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Author: Andre Sotelo

  • Alex Eala opens clay campaign against Julia Grabher in Linz Open Round of 32 

    Alex Eala opens clay campaign against Julia Grabher in Linz Open Round of 32 

    Alex Eala’s shift to clay begins not with a marquee showdown, but with a match that could say plenty about how quickly she can settle into a new stretch of the season.

     

    The Filipina star opens her campaign at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz on Monday against Austria’s Julia Grabher in the Round of 32, a first-time meeting that serves as Eala’s first test on clay this year.

     

    After spending the opening months of 2026 grinding through hard-court tournaments, Eala now enters a different phase of the calendar — one that often demands more patience, longer rallies, and a fresh level of adaptability.

     

    That makes her opener in Linz more than just a routine first-round assignment.

    It is a chance to establish rhythm early on a surface that can often punish hesitation, especially against an opponent like Grabher, who enters with familiarity, confidence, and home support on her side.

     

    Grabher, currently ranked No. 87 in the world, may come in lower than Eala in the rankings, but she remains a capable opening-round threat. The Austrian has previously climbed as high as No. 54 and is coming off a run to the Round of 16 of the WTA 125 event in Antalya, giving her valuable match play heading into Linz.

     

    Eala, for her part, comes into the WTA 500 tournament ranked No. 45 after recently reaching a career-high No. 29 — another sign of how much ground she has covered over the past year despite still adjusting to the demands of a full WTA schedule.

     

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    This will be her ninth tournament of the season and her first on clay after an eight-event stretch that saw her compete in Auckland, the Australian Open, the PH Women’s Open, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Dubai Duty Free, Indian Wells, and the Miami Open.

     

    That heavy run of tournaments has given Eala plenty of top-level exposure, but Linz now presents a different kind of challenge: how quickly she can carry that momentum onto a slower surface against a player she has never faced before.

     

    That unfamiliarity could become one of the more important factors in the match.

     

    Unlike some of the more familiar names Eala has begun seeing regularly on tour, Grabher presents a fresh scouting puzzle — one that will require quick adjustments once play begins. And in opening-round matches like this, especially at this level, finding answers early can often be the difference.

     

    There is, of course, added intrigue waiting in the draw. The winner of the Eala-Grabher match will advance to face fourth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko, setting up a possible third meeting between Eala and the Latvian star.

     

    That subplot naturally adds extra attention to Monday’s opener, especially considering Eala went 2-0 against Ostapenko in 2025, scoring wins at both the Miami Open and the Lexus Eastbourne Open.

     

    Still, that remains background noise for now. If Eala is to earn another crack at a familiar heavyweight, she first has to navigate the more immediate challenge in front of her — an opening match on a new surface, against a home bet, in a tournament that could help shape the tone of her clay season.

     

    Eala and Grabher are set to play on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Manila time.

     

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  • Nxled leans on former Petro Gazz core in semis push

    Nxled leans on former Petro Gazz core in semis push

    Nxled’s rise this conference did not begin with a miracle run. It began with inheritance. When Petro Gazz opted to take a leave of absence from the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference, Nxled found itself in possession of something every young franchise hopes to build over time but rarely acquires overnight — a championship backbone.

     

    Now, that backbone is beginning to show its true value. With a semifinals berth within reach, the Chameleons are discovering that what they absorbed was not just talent, but temperament. 

     

    Not just star power, but the internal wiring that helps teams survive when the season starts narrowing and every match begins to feel like an elimination game.

     

    That edge was on full display the last time Nxled took the floor. Faced with a Galeries Tower side that had already given them trouble in the preliminary round, the Chameleons responded not with panic, but with control, dispatching the Highrisers, 25-23, 25-18, 25-23, last March 28 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium to stay alive in the Play-in tournament.

     

    And for veterans like Myla Pablo, that composure did not come from nowhere. “I guess that desire and grit to win came from our experience with Petro Gazz before. We’re kind of used to playing in crucial games,” former MVP Pablo said.

