FILE–Calvin Oftana was the lone bright spot for Gilas Pilipinas in its Asian Games 2026 men’s basketball opener vs Bahrain. -FIBA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Gilas Pilipinas’ defense of the men’s 5-on-5 basketball gold in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 got off to a rocky start on Friday with an 89-85 loss to Bahrain.

A rough stretch between the second and third quarters spelled doom for Gilas as it went down in defeat against a Bahraini side that had four naturalized players at Aichi International Arena.

Of those four, former Jakarr Simpson gave Gilas a world of trouble with his 24 points plus eight assists as Bahrain won its Group C encounter.

LIVE: Gilas Pilipinas vs Bahrain – Asian Games 2026 men’s basketball

Calvin Oftana fired a game-high 31 points as he served as the lone bright spot for Gilas despite being a last-minute inclusion following Justin Brownlee’s latest absence from the national team.

But Oftana couldn’t get consistent support from the rest, with Gilas struggling to get a consistent offensive game going while its defense couldn’t contain Sampson, Mustafa Rashed and big-bodied Elijah Thomas.

Rashed scored 20 points on 4-of-11 threes while Thomas also had 20 for Bahrain.

READ: Calvin Oftana, lone holdover from champion squad, joins Gilas in Japan

The loss put Gilas in a desperate situation, needing to beat Kazakhstan on Saturday to keep its hopes of making the quarterfinals as either the top-two finisher or one of the two best third-place finishers from the three groups. Kazakhstan lost 99-61 to China in the earlier game.

Adrian Nocum added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists before going down late with an ankle injury, while Justine Baltazar and Don Trollano added 10 and nine.

Gilas appeared to have shaken off a flat start and went up 43-41 on a Baltazar basket, only for Bahrain to score eight unanswered to go into the half leading 49-43.

From there, Bahrain stretched its lead further, scoring five in a row to open the third and never looked back, as Gilas struggled to close the gap.

It was only in the final minute that Gilas was able to cut the deficit to a respectable margin when Nocum scored on a layup before twisting his right ankle, Baltazar converted a basket, and Don Trollano hit a corner three with a few seconds to go.

Chelsea striker Joao Pedro (£7.7m) is the most-owned player in the game, in 72.5% of sides. Given that Chelsea have scored eight goals already this season, and face promoted Hull City at home next, it feels like the right time to be moving towards a double up on their assets.

Cole Palmer (£9.6m) and Morgan Rogers (£7.6m) came on as half-time substitutes in the Carabao Cup against Leeds United on Wednesday, with Palmer scoring a double including a penalty, and Rogers chalking up three assists.

Palmer has the edge, if you can afford him, given his greater goal threat and penalties.

If you are wildcarding this week, you could also consider a triple-up, but having three attacking players from the same team means they need to score two-plus goals every game to make it worth it.

Nigeria’s U20 women’s national team, the Falconets, played out a 0-0 draw against China PR in their second Group F match at the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland on Thursday.

The match was played at the Arena Sosnowiec, with both teams creating chances but failing to find the net.

The Falconets started brightly and had their first clear chance in the 17th minute through Janet Akekoromowei.

Nigeria continued to grow into the game, with Kafayat Mafisere winning a corner in the 33rd minute, while Akekoromowei came close again in the 38th minute and during added time.

China also threatened before the break, but goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma and the Nigerian defence stood firm to keep the game level at half-time.

China made a change at the start of the second half, bringing on Chen Ruilin for Xiao Yafei. The substitution gave the Asian side more attacking energy as Chen, Xue Sifan and Huang Jiaxin all tested Nigeria’s defence.

The Falconets also pushed for the opener, with Precious Oscar, Queen Joseph and Mafisere coming close.

Nigeria thought they had been given a penalty in the 74th minute, but the decision was overturned following a VAR review.

Neither side could find a winning goal as the match ended 0-0.

The result gives Nigeria one point from two Group F matches.

