By: Jonash Dannug and Jerod Orcullo
Pilipinas Aguilas etched their name into the history books after overpowering a gritty University of Santo Tomas squad, 54-45, in a thrilling Game 3 finale to capture the inaugural Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League championship, Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
Refusing to buckle under pressure, the Aguilas overcame a sluggish start and leaned on their trademark poise in the final quarter to repel the Growling Tigresses and emerge victorious in the landmark tournament supported by Manny Pacquiao, Senator Francis Tolentino, and the MPBL Partylist.
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Coming off a narrow 64-69 loss in Game 2 last Sunday, the Aguilas found themselves trailing early, 3-14, after the first quarter. But they refused to fold, clawing back with relentless defense and timely offense to slowly chip away at the deficit and seize momentum heading into the decisive fourth.
With the score knotted at 41-all entering the final frame, the Aguilas uncorked a pivotal 10-2 run to take control of the game. Mar Prado capped the rally with a gutsy drive through heavy traffic, sending the crowd into a frenzy as she extended their lead to 51-43 with just 4:16 remaining.
That explosive stretch proved to be the dagger, as the Aguilas cruised to victory and claimed the championship in the league’s debut season, which also enjoyed the backing of sponsors such as Uratex, Discovery Suites, Red Dynasty, Gotobox, Gerry’s Grill, Prettiest, Team Graphitee, Evo Performance Helmets, Ryzen Helmets, Katinko, Dorayd, Sogo Hotel, Global Bosny Manufacturing, and Bavin.
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“For me, it’s really about the players. I was telling the players before the game, what is the story of the Aguilas? And you have players from all sorts of backgrounds. Some were students, some were in the army, some are coming back from bad injuries, one player, Lexi (Pana), is reconnecting with her roots, so the story behind each and every player is something very special,” said Pilipinas Aguilas head coach Paulo Layug.
“The makeup of the team, the character of the team, you rarely get to coach a team like this. That’s why I’m very grateful. It was really an honor to be their coach this season,” he added.
Alexis Pana was named Finals MVP after a stellar all-around performance throughout the series, averaging 16.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.6 steals. In the championship clincher, she delivered 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and five steals.
Mar Prado provided a strong presence on both ends, finishing with 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting, alongside 12 rebounds, three steals, and three blocks.
Cheska Apag also stepped up when it mattered most, tallying 13 points on three triples, with four rebounds, five assists, and four steals — her best showing of the series.
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On the other end, Kent Pastrana struggled for UST, managing just eight points along with five rebounds and three assists. Agatha Bron, Rachelle Ambos, and Karylle Sierba each added eight points, while Oma Onianwa grabbed17 rebounds to go with six points in the loss.
The Scores:
Pilipinas Aguilas 54 – Prado 16, Apag 13, Pana 13, Cac 5, Adeshina 4, Guytingco 2, Cabinbin 1, Etang 0, Limbago 0, Omopia 0.
UST 45 – Ambos 8, Bron 8, Pastrana 8, Sierba 8, Onianwa 6, Soriano 3, Danganan 2, Maglupay 2, Pescador 0, Reliquette 0, Tacatac 0.
Quarterscores: 3-14, 28-26, 41-41, 54-45