     

    That may be the clearest difference in this Nxled team.For a franchise still searching for its first true breakthrough, it now has players who have already lived through the pressure that comes with title runs, sudden-death scenarios, and matches where one bad stretch can end everything.

     

    Brooke Van Sickle, Pablo, and MJ Phillips have all brought that pedigree into a team still trying to define itself, and in the process, Nxled has begun to look less like a rebuilding side and more like a group learning how to win in real time.

     

    Pablo said that transition has been intentional from the start. “When we joined Nxled under coach Ettore (Guidetti), we wanted to apply the things and experience we had with Petro Gazz. I feel that we’re playing and communicating better during crucial games. The leadership and ferocity in each of us come out naturally,” Pablo added.

     

    That influence now gives Nxled a real shot at history. The Chameleons will try to secure their first-ever semifinals appearance since entering the league three years ago when they face fourth-seeded Farm Fresh on Tuesday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

     

    It is unfamiliar ground for the franchise — but not for the players now leading it. Van Sickle, one of the most decorated names in the league, has embraced the urgency of the moment without losing sight of the process that got them here.

     

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    “I’m just excited to keep moving forward one step at a time,” Van Sickle said.

     

    “So, we just focused on ourselves and what we can improve on as a team. And how we can still stick together and play cohesively. So, we’re just doing a little, you know, fixing things within our side of the court,” she added.

     

    That mindset could matter just as much as talent against a Farm Fresh side that nearly pushed Nxled to the brink in the preliminaries. The Chameleons needed five sets to escape the Foxies the last time they met, and that narrow margin has only sharpened their preparation during the long Holy Week break.

     

    For Van Sickle, the pause may have arrived at the perfect time. “So, I think, yeah, just moving forward. Just watching more film. Making sure our bodies are feeling great. And just continue to keep communicating and pushing each other in practice. So, really excited for the next game. It’s going to be really fun,” the Filipino-American winger added.

     

    If Nxled’s match is about proving that its transformation is real, the other Play-in showdown carries a different kind of weight.

     

    At 6:30 p.m., Akari and Creamline battle for the other remaining semifinals seat in a matchup built on tension, timing, and contrasting forms of belief.

     

    Creamline enters with the comfort of championship memory. It knows what these moments feel like, what they demand, and how thin the line can be between control and collapse. The Cool Smashers have spent years surviving exactly these kinds of nights.

     

    But Akari has already shown it can disrupt order. The Chargers own a recent win over Creamline and have built their confidence not from legacy, but from proving they can stand up to teams with far more history and expectation attached to them.

     

    That makes this less about resume and more about composure.

     

    Because matches like these are rarely won by the team with the better narrative. They are won by the side that handles the silence before a serve, the pressure of a tied late set, and the emotional swings that can flip a season in a matter of minutes.

     

    For Nxled, Akari, Creamline, and Farm Fresh, the stakes are now stripped down to their simplest form: survive and keep going.

     

    And in this part of the tournament, survival often belongs to the teams that know how to stay steady when everything around them starts to shake.

     

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  • Gilas Women 3×3 turn focus to World Cup Qualifiers after Asia Cup silver 

    Gilas Women 3×3 turn focus to World Cup Qualifiers after Asia Cup silver 

    Fresh off a historic silver-medal finish in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup, Gilas Pilipinas Women now turn their attention to the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifiers in Singapore.

     

    The silver medal may have been historic, but for Gilas Pilipinas Women, it was never meant to be the finish line.

     

    Just days after delivering the best-ever result by a Philippine team in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup, the Filipinas are already back in pursuit of something even bigger — a return trip to the world stage.

    From April 11 to 12 in Singapore, Gilas Women will take another shot at history in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, where a place in the sport’s biggest global showcase will be up for grabs.

