Photo Credits to: PCL Philippines
PASAY CITY — The Pickleball Champions League (PCL) Philippines Sectionals turned the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall into a roar box on November 15–16, as Pickle Yard SOMO surged through Day 2 to win the national title and punch its ticket to the PCL Asia Grand Finals in Shenzhen, China.
Day 1: All Day Action, Seeds Take Shape
Day 1 was a grind of pool play and early knockouts, with Northern Dinkers bowing out by nightfall. The leaderboard settled with Pickle Yard SOMO as top seed at 19 wins and five losses, Pickle Yard Mandaluyong at No. 2, and SO Chill at No. 3.
Fans had skin in the game, too. The SportsPredict PCL Philippines Prediction Game let anyone make twenty free picks per day for a shot at two hundred fifty thousand pesos (₱250,000). Coach Carlo “Snakebite” L. of Pickle Yard PH nailed a perfect 20/20 on Day 1 and took home the daily prize.
Day 2: Upsets, a Champion—and the Golden Ticket
Quarterfinals rolled into semifinals at a sprint. The shocker: SO Chill upset Pickle Yard Mandaluyong to reach the final. In the championship match, Pickle Yard SOMO slammed the door with a 3–0 sweep of SO Chill, sealing the crown in straight games and locking in its Shenzhen berth.
Then came the twist: As Steve Kuhn, PCL Founder and Chairman delivered his final remarks, he declared—recognizing the sky-high standard across every team—and awarded a second Shenzhen slot to the runner-up, sending SO Chill to China alongside PY SOMO.
Photo Credits to: PCL Philippines
Celebrity Spark and Community Play
Between bracket rounds, PCL Asia also hosted exhibition sets featuring Daniel Matsunaga, Rodjun Cruz, Ariella Arida, and Phoemela Baranda drawing crossover crowds. International guests added sizzle: table-tennis star and caster Adam Bobrow, pro pickleballer Rob Nunnery, and sport leaders including Mike Johnson (Global Pickleball Federation treasurer; Philippine Pickleball Federation chairman) and Alex Yuen. Nunnery ran fun games with fans, who snagged Ramsports paddles and gear—and even boxes of Polland Hopia.
PCL Asia’s official mascot Tantan worked double duty all weekend—hyping crowds, stealing the spotlight, and making the crowd burst in excitement as he showed not only his pickleball moves, but his dance moves as well.
Manila’s sectional was more than a trophy chase—it was a proof point that pickleball’s heartbeat in the Philippines and Southeast Asia is getting louder. A mall atrium became a stadium, casual fans became converts, and two homegrown clubs—Pickle Yard SOMO and SO Chill—earned the right to carry the flag on a continental stage. If this weekend is the baseline, the next rally for Philippine pickleball won’t just be heard in Shenzhen—it’ll echo across the region.
