NLEX kept the lead in Group A of the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup after beating Titan Ultra, 147-115, on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The game was tied at the half, but the Road Warriors suddenly roared in the third with 37 big points for a 102-79 lead entering the fourth, never to look back en route to winning their second game in a row since the conference resumed.

Coach Jimmy Alapag and his men improved to 9-2 with the win, and will look to clinch the no. 1 spot in the pool when they take on San Miguel next Wednesday, October 21, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, set for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

It would be a battle for the top seed, with the Beermen coming into the bout with an 8-3 record following a 135-105 rout of Terrafirma earlier in the night.

SMB will have to beat NLEX by 15 points or more in order to claim pole position after losing in their first-round encounter by way of a 110-96 decision.

(C) PBA Images

“It’s one of the best games that you can play before the playoffs,” Alapag said. “Kasi you’re playing against a champion team, a team that’s dominated in the PBA for quite some time. It will be a great test for our guys.

“Thankfully, we have a week to prepare. The staff and I will watch film and get ready for next week,” the former league MVP turned mentor added.

Deonte Burton top-scored for the Road Warriors with 21 points, together with nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and two blocks for a full line.

Robert Bolick supplied 20 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. Kevin Alas had 19 points to lead the bench mob, where the majority of the double-digit scorers came from—LJ Gonzales (17), Robbie Herndon (16), and Xyrus Torres (12).

(C) PBA Images

The Giant Risers, on the other hand, were led by the game-high 33 points of Joshua Munzon in the loss, which was already their fourth consecutive.

Tirrell Brown backed him up with 29 points and eight rebounds. Aris Dionisio added 16 for the cellar dwellers, who were actually giving NLEX some fight, especially in the first half, as they entered the break in a 65-all deadlock.

NLEX did manage to overcome such a difficult start but Alapag, even if his men took care of business eventually, was far from satisfied, for he wanted the Road Warriors to shift into playoff mode with the quarterfinals drawing closer.

“It’s important for our team to understand what we’re preparing for. Kasi, we know we’re in the quarterfinals; we don’t know who we’re playing yet. But we know that whoever it is, it will be a playoff-contending team,” he warned.

“Kailangan, ‘yung mindset and ‘yung effort namin, should be in a playoff-type effort, and I don’t think that was the case in the first half,” the 48-year-old bench tactician added. “I made it clear to our guys that I was not happy.”

Titan Ultra will finish its first season in the league against Terrafirma in a meeting between early vacationers this Saturday, October 17, in Antipolo as well.

The Scores:

NLEX 147 – Burton 21, Bolick 20, Alas 19, Gonzales 17, Herndon 16, Torres 12, Winston 9, Semerad 9, Rodger 6, Marcelo 4, Bahio 3, Capulong 3, Gamboa 2, Racal 0, Nieto 0.

Titan Ultra 115 – Munson 33, Brown 29, Dionisio 16, Javillonar 9, Yu 7, Garcia 6, Inigo 6, Caralipio 3, Ular 2, Omega 2, Amores 2, Deles 0, Wong 0, Pessumal 0.

Quarterscores: 22-27, 65-65, 102-79, 147-115.

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A Kenyan business executive, Stella Waga, has taken her mind back in time to recall how her devotion to education stopped her from becoming a professional basketball player, Sports247 reports.

READ ALSO: YORA SUMMIT 2026: Former US State Champion, Mcduff Eyes Wrestling Development, Youth Mentorship in Kenya | Sports247 Nigeria

The soft-spoken Waga made the revelation while speaking to Sports247 in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the ongoing Year of Return Africa (YORA 2026) Summit & Expo at Westlands in Nairobi, Kenya.

Waga recounted how her love for basketball blossomed for some years, until her parents insisted that she had to concentrate on her academics, which ultimately consumed all her attention while growing up.

She disclosed at length, “I played basketball in high school, and I was very good at it … extremely good. However, at a point, I had to drop it, because my dad was strict about education.

“My parents wanted education for me – as long as my grades were okay, my folks were happy with me. It was non-negotiable. Sports had to be in tandem with me doing well in class.

“Pretty much, I had to drop basketball; mostly in order not to be disrespectful to my parents, despite the passion I had for the game. I guess, at some point, our focus is different from that of our parents.”