     

    What made their Asia Cup run memorable was not just the silver medal itself, but the way it reset expectations for a program that has steadily climbed in the international 3×3 scene. Instead of simply proving they belong, the Filipinas are now entering the next tournament with genuine pressure and a real opportunity to advance.

     

    This time, they won’t be sneaking up on anyone. The Philippines enters the qualifiers as the highest-ranked team in Pool B at No. 19 in the world, just ahead of host Singapore, which sits at No. 20. Brazil, the third team in the group, is ranked No. 62.

     

    That makes the path to the knockout round clear, but far from comfortable. Only the top two teams from each pool will move on to the crossover phase, where the stakes rise immediately. 

    From there, only the teams that reach the podium will book tickets to the FIBA 3×3 World Cup, set for June 1 to 7 in Warsaw, Poland.

     

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    For Gilas Women, the mission is as much about validation as it is qualification.

     

    Their lone previous appearance in the World Cup came back in 2018, when the Philippines hosted the event at the Philippine Arena. That campaign ended with a 17th-place finish, but this version of the national team arrives in a much different place — more seasoned, more battle-tested, and carrying momentum that few Philippine women’s squads have ever had in this format.

     

    The challenge, however, will not end with the group stage. Pool A is expected to be far more punishing, with Hungary ranked No. 13 in the world and Lithuania at No. 22, while Egypt rounds out the bracket. 

     

    Any team that survives the knockout round will likely have to go through one of those two European squads, making every early game in Singapore crucial.

     

    Still, Gilas Women will head back with a core that already knows how to compete under pressure.

    Coach Anton Altamirano is sticking with key holdovers Kacey dela Rosa, Afril Bernardino, and Mikka Cacho — the same battle-tested pieces that helped fuel the team’s breakthrough run in the Asia Cup.

     

    The lone change in the lineup comes in the form of added size and versatility. Replacing 5-foot-5 Cheska Apag is 5-foot-9 Tantoy Ferrer, currently ranked as the sixth-best women’s 3×3 player in the Philippines. The move gives the squad another long, mobile option as it prepares for the physically demanding back-to-back battles that define the 3×3 format.

     

    There will be little time to recover or reset. After wrapping up their Asia Cup campaign, the team is set to return home on Monday before flying back to Singapore on April 9 for one more push.

     

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  • Bella Belen finds pickleball reset amid volleyball duties with Capital1

    Bella Belen finds pickleball reset amid volleyball duties with Capital1

    Bella Belen shared how pickleball has become her go-to outlet away from volleyball, helping her stay mentally refreshed while also sharpening parts of her game.

     

    For Bella Belen, recovery does not always mean rest. Sometimes, it means picking up another racket.

     

    As the demands of professional volleyball continue to grow, the Capital1 Solar Spikers star is learning that staying at her best is not just about training harder or getting more reps in the gym. It is also about finding space away from the sport — something that allows her to breathe, reset, and return with a clearer mind.

     

    That space, lately, has come in the form of pickleball.What began as a passing curiosity on social media has quietly turned into one of Belen’s favorite ways to decompress, especially after long stretches of training and competition.

     

    “Last year kasi, parang dumadaan na siya sa feed ko na maraming naglalaro ng pickleball. Sabi ko, gusto ko rin itong i-try pero that time, wala akong kakilala. Wala akong friends na naglalaro ng pickleball,” Belen shared during the PVL’s Media Day.

     

    “Tapos this year, nakita ko na may mga friends ako naglalaro ng pickleball. Ayun, sabi ko, i-try ko, then doon nagsimula lahat.”

     

    For an athlete whose routine has long revolved around volleyball, the appeal was not just the game itself — it was what the game offered outside of competition.

     

    Belen admitted that when everything starts to revolve around volleyball, the pressure can build faster than people realize. Bad training days, frustrating performances, and the natural weight of expectations can easily stay with a player long after practice ends.