Coach Moses Aduku’s side will now face New Caledonia in their final group match on Sunday, September 13, in Łódź, with qualification for the knockout rounds still possible.

Manchester United defeated Sabah FK comfortably on their return to the Champions League, but there were injury concerns after the game

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was spotted seemingly limping as he made his way out of Old Trafford last night following the comfortable win over Sabah FK on their return to the Champions League.

Michael Carrick’s side ran out 4-0 winners with Matheus Cunha, Fernandes, Benjamin Sesko and Lisandro Martinez on the scoresheet to see off the Azerbaijan side.

United were good value for their win, but injury concerns were sparked after the game when a fan uploaded footage of Fernandes appearing to limp on his way out of the ground.

The Portuguese midfielder was spotted walking away from the ground with United staff, appearing to move gingerly as he waved to supporters before making his way home.

Fernandes played the full 90 minutes in the Champions League tie, with the 32-year-old not appearing to be carrying a knock during the game, so it seems unlikely it’s anything serious.

However, understandably, the footage sparked some concern amongst fans, with United back in action this weekend when they take on fierce rivals Man City in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford. With bragging rights at stake, United will be hoping Fernandes will be fully fit to be at his best.

Carrick felt the win over Sabah was the ‘perfect’ return to the Champions League, but wants his side to keep pushing for more, having taken four points from their opening three games in the Premier League.

Speaking after the game, he said: “We’re always pushing for more. Results-wise, it hasn’t been the start we wanted.

“We wanted to have more points in the league but performance-wise there’s a lot of things in there that we were looking for and we’ve been pleased with.

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“And there’s certainly things to improve, you know. I think a clean sheet tonight was important for us.

“We’ve conceded goals in different ways – one goal is in the top corner and sometimes you can do things about it, sometimes you can’t to a point.

“But I think collectively as a team we’ve done a lot of good things, and that’s why we’re kind of excited about what the season brings, and not game-to-game so much of getting too carried away.

“We want to keep progressing through the season, we want to keep pushing.

“There’s slightly different things happening in the team now that we probably didn’t have last season, in a good way, that we’re trying to get out of the players, and they’re showing that in a good way, so it’s really encouraging for me.”

MLB schedules are often a little light on Thursdays, but today’s is especially light, with just five games scheduled. There is another pretty big game in another sport scheduled for today, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from taking advantage of our MLB Best Bets.

Our choices are limited, but here are my MLB best bets for today.

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Atlanta Braves

Rays ML at +101 (DraftKings)

After reviewing the pitching matchup, I had every intention of recommending the Under (8.5 at -117). Nick Martinez (Rays) has a 3.04 ERA, and Martin Perez has a 3.25 ERA. Martinez seems to be at his best on the road, where he has a 2.15 ERA, but Perez has posted a 1.99 ERA at home.

The under is still a good play, but with how both teams are hitting, I have to go with the Rays ML. The Rays have hit .263 over the last week and recorded seven runs on Tuesday and Wednesday vs. the Braves. Atlanta, however, has hit just .175 over the last week.

Perez may slow the Rays down quite a bit, but the Braves may not get moving at all against Martinez.

Colorado Rockies vs. New York Yankees

Yankees -1.5 at -155 (DraftKings)

I generally do not make a habit of recommending bets with prices like this one, but it is the best option for this game. The Yankees won the first two games 5-3 and 6-1, which makes the Under (9 at -120) look like a solid play.

But teams have been hitting .300 against Rockies starter Ryan Feltner. New York has not been great at the plate over the last week (.229 BA), which gives me pause on taking the Over. However, the Yankees lineup will play its part against Feltner while Max Fried keeps the Rockies from scoring more than a couple of runs.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago White Sox

Jared Jones bounced back from a rough August (7.40 ERA) with a solid six-inning shutout performance last week against the Angels. Hagen Smith is listed as a starter for the White Sox but has only gone 2+ innings in four of ten appearances and has not started a game until today.

