2026 edition of the Collegiate Press Corps awards on tap

2025 Collegiate Press Corps

EVERY blood, sweat and tear shed during the previous season leads to this moment.

While championships are won on the court, legacy is built off of it – and the 2026 Collegiate Press Corps Awards (CPC) Night presented by Strong Group Athletics will be where Philippine collegiate sports' brightest stars cement theirs.

The awards night, which will put the finest student-athletes and personalities of UAAP Season 88 and NCAA Season 101 in the spotlight, will be held on June 29, 2026 at the Discovery Suites Manila in Ortigas, Pasig City.

The Collegiate Men’s and Women’s Basketball Players of the Year presented by Converge, which was voted and deliberated by the esteemed group of journalists from both national print and online media, will be among the highlights of the awards night.

Aside from this, the men’s and women’s basketball Mythical Five teams will also be revealed.

Presented by SGA anew, the men’s and women’s volleyball players from both the UAAP and the NCAA will likewise be feted in the season-ending event.

And for the second straight year, the Football Players of the Year for both UAAP and NCAA supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will be announced.

Of course, it will not only be the players who will be given their honors in the annual collegiate body ceremony supported by Go For Gold, D’Generals and Buffalos’ Wings ‘N Things.

The top UAAP and NCAA coaches of the year for basketball and volleyball brought by the San Miguel Corporation will be given well-deserved recognition as well for steering their respective teams to the top of the collegiate world.

The CPC will also hand a special citation to Ateneo de Manila University center Kacey dela Rosa for her impact not just for the Blue Eagles and the UAAP, but also for Gilas Pilipinas in international 5-on-5 and 3x3 basketball.

“Every year, new stars emerge and legends arrive to lord it over the famed collegiate courts and fields. And this year is no different with the CPC continuing its relentless drive to champion collegiate sports and recognize the student-athletes behind every championship and glory – once more and always,” said CPC president John Bryan Ulanday of The Philippine Star.

Italy leads six-team field as Pasig hosts VNL

A STACKED field of champions and medalists headlines the Philippine leg of the Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) starting on Wednesday at Philsports Arena in Pasig.

World No. 1 and reigning VNL champion Italy banners the cast as the flagship annual international competition of volleyball’s world governing body FIVB returns to the country.

Japan, VNL silver medalist in 2024, enters the Philippine leg—presented by the Philippine Sports Commission—carrying momentum with a 4-0 win-loss record. Italy, three-time champion US and world No. 13 Czechia are at 3-1.

Starring skipper Mayu Ishikawa, Yoshino Sato and Yukiko Wada, Japan scored victories over France, Ukraine, Germany and Canada.

With Ekaterina Antropova, Merit Adigwe and Loveth Omoruyi leading the way, Italy zoomed past Bulgaria, Netherlands and Turkiye before Brazil ended their run.

No. 9 Serbia has managed one win in four matches, while 12th-ranked Dominican Republic is still seeking its first victory of the campaign.

World No. 7 USA battles the Dominican Republic in the 12 p.m. match on Wednesday, before Czechia and Italy  clash at 4 p.m. Japan and Serbia face off at 8 p.m.

Each team plays 12 matches in the group stage, with the top eight advancing to the finals in Macau.

The Philippine leg features Pool 5 in Week 2 of the competition. Other hosts of pool play of the prestigious event are Canada, Brazil, China, Türkiye, Thailand, Serbia, Hong Kong and Japan.

Asia has three representatives in the 18-nation field. World No. 6 China enters Week 2 with a 3-1 record, while No. 24 Thailand remains in search of its first victory after four matches.

Philippine fans get to see the Women’s VNL live for the first time in four years, while men’s matches were last hosted by the country two years ago.

Latest statement from the UAAP re: Aurora incident

The UAAP released this statement on Sunday as developments continue to arise involving what transpired in Aurora earlier this week.

As the UAAP continues to mourn the untimely passing of Ateneo de Manila University student-athletes Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili on June 8, 2026, in Dipaculao, Aurora, the League again extends its heartfelt condolences to their families, loved ones, teammates, coaches, and the entire Ateneo community.

We stand in solidarity with all those grieving this profound loss and join them in honoring the memory of two young lives taken too soon.

As previously stated, the UAAP will fully take into account the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the concerned member school, as only limited details have been officially confirmed.

We urge all concerned agencies to conduct a speedy and thorough investigation in order to put all speculations to rest.

The UAAP is closely following all developments surrounding this tragic incident and carefully reviewing the findings of the ongoing investigations as they come.When completed, all relevant information will be referred to the seven other member schools for a full and fair review.

As a community of educational institutions, we are committed to learning from this tragedy and working together to strengthen safeguards that protect our student-athletes both on and off the field of play.

Rest assured that the UAAP will:

• Enforce sanctions in cases where there are breaches of established protocols, laws, and regulations, provided these sanctions are established through due process and in accordance with governance and disciplinary procedures.
• Review and, if needed, revise existing rules and policies to further strengthen accountability, enhance student-athlete welfare, and uphold the highest standards of safety.
• Promote and expand access to protective measures, mental health resources, and support services for student-athletes, coaches, and staff, while sustaining programs that foster camaraderie and communal well-being.