     

    That is where stepping away, even briefly, has made a difference.”Feeling ko kasi, pag puro volleyball nalang isipin ko, mas lalo akong ma-stress and mas clouded ‘yung utak ko, lalo na siguro if may days na pangit ‘yung training or pangit ‘yung game ko, so mas lalo ko siyang i-overthink,” she said.

     

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    “Maganda rin siguro may hobbies outside volleyball para mas stress-free.” More than just a distraction, pickleball has become a way for Belen to mentally hit reset.

     

    The shift in environment — from teammates and team systems to a completely different set of people and a more relaxed setting — has given her a kind of break that volleyball itself cannot always provide.

     

    “Kasi, siyempre, iba naman ang kasama ko—hindi teammates ko—so new environment naman,” Belen shared.

     

    “Ayun, very refreshing siya every time maglalaro ako ng pickleball. Parang na-reset ‘yung utak ko pag naglalaro ako ng pickleball, then volleyball naman.”

     

    That sense of balance may be one of the more important adjustments Belen is making as she continues settling into the professional ranks.

     

    For years, she has been defined by winning, consistency, and the pressure that comes with being one of the country’s brightest volleyball stars. But life as a pro is teaching her that performance is not just built during training sessions and matches — it is also shaped by how well an athlete manages everything in between.

     

    And interestingly enough, the sport she picked up for fun may also be helping her game.Belen sees familiar demands in pickleball, particularly in the way it forces quick movement, coordination, and fast reactions — all of which translate naturally to volleyball.

     

    “Sa pickleball kasi need mabilis footwork and coordination mo. So, I think natutulungan niya ako since sa volleyball need mabilis na reaction since mabilis ‘yung bola,” Belen explained.

     

    “Medyo napagtutugma ko naman sila at hindi ako nalilito sa rules. Hindi ko pa sila namimix-and-match. May tulong din naman si pickleball sa volleyball,” she laughingly added.

     

    Now with her 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference campaign behind her, Belen has a small but meaningful window to recharge.

     

    And for one of Philippine volleyball’s busiest stars, that reset no longer comes from doing less. Sometimes, it comes from playing something else.

     

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  • Cady Lalanne sees Luka Dončić-like impact in Robert Bolick as NLEX finds its rhythm

    Cady Lalanne sees Luka Dončić-like impact in Robert Bolick as NLEX finds its rhythm

    Cady Lalanne praised Robert Bolick’s all-around brilliance after NLEX’s 120-102 win over Phoenix, where both stars powered the Road Warriors with dominant performances.

     

    For Cady Lalanne, Robert Bolick’s influence on NLEX goes well beyond putting points on the board.

     

    On a team still carving out its identity in the conference, Bolick has emerged as the player who can organize everything — whether it is scoring, creating for others, or controlling the tempo when the game starts to open up.

     

    That is why Lalanne did not hesitate when asked to describe what his teammate brings to the floor. “Robert is one of those guys he’s like Luka,” Lalanne said.

     

    “He can get to the basket, hit a jump shot, knock down a three, make plays, get assists, whatever you need.”

     

    Bolick delivered exactly that kind of all-around command in NLEX’s 120-102 win over Phoenix, finishing with 22 points, five rebounds, and 14 assists in another masterful outing for the Road Warriors.

     

    He dictated the flow of the game from start to finish, constantly putting pressure on the Fuel Masters’ defense while creating opportunities for teammates and keeping the offense in rhythm.

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    Lalanne was just as instrumental in the victory, imposing his will inside and giving Phoenix problems throughout the contest. The veteran big man finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds, forming a punishing one-two punch with Bolick that proved too much for the Fuel Masters to contain.

     

    Together, the pair gave NLEX the kind of balance that can be difficult to defend — one controlling the perimeter and the other owning the paint.

     

    Rather than leaning on one isolated scoring run, the Road Warriors were able to stretch Phoenix in different ways, with Bolick acting as both the initiator and the stabilizer while Lalanne anchored the attack closer to the basket.

