WHILE it is no longer a stranger in dipping its hands in supporting Philippine sports, Max’s Group, Inc. (MGI) has stepped up its involvement, affirming its “end to end” commitment to help the country’s Olympic dreams realized.

LOS ANGELES -- The Portland Trail Blazers and visiting Denver Nuggets head into Monday’s Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals in the same boat.

THE rebranded local club association Philippine Premier League proved to be a short-lived one after the Philippine Football Federation at the weekend decided to cut ties to it that effectively ended the league’s run after just one match day being played.

Former PBA coaches Jong Uichico, Bong Ramos and Chris Gavina are now going to bring their rich experience calling the shots for their respective teams in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League beginning June 12, the league’s third season.

That Game Three of the Blazers-Nuggets semifinal-round series came to within a free throw of forcing a league-record fifth overtime underscored the resolve of the protagonists. It wasn’t just that they wanted to win; more tellingly, it was that they refused to lose. To a man, they toiled as if there were no other games left to negotiate in the postseason. Even the coaches hung tough; hardly any substitutions outside of last-shot settings -- or, in the case of the most impactful one, of an unavoidable circumstance -- were made. The players that forced extended action after extended action were going to decide the outcome.

COMPETITION in women’s volleyball in Season 81 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines enters the Final Four round this weekend with all the remaining teams engaging in marquee matches at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

BARCELONA -- Lionel Messi put Barcelona on the verge of the Champions League final with a devastating double in a 3-0 home win over Liverpool in the first leg of their last-four clash on Wednesday, taking his goal tally for the Catalans to 600.

HAVING DRAWN first blood in their best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup finals series last time around, the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok look to double up on the San Miguel Beermen in Game Two today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

BEATS extreme cold in marathon near North Pole. Filipina runner Joyette Jopson overcame all odds and conquered the grueling 42-kilometer 78° North Marathon held near the North Pole last April 16.

FOLLOWING “pedestrian” performances and outputs in his last two fights, International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas should take the opportunity to reassert his star when he returns to the ring this weekend for his seventh title defense.

GIAN Taylor tried his luck to reach a lofty goal of racing for Team Go For Gold and the national squad someday.

LOS ANGELES -- CJ McCollum scored 20 points, Enes Kanter had 15 points and nine rebounds, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the host Denver Nuggets 97-90 in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Wednesday night.