This difficult moment has reminded us that the care and protection of our student-athletes are paramount. Together, we remain committed to fostering a sporting environment grounded in safety, respect, accountability, and genuine concern for the well-being of every member of the UAAP community.

Letran seeks fourth straight in Filoil Preseason

Games Tuesday at the Playtime Filoil Centre
11 a.m. - JRU vs. LPU
1 p.m. - EAC vs. Letran
3 p.m. - Arellano vs. Perpetual
5 p.m. - Adamson vs. UST

JUNE seemed to have changed the air in University of Santo Tomas as it finally chalked one in the win column in the 19th Filoil Ecooil Preseason Cup presented by ABC Tile Adhesive.

Now, the Growling Tigers want to make it two-in-a-row when they face Adamson on Tuesday at Playtime Filoil Centre in San Juan.

The two squads collide at 5 p.m. in the main event of another quadruple-header as they jostle for position in the UAAP Group.

UST (1-2) is coming off a 83-75 win over Far Eastern U last Saturday with Gelo Crisostomo taking the lead role.

"We want to show composure, na kahit nakakahabol yung mga kalaban, nakakarecover yung team," said assistant coach Japs Cuan of that last outing.

Meanwhile, Adamson suffered its second straight defeat after being walloped by Ateneo, 72-52.

It was a performance that the boys of coach Nash Racela would rather forget especially after the team fired a horrid 17-percent from distance.

Meanwhile, Letran is starting to gain steam in the NCAA Group, winning its last three games and is motivated to sustain that run against Emilio Aguinaldo College at 1 p.m. of this premier preseason tourney which has Hanes, Buffalo's Wings N Things, Wallem, BDO, Akari, Smart, Molten, Reyes Barbecue, Nature's Spring, Tela.com Athletics, Brothers Burger, and Don Benito's as sponsors.

Titing Manalili, Jimboy Estrada, and rookie George Diamante have been impressive in the Knights' last outing, an 83-72 win over Mapua, and would want to keep it up against the well-rested Generals, which last played in May 19 and gutted out a 91-88 overtime win over Arellano.

Undefeated Jose Rizal University (2-0) raise the curtains at 11 a.m. against slumping Lyceum of the Philippines University (1-3), while winless teams Arellano and Perpetual, both trotting 0-2 cards, part ways at 3 p.m.

Prime Video reveals lineup for landmark NBA Finals coverage for the Philippines

Prime Video is set to pull out all of the stops as it set to make history with their exclusive coverage of the 2026 NBA Finals for the Philippines, which officially starts on June 4 at 830am between the Eastern Conference champions, the New York Knicks, as they travel to Texas to face their Western Conference counterparts, the San Antonio Spurs.

To conclude its historic inaugural season as one of the NBA's broadcast partners, Prime Video has revealed its on-air broadcast team set to deliver studio analysis and play-by-play game coverage.

Using its state-of-the-art NBA on Prime studio in Culver City, Prime Video will have a studio team able to provide Championship-winning expertise while also integrating an international flavor. Leading the pool of rotating analysts are Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers Vlade Divac and Chris Bosh, alongside a couple of great Euro ballers with vast NBA experience in Danilo Gallinari and Nico Batum.

Batum is a four-time Olympian for France and just completed his eighteenth season in the league with a multitude of teams, the latest being the Los Angeles Clippers in his second stint with the team. Already armed with experience from covering major international tournaments, including last year's Eurobasket, he can provide an active player's views for the broadcast.

Bosh spent thirteen seasons in the NBA, having been named as an NBA All-Star eleven times. The Georgia Tech alum won two titles alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat in the previous decade. Post-play, he has served as an analyst when TNT held Players Only broadcasts back when they had the league's rights.

Gallinari recently retired after sixteen seasons in the league, becoming the highest-scoring Italian in the NBA. He has served guest analyst roles for a variety of teams, whether with the radio coverage of the Denver Nuggets, the NBA G League, and in the Olympics.

As for Divac, he amongst the pioneers for Europeans in the league, whether on and off the court. A former first round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers, he also spent time with the Charlotte Hornets and the Sacramento Kings, with the latter having also served as their general manager, allowing the coverage to have a viewpoint from a team executive lens.

Completing the Finals cast are two of Prime Video's sideline reporters throughout the NBA season in Allie Clifton and Kristina Pink. The latter will reprise her role for the NBA Finals, capturing the scenes in both San Antonio and New York, while the former will host the studio coverage.

The 2026 NBA Finals is a rematch of the 1999 edition, the last time the Knicks made it this far, when they were the 8-seed and anchored by the likes of Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell. Larry Johnson, and Marcus Camby. They lost in five games to a team anchored by David Robinson and Tim Duncan.

