Japeth Aguilar makes a return stint in the pro league, two other Smart Gilas mainstays make their pro debut while two-time MVP winner Willie Miller plays for his fifth ball club in Day Three of the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo today.

Aguilar, the 2009 top draft pick who had a one-game stint with Burger King, joins Talk n Text as it starts its all-Filipino title defense against Meralco at 7:30 p.m.

Petron Blaze, the Governors Cup champ which repulsed B-Meg, 73-69, last Wednesday, goes for a follow-up win as it takes on Barako Bull at 5:15 p.m.

Veteran team Barangay Ginebra collides with a rejuvenated Rain or Shine side in the lone opening game of the 37th Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) season Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

A side story of the season-opening Philippine Cup’s 6 p.m. match is the return of Siot Tanquingcen as coach of the Kings and the pro debut of former amateur star Paul Lee for the Elasto Painters.

The enshrinement of seven personalities to the PBA Hall of Fame serves as the highlight of the two-hour long opening ceremony.

In a season that was almost perfect, Ateneo delivered one last flawless performance to complete its entry into college basketball nirvana.

The Blue Eagles established their total dominance of the 74th UAAP basketball wars as they finished off Far Eastern University, 82-69, for a rare “four-peat.”

In front of over 18,000 fans at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, the Loyola-based cagers displayed their sharp form in the second half to turn a tight contest early in the game into a formal coronation.

MANILA, Philippines – Smart Gilas Pilipinas’ Olympic dreams ended after absorbing a painful setback against South Korea in the bronze medal game of the FIBA Asia Championship in Wuhan, China last Saturday.

The national team wound up in 4th place, the Philippines’ best finish in over two decades.

The campaign turned out to be a bittersweet one for the national team, as they failed to qualify in the wildcard tournament for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

WUHAN – Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan vowed that his dream of seeing the Philippine basketball team back playing with the world’s best in the Olympics will live on.

The business tycoon hinted he’ll be even more determined to pursue this aspiration with the progress and improvement shown by the national team in the just-concluded FIBA Asia Championship here.

WUHAN, China—Smart Gilas Pilipinas wasn’t spared by the curse that had left many past national teams wallowing in despair against South Korea.
The hot-shooting Koreans pulled off yet another incredible come-from-behind win Sunday, squeezing out a 70-68 win over the Nationals in the bronze-medal match of the 26th Fiba Asia Championship here.

Trailing by four in the last three minutes, the Koreans blitzed their way in front with successive three-pointers and eventually prevailed when the Filipinos sealed their doom by muffing five of eight free throws in the last 38 seconds.

Smart Gilas-Pilipinas pounded Japan inside to score an 83-76 win and clinch a spot in the quarterfinals of the 26th FIBA-Asia Championship For Men at the Wuhan gymnasium in China.

Marcus Douthit powered his way in the paint for 25 points, 18 rebounds and three blocked shots to typify the Nationals’ dominance of the shaded area and and cancel out Japan’s 12 three-pointers.

Showing mental toughness amid difficult circumstances, Smart Gilas Pilipinas pulled off a 72-64 come-from-behind win over Jordan Monday to open its second round campaign in the 26th FIBA-Asia Championship For Men.

The Nationals played without Marcio Lassiter and Chriz Lutz for the first seven minutes of the game, and then survived a huge, 18-point deficit early in the second quarter in pulling off what coach Rajko Toroman described as the biggest win in his coaching career.

SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team swingmen Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz will finally get clearance to see action in the ongoing FIBA Asia Championship.

A highly-placed basketball official told InterAKTV that the two Filipino-American players will be cleared to play before the start of the SMART-Gilas’ second round campaign on Monday.

WUHAN – A decimated power in the wings weighed down heavily on Smart Gilas Pilipinas ranged against the tall and talented host team.

The continued sidelining of shooting forwards Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz proved too much a handicap for the Nationals to bear as they bowed to the Chinese, 60-75, in Day Two of the 26th FIBA Asia Championship here last night.