Playing against Tantoy Ferrer added an extra layer of familiarity and challenge, but Akari-Rizal leaned on preparation and defensive discipline as Raiza Palmera-Dy and the Sparks executed their game plan to near perfection.
The Sparks quickly shook off their first loss of the tournament against defending champion Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire, channeling their frustration into a dominant 84-51 bounce-back win over RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT last Wednesday.
With full awareness of Ferrer’s scoring ability—having shared the floor with her over the past two seasons—Akari-Rizal made her work for every look, limiting her to just 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting while forcing four turnovers to disrupt her rhythm and overall impact.
(C) WMPBL
“Definitely naman, we know that Tantoy can carry her team ‘no pero ‘yun nga, nakapag-focus kami, pinagaralan namin ‘yung tendencies niya as a player, and we tried to focus on that. I think we did okay naman on some parts,” said Palmera-Dy.
The veteran guard also welcomed the chance to face her former teammate, saying it was meaningful to share the court again, even from opposite sides, while maintaining her focus on helping the Sparks secure a much-needed response win.
She added that she remains proud of Ferrer’s growth over the past months, especially her stint with Gilas Pilipinas 3×3, and is happy to see her continue progressing on the international stage.
“It felt really good na nagkatagpo kami ulit, but she’s on a different team naman. Pero hindi naman iba sa akin kasi nakakalaro ko naman siya before,” said Palmera-Dy.
“It’s good to see her back on the floor, pero ‘yun nga nasa kabilang team siya. I wish her well, she’s doing very well, sa 3×3, representing the Philippines so I’m really proud of her.”
Looking ahead, Palmera-Dy said the Sparks are determined to close the first half of the regular season on a strong note as they prepare for Biñan-Tatak Gel on Sunday, hoping to carry the momentum of their bounce-back victory into the next stage of the campaign.
“Syempre nag-focus kami sa positive side to get this win first and to get this momentum going up against Binan next Sunday. Hopefully matapois namin ng maayos ‘yung first round.”
