coaching feat few can match.
“In all the levels na na-coachan ko, nag-champion ako, so I’m really happy about this championship. Especially for Akari — first year nila to handle a team, and nag-champion kaagad.”
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Joseph Yeo and Chris Tiu rekindled their legendary partnership as Xavier School edged the James Yap-led Hua Siong College-Iloilo, 75-72, in Game 1 of the 40 Years Division finals of the Fil-Chinese Athletic Association Inc. on Friday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Though no longer as quick or explosive as they were in their prime, the Powersox-AcroCity-backed Xavier stars remained deadly from beyond the arc, delivering clutch baskets down the stretch to topple the defending champions in the opener of their best-of-three title series before a sizable crowd.
The Golden Stallions now stand one win away from the championship and a measure of revenge after falling to Hua Siong in last year’s finals. They can seal the title with another victory on Monday.
Yeo turned back the clock with a game-high 30 points, highlighted by four three-pointers, to outduel fellow PBA great James Yap. He scored Xavier’s final seven points, including a crucial triple that stretched the lead to 71-66 late in the contest.
Yap answered with 18 points, knocking down two booming three-pointers, but his efforts were not enough as the Lamtex Pipes-backed Hua Siong absorbed its first loss after sweeping all eight elimination-round games. Hua Siong had also cruised past GT Radial-Grace Christian College, 108-74, in the semifinals.
Tiu also played a key role in the victory, finishing with 17 points while sinking two of Xavier’s 13 three-pointers. Hua Siong, meanwhile, connected on nine triples.
In the battle for third place, Grace Christian College rolled past SCAG-St. Stephen’s, 60-40, behind Allan Anson Tan’s 20-point performance to finish third in the nine-team tournament.
With Yap struggling to find his rhythm late, Ken Bono tried to keep Hua Siong within striking distance, but Xavier would not be denied.
The league is backed by Smart Sports, Tanduay Athletics, Genius Hardware, Ultraforce Tires, Cellboy, PGFlex Linoleum, Boysen, Lamtex Pipes, Jiang Nan, Hangry Pares, Powerhouse Tools, L.F. Fireworks, BYD Valenzuela, BAIC, Jetour, Yong Kee Roasting House, 1118 Autospa, and TCL.
The post Xavier moves one win away from Fil-Chi crown behind Joseph Yeo, Chris Tiu appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
Ramon Cao asserted himself in the endgame to help Macau complete a 132-126 comeback win over Titan Ultra to break through in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup, Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The reliable big man finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds as he basically took it upon himself to bring the Giant Risers home after seeing themselves staring at a 120-119 deficit with 1:52 remaining.
He scored seven straight to give themselves the 126-120 lead with 31.1 seconds left, which were enough to put them ahead permanently while the opposition could only try to answer back but to no avail
De’Vondre Perry helped him out to keep their foes at bay before Cao applied the final blow with a cleanup from point-blank as the former Bay Area Dragons forward produced 11 of Macau’s last 13 points of the bout.
With this, the guest team improved to 1-4 while sending Titan crashing back to earth after beating TNT previously.
The post PBA: Ramon Cao powers Macau’s stunning comeback to first win at Titan’s expense appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
FIBA U18 AfroBasket Zone 5 Qualifiers
Friday Results
- Uganda 52-40 South Sudan
- Egypt 126-32 Tanzania
Saturday Fixtures
- Kenya Vs Uganda – 3:30 p
- Tanzania Vs Rwanda – 8:30 pm
The 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket Zone 5 Qualifiers got underway on Friday in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
Two tickets to Côte d’Ivoire, the hosts of the final tournament from August 5 to 16, are up for grabs.
Uganda’s Junior Silverbacks faced off with the Young Bright Stars of South Sudan in the Group B opener at Cairo Stadium Indoor Hall 2.
Despite being shorthanded, the Junior Silverbacks claimed a 52-40 win but needed a strong defensive effort down the stretch to hold off a determined South Sudan that had chipped away at a double-digit third-quarter deficit to just 2 points (42-40) with just under four minutes to play in the final period.
South Sudan controlled the early stages of the game, scoring six unanswered points and forcing Uganda into a timeout.
The message head coach Daniel “Najja” Jjuuko delivered to the Junior Silverbacks elicited a perfect response from the youngsters as they went on a 10-0 scoring run and never looked back.
While combo guard Shane Kwizera shone with a 19-point, 10-rebound, and 12-steal triple-double, Pierre Laurent Rwuhiriro’s effort on the defensive end soared. The center finished with 8 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks, but his contribution was beyond what reflects in the stat sheet.
Uganda forced South Sudan into committing 39 turnovers despite getting outrebounded 55-49.
Bior Mayen netted 15 points to lead the scoring for South Sudan, and Deng Langar had a 10-point and 14-rebound double-double.
Next Up
Group action continues today (Saturday, July 25) as Uganda takes on Kenya at 3:30 p.m. A win for the Junior Silverbacks guarantees them a place in the semifinals, in which they will face the runner-up from Group A, which has Egypt, Rwanda and Tanzania.
The post FIBA U18 AfroBasket Qualifiers: Uganda’s Junior Silverbacks hold off South Sudan appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
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