She continued by also acknowledging how gender issues and her love for intellectual endeavours also played key roles in taking her away from the basketball court into the boardroom, but stressed that she has no regrets about it.

“Most people think basketball is for the boys, and that also meant I was not encouraged to continue. I did go for auditions as an undergraduate at Kenya University.

“I did go to the pitch once in a while, like a bicycle, but the fire was not just there. So I stopped. Nowadays, once in a while, I still try to play a little, because I was really good at it.

“I was really good in basketball and, at a point, I wanted to play it actively. I even loved the way that I met my first coach at a random meeting, when I went to my elder sister’s graduation.

“I was just walking on the street when he spotted me. He said the way I looked showed that I played basketball. He tried to get me fully into the game and even offered me a scholarship, but my dad was against it.

“After a while, I just moved on. It was an appointment that ended before it even started, but I have no regrets about it. I’m also an intellectual and I am happy with what I am doing.

“I loved playing basketball with a passion, but I don’t think I would have done the same as a professional. When money comes into it, that commercialises everything and takes away the passion you have for it,” Waga posited.

Sports247 reports further that Wednesday’s sessions at YORA 2026 focused fully on sporting efforts, activities, endorsements and aspirations, with each participant given time to share their experiences about the sector and rub minds on how to make it grow better across Africa.

The post YORA SUMMIT 2026: Kenyan Business Executive Stella Waga Recalls How Education Stopped Her From Playing Basketball appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

Meralco leaned on Chris Newsome and Jordon Varnado to repel Blackwater, 120-115, in a Tuesday night thriller at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium to notch a win so crucial in their PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup quarterfinal hopes.

Varnado finished with 31 points on top of seven rebounds and seven assists, while Newsome produced 24 and six boards as the two came through with crucial plays down the stretch to save the Bolts after losing a 20-point lead.

‘Newnew’ put them ahead with a three-point play, before Varnado dished out a nifty pass to a cutting Cliff Hodge, who followed up with a layup off a strong drive for a 7-0 run toward a 118-113 lead with 42 seconds left.

The Bossing tried to threaten by cutting the gap to only a single possession, 118-115, but couldn’t pull off crucial stops as Varnado went on to seal the deal with a perfect trip to the free-throw line with only 7.9 seconds to spare.

(C) PBA Images

“A lot of heroes from us,” said Coach Luigi Trillo. “Credit to Blackwater; they went small, gumamit ng players who can switch. It worked at nakahabol sila.”

Meralco has overtaken Blackwater at the No. 4 spot in Group B by improving to 4-5, with its foe dropping to 3-6 after losing its second game in a row.

“Magrarambulan pa ‘yan eh,” Trillo said about the scenarios in their stacked pool, which is currently led by Magnolia (6-3) followed by Rain or Shine and Phoenix, whom they will be facing this Friday to finish their group phase run.

“But at this point, we just need to control what’s in front of us, which is Phoenix. You know, point differential comes into play that’s why even in that last play we tried to score … we take this W and we move forward to the next one.”

Bong Quinto supplied 15 points and nine rebounds plus three assists. Hodge, sporting protective eyewear after undergoing eye laser surgery, made 12 points and eight rebounds, while Jason Brickman chipped in 10 and six assists.

“We fought tonight. Wonderful game we played,” said Varnado, who also had two steals and two blocks. “Give Blackwater credit; they came back, they kept fighting, we just sustained the lead and just kept fighting and finished it.”

(C) PBA Images

Sedrick Barefield had 31 points and five rebounds to lead the Bossing, who fell to 3-5 and is now sharing the same record with Barangay Ginebra.

Kentrell Barkley made 29 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. RK Ilagan and Dalph Panopio added 15 and 11, respectively, in the defeat, which was their second to Meralco in this conference after losing in the first round, 116-114.

The Scores:

Meralco 120 – Varnado 31, Newsome 24, Quinto 15, Hodge 12, Brickman 10, Mocon 9, Bates 7, Banchero 6, Cansino 6, Almazan 0

Blackwater 115 – Barefield 31, Barkley 29, Ilagan 15, Panopio 10, Una 9, Tratter 7, David 5, DiGregorio 3, Escoto 3, Murrell 3, Demusis 0, Austria 0, Cruz-Dumont 0, Mallillin 0.

Quarterscores: 32-36, 68-58, 97-86, 120-115

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