The stakes could not be higher for defending champion Batangas–New Zealand Bluefire, which can secure at least a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals with a win over RK Hoops–Quezon City 10 ACT on Wednesday at Hoops Haven in Pasay City.
Batangas–New Zealand Bluefire, which holds a 5-1 record and sits in second place, has been among the most consistent teams this season. A victory would not only secure a valuable playoff incentive but also keep its bid for an outright semifinal berth alive.
Standing in its way is RK Hoops–Quezon City 10 ACT, which carries a 2-5 slate and is still pushing to strengthen its hold on a top-four spot while also aiming to pull off a major upset against one of the league’s top contenders.
Batangas–New Zealand Bluefire head coach Cholo Villanueva is looking to maintain the team’s momentum at a critical stage of the elimination round, as the defending champions continue to fine-tune their system while strengthening their bid for a favorable playoff position.
“Actually we just want to build momentum with our first win in the second round and hopefully, be more consistent sa second run towards another run for a championship sa season na ‘to,” said Villanueva.
Batangas–New Zealand Bluefire will take on RK Hoops–Quezon City 10 ACT at 4 p.m., followed by the clash between Akari–Rizal and Biñan–Tatak Gel at 6 p.m.
Much of the Valkyries’ success has been built around the stellar play of Afril Bernardino, who spearheaded the team’s latest victory over Biñan–Tatak Gel and will be counted on heavily in another crucial matchup.
The contest is also expected to feature a marquee showdown between Afril Bernardino and Tantoy Ferrer, two of the league’s most dominant players whose ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor has been crucial to their teams’ respective campaigns this season.
Ultimately, the matchup could come down to whether Batangas–New Zealand Bluefire can impose its game plan on both ends of the floor.
The Valkyries will look to capitalize on their outside shooting while focusing on containing Ferrer, while RK Hoops–Quezon City 10 ACT will need its supporting cast to step up and ease the burden on its star if it hopes to pull off the upset.
(C) WMPBL
Meanwhile, Akari–Rizal (6-1) will look to move closer to an outright semifinal berth when it battles Biñan–Tatak Gel (5-2), which is also eyeing a top-two finish in the standings.
Akari–Rizal will lean on newly acquired Janine Pontejos, along with mainstays Allana Lim and Raiza Palmera-Dy, while Biñan–Tatak Gel will bank on the trio of Chack Cabinbin, Eka Soriano, and Monique Del Carmen.
