The STANDS - An INQUIRER Sports Newsletter

 

February 28, 2025 The men's curling team provided one of the shockers of the Asian Winter Games. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Hey there sports fan, The past couple of weeks have been filled with historic achievements, some reality-delivering losses, the continued dominance of a noted volleyball program, and the rise of a new star in the sport. Indeed, there's so much to unpack here, so let's begin! A historic moment for Philippine sports took place when the country clinched its first-ever gold medal in the Asian Winter Games, with the national curling team shocking the field's world-rated teams in the men's event. This unprecedented feat has sparked renewed optimism, as the Philippines now sets its sights on a potential Winter Olympics medal in the near future. Tim Cone took accountability for the fatigue some of his Gilas Pilipinas players have been experiencing as they juggle national team duties with the intense PBA semifinals. Cone still commended his squad’s resilience and heart amid the tough grind. If it's any consolation, Troy Rosario had a triumphant return to Cone's Barangay Ginebra, delivering a stellar performance that propelled his team to victory. In the volleyball scene was another shocker, almost to curling levels, as Galeries Tower pulled off a stunning upset, knocking out Cignal and securing a quarterfinal berth in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.  Over in the UAAP, rookie Shaina Nitura of the Adamson Lady Falcons continues to shine, impressing fans and analysts alike with her talent and fearless mindset. Her performance is a breath of fresh air for the program, proving that the future is bright for Adamson. Speaking of Shaina, here's a trivia question: Nitura used goggles while playing in what grade level before switching to contact lenses in high school? The answer can be found near the end of this email. Elsewhere in UAAP volleyball, National University has stormed off to a dominant start, showing no signs of slowing down. The powerhouse squad’s consistency and discipline have made them a formidable force in the league, with their championship aspirations looking stronger than ever. Like this email? Forward it to your friends and let them know that they can sign up here. Rachel Daquis is giving Farm Fresh a big boost. (PVL IMAGES) Meanwhile on Plus... Farm Fresh pulled off quite the shocker when it inked Rachel Daquis to a contract. Daquis had been in a hiatus, taking care of some personal business abroad when the long-time Cignal star was reeled in by the Foxies for there PVL campaign in the ongoing All-Filipino.  And in looks like she isn't regretting that decision.  What we're up to next: We will keep tabs on the PBA Commissioner's Cup semifinals and also keep you posted on the PVL All-Filipino Conference, which has now moved into its knockout phase. Expect a lot of features and stories on our platforms. We will begin having more extensive features on the UAAP women's volleyball tournament as we begin reformatting the way we deliver content through our digital platform. And don't forget, Inquirer Sports' Trivia Throwdown is fast approaching. Number of the Week: 30 Age of Nikola Jokic. He celebrated his birthday averaging a triple-double for the Denver Nuggets. QUOTE OF THE WEEK “If we don’t get to know loss, how will we get to know win, right?” —Shaina Nitura, Adamson Lady Falcons rookie, after her team bounced back from a loss to La Salle in the UAAP.  Hi Klaus, Have feedback? We're happy to hear it. Give Suggestions Grade 9. That's the answer to the trivia question above. Think you can ace the rest of our weekly sports quiz? Head over to our Viber community and try the test out! 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). Try Inquirer Plus. Inquirer Plus is the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s premium subscription service. Register for a free 30-day trial to get access to Inquirer’s fearless reporting, exclusive stories and more. REGISTER NOW