BACK in the finals of the PBA Philippine Cup for a fifth straight time, the San Miguel Beermen feel good about their chances especially with the kind of team they have and the road they took to get where they are right now.

DESPITE the controversy surrounding its official kickoff, the Philippine Premier League (PPL) went ahead with its season opener on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium with Kaya FC-Iloilo emerging victorious and Philippine Air Force and Mendiola FC 1991 fighting to a draw.

PHILADELPHIA 76ers center Joel Embiid said his left knee, hampered by tendinitis, remains painful but he intends to play more minutes in the second-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors than he did in the first round.

WHILE their 2018-19 NBA campaign was a rough one that saw them missing the playoffs altogether, it was a totally different scenario for LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on the league merchandise front where they were tops.

It took nearly two decades before the San Juan Knights could repeat the feat it once did in the regional basketball scene -- and what a way to win it.

Kevin Durant no longer needs any audition to prove his worth heading into free agency. When he is officially free from his contract with the Warriors in July, he will be fielding offers from the rest of the National Basketball Association. Indeed, he’s that good; outside of -- and, arguably, even more than that of -- the on-the-decline LeBron James, he has the game that would suit any type of system. He certainly made the two-time defending champions even better with his presence; not for nothing was he named Most Valuable Player in their last two Finals appearances.

THE Philippine Premier League finally kicks off today, April 27, with a pair of matches at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

THEIR spots in the next round of Season 81 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines already assured as the elimination round closes, top teams Ateneo Lady Eagles and De La Salle Lady Spikers are not to hold back and instead have bowed to continue working to see their respective championship aspirations through.

HAVING turned their fortunes around in the semifinals of the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup, the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok go for the clincher today that would allow them to advance to the finals.

REIGNING International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas is set to return to the ring on May 4 for his seventh title defense. And the Filipino titleholder said he is coming in “more prepared” and bent on churning out a convincing victory.

GO FOR GOLD Philippines has opened the door of opportunity for those who wish to join its growing stable of accomplished athletes from a variety of sports.

LOS ANGELES -- Lou Williams responded to the Golden State Warriors taking their first lead of the second half with a four-point play with 2:32 remaining Wednesday night, igniting a late run that gave the Los Angeles Clippers a 129-121 victory over the two-time defending champions in Game 5 of their Western Conference first-round series at Oakland, Calif.