Chicago has not been hitting well of late, posting a .227 BA over the last week. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, has hit .262 over the last week, but I’m not so sure that will matter against one of the better bullpens in baseball.

My Pick: Chicago ML at -110

Jasprit Bumrah has been declared fit for India’s three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, providing a boost to the bowling attack ahead of the Asian Games. However, fellow fast bowler Harshit Rana has been ruled out of both assignments after suffering a fresh injury during rehabilitation, with Yash Thakur named as his replacement.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar have also received fitness clearance for the Afghanistan series, which begins in Delhi on September 13. Their inclusion in the initial squad, along with Bumrah’s, had been subject to clearance.

Why had Bumrah been out of action?

Bumrah missed the third ODI in England in July and the subsequent two Tests in Sri Lanka following a recurrence of an injury to his left knee.

Washington had suffered a hamstring injury during the England tour, while Reddy injured his quadriceps in the ODI series against Afghanistan in June. Their return gives the Shreyas Iyer-led side both pace and spin-bowling options ahead of the two assignments.

What happened to Harshit Rana?

Rana had been recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in England when he suffered another setback at the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI’s) Centre of Excellence.

He “was progressing well during his rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). He sustained a rectus femoris strain while bowling during a match simulation on September 7 and has subsequently been ruled out,” a BCCI release said on Thursday.

The injury has opened the door for Thakur to return to the T20I squad following his international debut earlier this year.

What does Yash Thakur bring to India’s attack?

The 27-year-old Vidarbha pacer took four wickets in two matches on India’s tour of Zimbabwe in July, claiming two wickets in each appearance.

Thakur also has a substantial domestic T20 record, with 81 wickets in 50 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches at an economy rate of 7.04.

He most recently represented Central Zone against East Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final. Thakur took three first-innings wickets, including that of Ishan Kishan, before dismissing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the second innings.

His IPL experience spans four seasons, with two each at Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings.

When will India play Afghanistan and begin their Asian Games campaign?

India will face Afghanistan in Delhi on September 13, 15 and 17 before the same squad travels to Japan for the Asian Games.

India’s Asian Games campaign will begin at the quarter-final stage on September 28. The semi-finals are scheduled for October 1, followed by the final on October 3.

India’s updated squad for Afghanistan T20Is and Asian Games

Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur.

Nearly every golfer who has played alongside Tiger Woods can remember what that commotion felt like. Fans everywhere. Constant yelling and screaming for Woods’ attention. It can be a lot.

PGA Tour veteran Brendon de Jonge, now 46, remembers it well.

De Jonge joined this week’s Subpar podcast to discuss the upcoming Presidents Cup (he was a former member of the International squad) and also reminisced about playing alongside Woods.

At the 2012 AT&T National at Congressional Country Club in Washington, D.C., de Jonge played his way into Sunday’s final threesome with Woods and Bo Van Pelt. A storm ripped through the area during the tournament, so spectators weren’t allowed on the course Saturday. All of those tickets, however, were honored for Sunday, meaning even more fans were on-site for the final round.

“I get to the first tee, and I have never seen this many people in my life,” de Jonge said. “I was so scared, it was so intimidating. I mean we had double the fans that we would have otherwise because of honoring those tickets. Didn’t get off to the best start, didn’t play that well unfortunately, but I got to see what Tiger was all about with the lead.

“I remember this so vividly, that for the first nine holes, he would putt it up there to about a foot away from the hole, and he’d mark, and he’d wait, because he knew as soon as he taps in everyone is going to take off [to the next tee]. He would mark, he was very courteous, he would let us try and putt. As soon as we got to No. 10, he putted up to a foot away, he’d walk up there and tap it in. As soon as he taps in, sure enough everybody takes off running. So you are standing over your putt and you are looking up, looking up, and all you see is just moving bodies all over the place. He played the game that day — he’d been in that position so many times he knew exactly how to use it to his advantage.”

