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).

THE STANDS - An INQUIRER Sports Newsletter

 

January 10, 2025

Barangay Ginebra is looking for consistency. (PBA IMAGES)

Hey there sports fan, First off, Happy New year everyone! The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) welcomed 2025 with a flurry of action, as teams hit the court determined to restart their Commissioner's Cup campaigns on a high note.  Fans were treated to a mix of resilience, comebacks, and dominant displays in a week that highlighted the league’s competitive spirit. Barangay Ginebra is working to find its rhythm, with coach Tim Cone emphasizing the need for consistency to guide the team through an already challenging start. Cone’s vision for an “even-keeled approach” comes as Ginebra aims to build a foundation for lasting success. This philosophy, he believes, will be critical to sustaining their competitiveness throughout the season. Read more here. Meanwhile, the Meralco Bolts started the year with a spark. Shaking off injuries and a two-game losing streak, the Bolts battled their way to a gritty win over Eastern. Their performance showcased a healthy roster’s potential, proving that resilience and determination remain key ingredients for their 2025 campaign. Full story here. Elsewhere, the Phoenix Fuel Masters lit up the court to break free from their early struggles. Inspired by their import player’s leadership, Phoenix defeated Terrafirma, snapping a frustrating slump. Their determination to rally as a team underscores their readiness to turn things around and climb the standings. Read the highlights. On a roll of their own, Rain or Shine continued their remarkable form, notching a fifth consecutive win with a commanding performance against Blackwater. The Elasto Painters have emerged as early-season standouts, blending teamwork and consistency to dominate their opponents. Catch the details. With grit, strategy, and excitement on full display, fans can look forward to a basketball season brimming with promise. Here’s to an unforgettable 2025 on the hardwood! And if you want to start the year testing you sports knowledge, here's a trivia question: LeBron James set the record for most 30-point games in the NBA, surpassing which NBA legend? Answer can be found below.

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Carlos Yulo, the country's golden boy. (REUTERS)

Meanwhile... We weren't idle during the holidays and continued churning out content for our sports audience. You may have missed out on our yearenders in the last few days of 2024, but The Stands has got you covered. Two, in particular, that you should read: A stranglehold is broken in the PBA. The ups and downs in the Paris Olympics. What we're up to next: We will continue covering the Commissioner's Cup and update you on a brewing issue with the national women's futsal team. And as we count the days to the restart of the PVL, we will provide you a few features along the way.  Number of the Week: 52 Years passed since the Philippines beat Thailand in football.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I realized that age is really just a number.” —Alyssa Valdez, Creamline superstar, on how 2024 was a rollercoaster ride for her.

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Michael Jordan. 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).THE

THE STANDS: An INQUIRER Sports Newsletter

 

December 6, 2024

National U wowed the crowd with their out-of-this-world routine. (UAAP MEDIA)

Hey there sports fan, How about those NU cheerdancers, huh? They became the third team to win the annual spectacle eight times, tying the record shared by University of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines. And immediately, the team said it was gunning for more victories. The National U Pep Squad has been described as being "out of this world" several times in the past. So the team coaches decided to make that their theme, wowing the crowd with jaw-dropping stunts on the way to their latest triumph. Indeed, the spectacular performances of the eight schools were a welcome respite from the breathless basketball action that UAAP Season 87 has produced so far. And we're now in the homestretch of those tournaments. The men's and women's finals will begin and four teams are looking to be the last two squads standing. We'll keep you covered throughout that busy stretch of basketball action. And it's not any cooler on the other side of the varsity fence. Mapua started out strong in the NCAA men's basketball finals, whipping a St. Benilde squad that had been the favorites for most of this season. Don't count out the Blazers, though. They're not the type to just roll over. By the way, the women's finals in the UAAP will feature UST's Kent Pastrana, who will lead the defending champion UST Tigresses against a dominant NU Lady Bulldogs.  Do you know from what program Pastrana was recruited? Answer can be found at the end of this email.

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La Salle is more ready to face UP than it was last season. (UAAP MEDIA)

Meanwhile on Plus... La Salle came into last season's UAAP men's basketball finals against UP unprepared. They still won the crown. Will the Maroons stand a chance in the rematch, considering that the Archers swear they are much more prepared than they were last year? Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo needed just a spark of inspiration to revive her hunger for international glory. She found that spark in a grassroots tournament she is quite familiar with.  "Really, really hungry," was how Gel Cayuna described her HD Spikers teammates this conference. Cignal wants to make up for all those shortcomings and vows to go all out to win the crown this time. What we're up to next: We'll bring you stories, updates, features and highlights from the basketball finals of UAAP Season 87 and the historic NCAA Season 100. Can Mapua hang on? Will St. Benilde fight back? Keep it here. We'll also cover extensively the PBA Commissioner's Cup and the PVL All -Filipino Conference. We will bring youy some football features as well as the men's national team prepares to compete in the Asean Football Federation championship. Number of the Week: 2 Players who have made at least 3,000 triples in the NBA. James Harden breached that mark, allowing him to join Steph Curry as the only players to achieve that feat so far.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “They said from the start it’s gonna be a war going in there. We have two more games we have to lock in to.” —Quentin Millora-Brown, UP Maroons big man, on facing defending champion La Salle in the UAAP Finals.

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La Salle. 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).