The road to the championship narrows on Wednesday as four teams battle for semifinal berths in the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League quarterfinals at the Parañaque Coliseum, where two squads look to advance and two others fight to stay alive.
Third-seeded Biñan-Tatak Gel opens the quarterfinals against sixth-ranked Caloocan at 4 p.m., with the Angels needing just one win to advance while the Lady Kankaloo aim to force a winner-take-all decider.
In the second game at 6 p.m., No. 4 RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT faces No. 5 Pasig, with RK Hoops also holding a twice-to-beat advantage heading into the matchup.
With semifinal spots on the line, momentum and matchup history could prove decisive as the remaining teams brace for do-or-die intensity.
Biñan-Tatak Gel enters the matchup with a clear edge after dominating Caloocan in their two regular-season meetings.
The Angels routed the Lady Kankaloo, 102-67, in their first encounter before delivering an even more dominant 87-48 win in the second, finishing with an average margin of 37 points.
Those lopsided results not only boost Biñan-Tatak Gel’s confidence but also highlight the gap it has established over Caloocan heading into the quarterfinals.
At the center of the Angels’ strong campaign is a core of standout performers led by Luisa San Juan, Monique Del Carmen, Eka Soriano, and Chack Cabinbin, whose steady production and leadership have anchored Biñan-Tatak Gel on both ends of the floor throughout the season.
“Thankful na nakuha namin ‘yung No. 3 spot and ‘yung twice-to-beat advantage. Paghahandaan namin kasi kapag playoffs, iba na ‘yung laro kasi sure, paghahandaan din nila kami,” said Angels head coach Jack Azcueta.
The Lady Kankaloo, meanwhile, will look to extend their season behind Roxanne Canindo, Dianne Pedregosa, and Loraine Capilit as they try to solve a Biñan-Tatak Gel squad that has had their number all season.
The winner of the Angels-Lady Kankaloo clash will face top-ranked Akari-Rizal in the semifinals of the tournament backed by Aktive.
(C) WMPBL
Meanwhile, the nightcap features RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT and the Queenpin in a matchup where both sides aim to find rhythm early and stay alive in the playoff race, with the winner advancing to face second seed and defending champion Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire.
The two squads split their regular-season encounters, with Pasig edging RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT, 68-67, in their first meeting before the Quezon City-based squad responded with an 81-74 victory in the rematch.
RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT will once again lean on the steady production of Tantoy Ferrer, whose scoring and leadership have been vital to their campaign, while Pasig will look to Gabi Bade to anchor the Queenpin’s attack and provide the stability needed to force a winner-take-all game.