Subpar co-host Colt Knost said that he never played with Woods, but the first time he walked inside the ropes as an on-course reporter with Tiger he was blown away.

“You can’t describe what the atmosphere is like around Tiger,” Knost said. “Some of these players complaining about everything that’s going on, the noise, you have no clue what it’s like until you tee it up with that guy. It is insane what it’s like trying to play alongside him.”

So insane, in fact, that de Jonge even said he asked Woods that day at Congressional if he ever got sick of all the noise and all the craziness surrounding him.

“He just kinda looked at me and said, ‘What are you talking about?’” de Jonge said. “I was like, Alright, I guess you are able to block that out.”

Every possession between Southside and Westgate football swung the momentum of the game as two 337 heavyweights went toe-to-toe for some Thursday Night Lights.

Each score took the form of a body blow, a right hook or a left jab. In the end, Westgate’s sophomore linebacker Ernest “Bam” Curl delivered the knockout blow scooping up a Sharks fumble and taking it all the way to the house, capping off Westgate’s 42-33 victory over Class 5A Southside on Thursday, Sept. 10 in Youngsville.

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“It just so satisfying that our kid Ernest Curl, who went through a lot with some confidence issues and just trying to figure out his role on the team, for him to get that ball in his hands to help win that game, I’m so proud of him,” Westgate football coach Ryan Antoine said.

With Curl’s scoop and score sucking the life out of the Reef and Southside’s sideline, Westgate not only handed the Sharks their second loss of the season but also further proved that the Tigers are one of the hottest teams to watch from the area in 2026.

Don’t count Westgate out

From the first quarter, fans knew this game was going to come down to the wire. The two teams went back and forth with Southside making a living on the ground game while Westgate’s flashy pass game carried it.

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Leading the Tigers was the junior duo of quarterback Noah Antoine and wide receiver Cayden Lancelin, a four-star recruit according to 247 Sports. The duo racked up over 100 yards and three touchdowns, looking nearly unstoppable against the Sharks.

“Our connection, it started up in middle school,” Lancelin said of Antoine. “We just built our chemistry up and it just happened to work. This is from all the hard work put in during the summer and all the blood, sweat and tears we put into this.

“We deserve it all.”

When Antoine wasn’t connecting with Lancelin, senior Joshua John and Jackilon Roberson were other key targets. John finished the game catching for a 4-yard touchdown as well as rushing for a 15-yard touchdown. Senior running back Caemon Crockem led the Tigers’ ground game with around 85 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Despite trailing at the half, the Tigers’ defense — like their offense — never stopped fighting. Curl manifested his game-sealing play ahead of time.

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“Bam said he was gonna get one before the game,” Lancelin said. “On Tuesday, like two days ago, he had a scoop and score in the JV game and that just shows hard work pays off.”

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A half-step away from a win

Following the Tigers’ scoop and score, you could feel the momentum leaving Southside’s sideline, marking another loss at home this season. For most of the game, the Sharks controlled the tempo, soaking up the clock and chipping away.

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Senior running back Justin Williams led their offense, rushing for over 100 yards and a touchdown, as well as scoring on a kickoff return. Senior running back Coby Broussard added a 3-yard rushing touchdown. The Sharks were able to cash in on the passing game as well, with quarterback Parker Dies connecting with senior Kollen Francis for a 25-yard touchdown.

Southside had the game in its hands in the fourth quarter, trailing by just three points before a fumble and Curl’s scoop-and-score killed any comeback chances.

“The game was right there,” Southside football coach Jess Curtis said. “There’s a handful of plays every game that decides who wins, and it was right there. You can clean those things up, but it’s very frustrating. We came into this year with a lot of hope and big goals and aspirations, but you can’t make mistakes.”

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Shannon Belt covers high school sports, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and LSU men’s basketball for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Westgate football outlasts Southside in a matchup of 337 powerhouses