Last week saw a trade in the Philippine Basketball Association which created much buzz over the fairness of it.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s acceptance speech lasted all of five minutes, and it could have been over in much less time had he not kept on choking up. He was clearly overwhelmed by the occasion, never mind that he had long been tipped to claim the Maurice Podoloff Trophy in leading the Bucks to a regular-season-best 60 wins. Even as he failed to cap his 2018-19 campaign with a championship, he proved to be the best of the best of the National Basketball Association by far. Like all and sundry, he knew how well he did -- enough, at least, to prepare for his time in the podium yesterday.

DOWN to their last six games in the elimination round of the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup, the San Miguel Beermen look to make the most of it and put themselves a situation to advance to the next round.

HELD to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the two-legged AFC Cup ASEAN Zone semifinals last week, Ceres-Negros FC is out to do better and get the job done against Hanoi FC in the return match today in Vietnam.

THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) joined forces Saturday, June 22 at the College of Science Oval in UP Diliman to stage a unity event among various sports sectors to prepare for the coming Southeast Asian Games later this year and the ASEAN Para Games in 2020.

JOMARY “The Zamboanginian Fighter” Torres is highly-determined to get back to the winner’s circle at ONE: Masters of Destiny on July 12 against Malaysian hometown hero Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan.

FOUR Filipinos will be part of the team from Asia-Pacific that will see action at the Jr. NBA Global Championship in Orlando, Florida, in August.

PHILIPPINES Football League newbie Green Archers United FC climbed up the standings of Season 3 after getting three full points off a 3-0 victory over Philippine Air Force FC in league action on Sunday at the Biñan Football Stadium in Laguna.

Vietnamese GM Le Quang Liem won the Asian Continental Championship by beating the leader S. P. Sethuraman of India in the last round to clinch first place in Xingtai, a city in the province of Hebei, Northern China (“bei” is Chinese for North. Beijing is “Northern Capital,” Hebei is “North of the River,” etcetera).

When Andy Murray announced his impending retirement from tennis in early January, there was ample reason to lament the loss of a player who made significant strides on and off the court. If there was universal disappointment in his departure, it underscored the degree of respect for his competitiveness with a racket in hand and his status as an ambassador for the sport. He wasn’t perfect, but if he had fits under pressure, he directed it mostly to himself in an outward reflection of his demanding nature; he knew the extent of his talent, and lashed out demonstratively when he couldn’t translate potential to practice.

THE Rain or Shine Elasto Painters swung back into the win column in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup after holding off the Columbian Dyip, 88-86, in overtime in an out-of-town match in Batangas City on Sunday.

CONNECTICUT -- A blistering seven-under-par 28 for the back nine saw Chez Reavie romp to a six-stroke lead in the third round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut on Saturday.