The STANDS: An INQUIRER Sports Newsletter

 

January 17, 2025

Casiey Dongallo will no longer power University of the East. (INQUIRER.NET)

Hey there sports fan, We're still in the first month of the new year and things are heating up in the sporting world.  One of the things eagerly being awaited is the return of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) and its All-Filipino Conference. That link, by the way, will lead you to a great catchup piece that covers all you might have missed or forgotten during the long break.  Speaking of the PVL, here's a trivia question: Risa Sato, who left Creamline to join Chery Tiggo, played for what school in the UAAP? Check out the answer near the end of this email. The UAAP volleyball tournament, by the way, will kick off in February yet. But this early, a shocking transfer has already hit the tournament. Rising star Casiey Dongallo officially transferred to the University of the Philippines (UP). Her move follows her departure from the University of the East alongside Jelai Gajero. The recruitment of Dongallo, paired with the addition of Obet Vital to UP's coaching staff, has fans buzzing about the team’s prospects in the upcoming season. And if you've been following the NBA lately, you would have certainly come across this: The league delivered a jaw-dropping moment when the Los Angeles Clippers handed the Brooklyn Nets a 59-point defeat, the largest margin in franchise history. This record-setting performance underscores the Clippers' dominance and positions them as serious contenders this season. And more on the international scene: Tennis innovation took the spotlight at the Australian Open, where matches are being animated using Wii-like characters. This unique approach aims to make the sport more engaging for digital audiences, blending traditional gameplay with futuristic technology.

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Denice Zamboanga is now a world champion. (REUTERS)

Meanwhile... We've started our exclusive content offering on Inquirer Plus with two features on noteworthy achievers. Quentin Millora-Brown has often been tagged as a one-and-done strandout for University of the Philippines. Through postgame dinners with relatives here, the 6-foot-10, high-IQ big man validated what he long knew: He was certainly more than that.  For long, Denice Zamboanga has campaigned for herself. She believed that she deserved a title shot in One Championship. But she was forced to wait a long while to fulfill her dream of becoming the promotional outfit's first Filipino female champion. https://plus.inquirer.net/sports/delayed-gratification. That wait is over.  What we're up to next: The PSA Awards night is looming and we will be bringing you features about the event, which will honor the top athletes from last year. No suspense, though, for the Athlete of the Year award as a certain gymnast with two Olympic golds has put a lock on it. We will continue covering the Commissioner's Cup and bring you the return of professional vollehyball so stay with us on all our platforms for more stories and features. Number of the Week: 50 Career triple-doubles hammered out by Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo so far.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Well, for starters, a lot of the players I play against these days now call me ‘Tito’ (uncle).” —Angelo Que, on how much the game has changed since he won the Philippine Open 17 years ago.

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National University. That's the answer to our trivia question above. If you think you can ace this week's quiz, head over to our Viber community, where you can also stay updated on sports headlines! Buy the Inquirer at newsstands, subscribe to our digital edition, Inquirer Plus, visit our online site and follow us on socials (Twitter: @inquirersports; FB: facebook.com/inquirersports) for more stories and updates—or to send us questions or suggestions of stories you'd want to read. See you next Friday! Francis Francis T. J. Ochoa is the Sports Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. For comments, suggestions and questions, hit him up on Twitter (@ftjochoaINQ).