     

    For Lalanne, though, the win reflected more than just what he and Bolick were able to do.

     

    “Kevin Alas played great… Everybody contributed. It was a great team game,” he said.

     

    That may be what makes the Road Warriors more dangerous as the conference progresses.

    Bolick remains the engine, but NLEX is beginning to show that it has enough pieces around him to sustain strong performances. Lalanne gives the team a reliable interior force, Alas continues to provide steady support, and the rest of the roster is starting to settle into roles that make the group more complete.

     

    Phoenix, meanwhile, found its brightest spark in Ricci Rivero, who led the Fuel Masters with 20 points and five rebounds in the loss.

     

    Still, NLEX’s collective rhythm and firepower proved too much to overcome. If that kind of balance continues, the Road Warriors may be building more than just momentum.

     

    They may be shaping into one of the more dangerous teams in the conference — especially with Bolick continuing to prove he can impact the game in virtually every area, and Lalanne providing the dominant presence to match.

     

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  • Don Trollano delivers dagger as San Miguel stuns Ginebra in late thriller

    Don Trollano delivers dagger as San Miguel stuns Ginebra in late thriller

    Don Trollano buried the go-ahead triple with 8.3 seconds left as San Miguel erased a 15-point deficit to beat Barangay Ginebra, 85-82, in a dramatic PBA Commissioner’s Cup clash.

     

    San Miguel Beer found its finishing kick just in time.What looked like another tough night for the Beermen quickly turned into a statement win on Sunday after Don Trollano buried the biggest shot of the game to lift SMB past Barangay Ginebra, 85-82, in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

     

    For most of the night, it was Ginebra dictating the pace and controlling the rhythm. But when the game tightened in the fourth quarter, San Miguel leaned on poise, timely execution, and its ability to come up with the plays that mattered most.

     

    That final sequence perfectly captured it.With the score tied at 82, June Mar Fajardo misfired from deep, but the Beermen refused to let the possession die. CJ Perez kept the play alive with a crucial offensive rebound before finding Trollano open in the corner. The veteran wing calmly knocked down the marginal three-pointer with 8.3 seconds remaining, swinging the game and the momentum completely in San Miguel’s favor.

     

    From there, the Beermen did the rest on the defensive end. San Miguel shut down Ginebra’s final push, denying both Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson any clean look from beyond the arc to preserve the hard-earned win and complete a comeback from as much as 15 points down.

     

    Perez, quiet in the first half after being slowed by foul trouble, came alive when SMB needed him most. The explosive guard finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, with 15 of those markers coming in the fourth quarter alone. He was at the center of San Miguel’s late surge, attacking the defense, creating pressure, and eventually setting up the game-winner.

     

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    Justin Patton also imposed his presence all night long, tallying 19 points and 17 rebounds in a dominant interior performance. In a much-anticipated matchup between imports, the San Miguel big man held his own and then some against Brownlee, making life difficult for Ginebra’s resident star on both ends.

     

    Trollano ended up with 12 points, but none were bigger than the last three that gave the Beermen their first winning streak of the conference. The victory pushed San Miguel to 3-2 in the standings and gave the team another much-needed confidence boost heading into a tougher stretch of its campaign.

     

    That test comes immediately. The Beermen are set to face unbeaten Rain or Shine on Wednesday, April 8, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in what shapes up to be one of the early measuring-stick games of the tournament.

     

    On the other side, Ginebra was left to rue a missed opportunity after controlling large stretches of the contest but failing to close.

     

    Brownlee still finished with a game-high 31 points, though he needed 32 shots to get there as Patton’s length and activity consistently made him work for every basket. RJ Abarrientos added 16 points, four rebounds, and seven assists, while Stephen Holt chipped in 11.

     

    The trio carried most of the offensive load for the Kings, who were missing Japeth Aguilar due to injury and Ralph Cu, who was unavailable because of Gilas 3×3 duties.

