Following a two-week hiatus, the Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League regular season presented by Akari returns with a jam-packed double-header today, highlighted by the clash between San Juan and Pangasinan-Solar Home.
The Lady Knights (3-0), fresh from a hard-fought 74-71 victory over fellow contender New Zealand Blufire-Batangas, will look to stretch their unbeaten run to four games.
Meanwhile, the Suns (2-1) aim for a third straight win in the 8:00 PM showdown at Strike Gymnasium in Bacoor, Cavite.
With their sights set on maintaining their spotless record, the Lady Knights feel determined to carry the same energy and discipline into their next outing against the surging Pangasinan-Solar Home.
For Lady Knights head coach Ai Lebornio, the team’s strong start in the tournament — supported by Uratex, Black Mamba, Red Dynasty, Aktive Balls, and Pocari Sweat — is no accident but the product of months of dedication and collective effort.
“Yung sacrifices talaga ng mga bata, nag-pay off. Kahit nung umuulan, yung gusto nila mag-ensayo, nagsa-sakripisyo talaga yung mga bata. Yung togetherness ng team, yung teamwork, lumabas na lagi namin sinasabi sa kanila na dapat nila ipakita,” she said.
Leading the charge for San Juan will be veterans Maimai Canuto, Janine Pontejos, and Chack Cabinbin, whose experience and leadership will be crucial in steering the Lady Knights toward another victory.
(C) WMPBL
On the other hand, former Gilas stalwart Gabi Bade, fresh off a massive 30-point outburst in their 99-45 rout of Tagaytay-Tol, will once again spearhead Pangasinan’s attack. In support is the steady presence of LJ Miranda and Lee Sario.
In the opening game at 6:00 PM, Discovery-Rizal (1-2) will try to build on its winning momentum and strengthen its push up the standings. On the other hand, Tagaytay-Tol (0-3) looks to finally break through for its first victory of the season and gain much-needed confidence moving forward.
After surprisingly dropping its first two games of the tournament, the Perlas barged into the win column following an 82-39 victory over RK Hoops-Quezon City.
Veteran head coach Derrick Pumaren liked what he saw from his wards in their previous outing, noting the team’s resilience after a tough start.
“It’s always hard to get the first, but as I told them last game, the most important thing is how we bounce back, and we really bounced back hard today. We were able to show it and play our game,” he said.
Allana Lim, Raiza Palmera-Dy, and Tantoy Ferrer will be tasked to anchor Discovery’s offense and provide veteran leadership. Meanwhile, RK Hoops-QC will count on Nic Molina, Nel Flor, and Melody Cac to deliver the firepower on the other end.
