PBA guard Juan Gomez de Liaño aims for a strong bounce back after Converge FiberXers’ 99-98 overtime loss to Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. The defeat ended Converge’s bid for a semifinals berth and marked the team’s final game of the conference, while Barangay Ginebra advanced in the Philippine Cup playoffs. Gomez de Liaño, who took on a key role in Converge’s rotation, said he will use the tight quarterfinal exit as motivation to prepare for the next PBA conference and future tournaments.

Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal financially supports Jordan Wilmore, an aspiring Texas police officer who narrowly missed passing his first police academy attempt. O’Neal’s sponsorship covers Wilmore’s costs to retake academy requirements as Wilmore pursues his goal of becoming the tallest officer in Texas. The article details Wilmore’s effort to meet Texas law enforcement standards, the scope of O’Neal’s involvement, and the regulatory framework that governs police academy admissions and officer certification in the state.