     

    Now at 2-2, Ginebra will try to regroup quickly as it heads into another high-stakes showdown against Magnolia in a Manila Clasico clash on Friday, April 10, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

     

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  • Alex Eala names Manny Pacquiao as dream meet, reflects on growing fame beyond tennis

    Alex Eala names Manny Pacquiao as dream meet, reflects on growing fame beyond tennis

    For someone who has already shared stages, tournaments, and spaces with some of the biggest names in tennis, Alex Eala still has one meeting on her personal wish list that feels bigger than sport.

     

    Not another Grand Slam champion. Not a global celebrity from the tennis world. Not even one of the stars she has crossed paths with on tour.

     

    For Eala, the one athlete she still dreams of meeting is Manny Pacquiao. The 20-year-old Filipina tennis standout revealed as much during her appearance on the Players’ Box Podcast, where she joined fellow tennis stars Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, Jennifer Brady, and Desirae Krawczyk for a lighthearted conversation that eventually turned personal.

     

    Asked which athlete from another sport she most wanted to meet, Eala did not hesitate.

    “Manny Pacquiao, I haven’t met him yet. Obviously, he’s the Filipino icon,” she answered.

    “He’s huge. Like, when he has a fight before, it would be like a holiday in the Philippines,” she added.

     

    It was a simple answer, but one that says a lot about where Eala stands now in Philippine sports.

    Because while she may not yet occupy the same once-in-a-generation cultural space Pacquiao did at his peak, she is quietly becoming something close in her own field — a Filipino athlete whose presence is starting to travel far beyond the court.

     

    That rise has been especially evident over the last year, with Eala continuing to build her reputation on the global stage and recently reaching the round of 16 of the 2026 Miami Open before bowing out to Karolína Muchová.

     

    Her climb has not only elevated her standing in women’s tennis, but also made her one of the most recognizable Filipino athletes of her generation.

     

    And yet, by her own account, the growing attention still catches her off guard.

    “I notice [the fame] most when I’m at home in the Philippines,” Eala said. “But even when I visited my cousin in Los Angeles, three people approached me. If you had told me two years ago that people would be asking for pictures … well.”

     

    That kind of recognition may still feel new to her, but the pattern is no longer isolated.

     

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    Wherever Eala plays, there seems to be a Filipino crowd waiting.

     

    Whether it is in major tennis cities or in places not always associated with packed tournament stands, she has learned that support from home tends to follow her.

     

    “New York is a big one, as are Melbourne, Manila, and Dubai,” she said. “The Middle East has a massive Filipino population, which I think surprises some people.”

     

    That global Filipino support, she explained, has even changed the way some fellow players view certain tournament stops.

     

    Eala recalled a casual conversation before heading to Abu Dhabi, when another player suggested that drawing a crowd there would be difficult because Middle East tournaments are often associated with quieter attendance.

     

    Eala saw it differently. “Middle East tournaments are sometimes known for having smaller crowds,” she added. “I told them, ‘Wait, you don’t realize how many Filipinos are there.’ For me, it was actually the opposite of what they expected.”

     

    That perspective captures what Eala’s rise has increasingly come to represent.She is not just building a tennis career. She is carrying a fan base with her, one that shows up loudly and proudly in corners of the world where many athletes would not expect it.

     

    In many ways, that is what makes the Pacquiao comparison feel so natural. Not because Eala has already matched his legacy — that would be unfair and far too early — but because she is beginning to understand what it means to represent the Philippines on a stage large enough for the whole world to see.

     

    For now, though, her attention remains on the next stop. After her Miami Open run, Eala is set to shift her focus to the 2026 Upper Austria Ladies Linz from April 6 to 12, where she is expected to enter an unseeded draw that could include dangerous names such as Ekaterina Alexandrova and Emma Raducanu.

     

    It is another test, another tournament, and another opportunity for her rising story to grow.