In addition, it is a rematch of the this season's NBA Cup title game, which the Knicks won, 124-113, last December. OG Anunoby led New York with 28 points, while Jalen Brunson added 25 in becoming the NBA Cup MVP. They are now currently on an eleven-game winning streak, having swept both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers during this stretch.

Meanwhile, the Spurs are fresh from eliminating the defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games, ensuring that the league will have eight different franchises win the Larry O'Brien Trophy in the last eight seasons, the longest such stretch in its history.

The 2026 NBA Finals tips off on Thursday, June 4, LIVE exclusively on Prime Video in the Philippines, with tip slated at 830am for all games of this best-of-seven series.

The schedule is as follows

• Game 1: June 4 at San Antonio
• Game 2: June 6 at San Antonio
• Game 3: June 9 at New York
• Game 4: June 11 at New York
• Game 5*: June 14 at San Antonio
• Game 6*: June 17 at New York
• Game 7*: June 20 at San Antonio 

* if necessary 

One can watch Prime Video through a variety of devices, from the app that is available on smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, consoles, and smart televisions, as well as through streaming in the web. 

Basketball activities highlight first two days of B.LEAGUE FINAL WEEK in MANILA 2026

3x3 at the Fashion Hall

Filipino ballers have spent the last couple of days balling at the special 3x3 halfcourt installed inside the SM Megamall's Mega Fashion Hall in the last couple of days for the B.LEAGUE FINAL Week.

Aside from the press conference that highlighted the opening of the activation last Thursday, the sprawling venue hosted 1-on-1 action, with Ray Parks, who had just concluded his club stint at Osaka Evessa, as a special guest, while Friday saw Francis Lopez of Nagoya Fighting Eagles check out 3x3 action, called the Yanmar Hanasaka B. Hope Asia 3x3 Challenge 2026.

Action featured eight teams that each featured male and female players, as they battled it out all afternoon and evening for some inclusive and thrilling competition.

The on-court action served as a neat appetizer for the upcoming Resona Group B.LEAGUE Championship 2025-26 final between upstart Nagasaki Velca and traditional contender Ryukyu Golden Kings, with the first two of potentially three finals matches taking place at the Yokohama Arena for the next couple of days.

Fans can still check out the action at the Mega Fashion Hall, as a live viewing party will take place for Game 1 and Game 2 at the venue, before it turns into a basketball clinic afterwards, in conjunction with B. Hope Asia.

Saturday's clinic is supported by Toyota and will feature Kiefer Ravena, while younger brother Thirdy will be present for Sunday's festivities, which is supported by Nissei.

Aside from Yanmar, Toyota and Nissei, the B.LEAGUE Final Week is also supported by Meiji, JCB, Epson, Molten, and PGA Sompo.

For more details about top-flight Japanese club basketball, one can check out the freshly revealed B.LEAGUE Philippines page on Facebook (b.leagueofficiallphilippines), Instagram and TikTok (@b.league_ph).

Manila to serve as first overseas venue for B.LEAGUE games

B.LEAGUE heads to Manila

The Philippines once again gets thrown into the limelight for continental basketball, as the B.LEAGUE revealed that it will host its first-ever overseas games at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

As it marks the near-conclusion of its historic tenth season and its reboot into B.PREMIER next season, top-flight Japanese club basketball will feature two teams with confirmed Filipino representation on its rosters as Dwight Ramos and Levanga Hokkaido will go up against AJ Edu and Gunma Crane Thunders on September 9-10, called the B.LEAGUE Manila Games 2026. 

Ramos was present for the league's announcement on Thursday to mark the historic moment, as the press conference for the upcoming games took place at the start of the B.LEAGUE Final Week activation at the Mega Fashion Hall inside SM Megamall.

Representing the B.LEAGUE for this event was Nao Okamoto, with special guests Willie Marcial of the Philippine Basketball Association and Ryan Gregorio of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. The B.LEAGUE Manila Games 2026 will take place in cooperation with the two entities concerned, with the support of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.

With the slogan, Two Nations, One Beat, it also highlights the strong ties the Philippines and Japan have with each other, as it marks the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Serving as official partners for this event are Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation, JCB International Co. Ltd., Nissei Co. Ltd., Yanmar Holdings Co. Ltd., and Meiji Co. Ltd., with SONAK Corporation and PGA Sompo Insurance Corporation as official suppliers.

In a message, B.LEAGUE Chairman Shinji Shimada shares, "We are truly delighted to host B.LEAGUE’s first-ever overseas games in the Philippines, a country filled with passion for basketball. The Philippines has produced more Asia Special Quota players for B.LEAGUE than any other country/region, creating a special bond between us. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone in the Philippine basketball community for their tremendous support in making this project possible, as well as to all the players who have served as bridges between our two nations."

He adds, "The games will be held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, a very special venue that hosted the Final of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, hosted by Japan and the Philippines. It is a great honor for us to stage B.LEAGUE games at such an iconic arena. We hope many fans will come to the venue and experience the excitement and appeal of B.LEAGUE firsthand."

The league says that ticketing details for the event are likely to be revealed next month. They also revealed an official link to the event at https://www.bleague.jp/manila-games/.