    And somewhere down the line, perhaps another chance to meet the icon she still sees as the gold standard of Filipino sports fame.

     

     

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  • Bella Belen laughs off fan vote surge, embraces growing star power ahead of PVL All-Star Showcase

    Bella Belen laughs off fan vote surge, embraces growing star power ahead of PVL All-Star Showcase

    Bella Belen has spent most of her volleyball life winning matches, collecting awards, and proving she belongs on the biggest stage.

     

    Now, she is learning what comes with that kind of rise: a fanbase that shows up just as hard as she does.

     

    As voting intensifies for the upcoming PVL All-Star Showcase, the Capital1 rookie has become one of the most talked-about names in the race for a starting spot — and in typical Bella fashion, she chose to meet the moment with humor first.

     

    “Malay niyo ako po yun. Charot! Nag-create ako ng accounts (Who knows, maybe it’s me. I created those accounts. Just kidding),” Belen said.

     

    The joke landed the way many things involving Belen usually do — naturally, lightly, and with the kind of charm that has helped make her one of the easiest stars in Philippine volleyball to root for.

     

    But behind the playful answer is a reality that has become harder to ignore: Belen’s popularity is no longer just a reflection of what she did in college.

     

    It is now following her into the pros.

     

    After building one of the most decorated careers in UAAP women’s volleyball history with National University, Belen entered the Premier Volleyball League carrying enormous expectations. Instead of shrinking under them, she turned her rookie conference into a statement.

     

    The No. 1 overall pick of Capital1 finished the preliminary round as the league’s Best Scorer with 218 points, powered by 199 attacks, eight blocks, and 11 aces — numbers that quickly validated why the Solar Spikers chose to build around her.

     

    Capital1’s campaign ultimately ended in the Play-In against Galeries Tower, but Belen’s individual impact was already impossible to miss.

     

    That is what makes her current All-Star push feel less like a popularity spike and more like the natural next step of a player whose profile has only continued to grow.

     

    She may no longer be eligible for the conference MVP race due to the league’s long-standing rule limiting consideration to players from the top four teams, but Belen remains a strong contender for Rookie of the Conference — another sign that her first PVL run was not just promising, but highly productive.

     

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    Still, for Belen, the strongest takeaway from all the support is personal.

     

    “I’m really happy because people are seeing how I’ve been playing this conference in the PVL, what I can contribute and share with the fans,” Belen said in Filipino.

     

    That appreciation has shown up clearly in the All-Star returns.

     

    The 23-year-old remains firmly in the mix for a starting outside hitter role for Team Heart in the May 1 showcase at Candon City, sitting at 16.03 percent of the vote and staying on track to claim the second open spiker spot.

     

    Creamline veteran Jema Galanza has surged into the top position with 27.15 percent, while fellow three-time UAAP MVP Alyssa Valdez trails just behind Belen at 15.48 percent.

     

    Even in a field packed with established names and fan favorites, Belen has managed to hold her ground — another reflection of how quickly she has earned both respect and visibility at the pro level.

     

    And while the fan voting has brought another layer of excitement, Belen’s anticipation for the All-Star event goes beyond the recognition.

     

    For her, the bigger draw is the chance to share the court with players she has long admired from afar.

     

    “I’m also very excited to be teammates with players I haven’t played with before, especially my idols. It’s a different feeling when you actually get to share the court with them, even for a short time,” said Belen.

     

    “I just want to absorb as much as I can from them. So I’m really excited to see what the final tally of the votes will be.”

     

    That outlook says as much about her as the numbers do.

     

    Even after winning three UAAP titles, three MVPs, becoming the first rookie MVP in league history, having her No. 4 jersey retired by National University, and being named the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s Miss Volleyball after a standout 2025, Belen is still approaching moments like this with the curiosity of someone who feels she still has more to learn.

     

    That mindset may be one reason why her rise has felt so sustainable.

     

    She already has the résumé. She clearly has the game. And now, more than ever, she also has the crowd behind her.

     

    The PVL All-Star Showcase may only be an exhibition.

     

    But for Bella Belen, it is also becoming another reminder that her reach in Philippine volleyball is getting bigger by the day.

     

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  • Eldrew Yulo eyes Cairo glory as World Cup streak continues after Antalya triumph

    Eldrew Yulo eyes Cairo glory as World Cup streak continues after Antalya triumph

    Eldrew Yulo is back in the international spotlight, aiming to extend his golden run in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup series as the Cairo leg kicks off from April 3 to 6.

     

    Fresh off a triumphant showing in Antalya, where he captured his first senior-level gold in the floor exercise with a score of 14.100, Yulo is bringing his polished routines and competitive fire to Egypt. 

     

    The 18-year-old will compete in four apparatus—floor exercise, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar—opting out of pommel horse and still rings due to ankle pains.

     

    The younger brother of two-time Olympic champion Carlos Yulo has already proven his mettle on the senior stage, making finals appearances in Baku and Antalya, and showcasing a signature blend of precision, difficulty, and composure under pressure. 

     

    His performance in Antalya set the tone for what the Philippine gymnastics team hopes will be another strong showing in Cairo.

     

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    After clinching his first senior-level gold in Antalya, Eldrew Yulo takes on Cairo in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup, competing in floor, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar.

     

    Joining Yulo in Egypt are fellow Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist John Ivan Cruz, Justine Ace De Leon, and Juancho Miguel Besana, all seeking to elevate the Philippines’ presence in the World Cup series. Their combined efforts underscore the growing depth of Filipino gymnastics on the global stage.

     

    Following Cairo, Yulo is scheduled to compete in Osijek, Croatia, from April 9 to 12. The series’ final stop in Doha, Qatar, originally planned from April 15 to 18, has been canceled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, heightening the importance of the remaining legs for medal contenders like Yulo.

     

    For the young Filipino gymnast, Cairo is more than just another competition—it is an opportunity to solidify his rising reputation and build momentum toward future championships, keeping the Yulo legacy alive on the world stage.

     

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  • Jerrick Ahanmisi proves locals still matter in import-driven PBA Commissioner’s Cup

    Jerrick Ahanmisi proves locals still matter in import-driven PBA Commissioner’s Cup

    In a PBA conference packed with towering imports and big-name reinforcements, Jerrick Ahanmisi refuses to be overshadowed.

     

    The Terrafirma guard has emerged as a beacon of local talent, averaging 23.7 points per game to top all Filipino scorers and sit 11th overall in the Commissioner’s Cup—a remarkable feat in a field dominated by imported giants. With his trademark long-range shooting connecting at 36 percent and reliable free-throw shooting at 71 percent, Ahanmisi has anchored Terrafirma’s 3-1 start in the mid-season tournament.

     

    Even as Bol Bol and Justin Brownlee lead the overall scoring charts with jaw-dropping outputs, Ahanmisi’s consistency underscores a bigger story: that homegrown stars can still command the spotlight in the shadow of imports. 

     

    His scoring, leadership, and versatility provide Terrafirma with a steady backbone in games where the big men often dominate headlines.

     

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    Ahanmisi’s excellence extends beyond the PBA. Currently in Singapore representing Gilas Pilipinas at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup, he continues to showcase Filipino skill on the international stage while maintaining his form back home.

     

    Trailing him among locals are Barangay Ginebra’s RJ Abarrientos (23.6 ppg), last season’s scoring champion Robert Bolick (22.7), Ricci Rivero (22.5), and San Miguel’s CJ Perez (22.2), a reminder that the league’s Filipino core remains highly competitive despite import-heavy matchups.

     

    For Terrafirma, Ahanmisi is more than just a scorer. He’s proof that when talent, timing, and determination converge, a local player can not only survive but thrive, even when the league is filled with the tallest, most dominant imports.

     

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