RK Hoops storms back against Pasig, clinches semifinal berth

RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT leaned on its defense and a strong second-half comeback to defeat Pasig, 54-49, and secure a spot in the semifinals of the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) on Wednesday at the Parañaque Coliseum.

Playing without leading scorer Tantoy Ferrer, RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT erased a 13-point deficit and outscored the Queenpin 23-5 down the stretch to complete the rally. The victory arranged a semifinal clash with top-seeded Akari-Rizal on Sunday.

The turnaround was fueled by a suffocating defensive effort. After Pasig built a 44-31 lead with 5:13 left in the third quarter, RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT limited its opponent to just five points over the final 14 minutes and 47 seconds of the contest.

A perfectly executed backdoor play proved pivotal, as Jeorge Panti found Andrea Aragon for a layup that put RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT ahead, 51-47, with 12.3 seconds remaining.

Pasig still threatened late when LJ Miranda converted a putback off a missed shot by Lee Sario with 3.7 seconds left, trimming the deficit to 51-49.

However, Iris Isip calmly sank three free throws in the closing moments to put the game away and complete the remarkable comeback.

The victory marked a significant turnaround for the Quezon City-based squad, which finished last season with a 1-9 record and now finds itself just two wins away from reaching the championship round of the tournament backed by Aktive.

“Even without Gabi Bade, they played really well. We had difficulty against their zone defense, but our players found a way to break it through hustle and determination. They never gave up, and that helped us get the win,” said head coach Bonnie Garcia.

With Ferrer away in Mongolia representing Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series, Panti stepped up with a dominant double-double of 15 points and 16 rebounds, along with three assists, to lead RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT.

Ann Dampios added 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Isip contributed seven points, six rebounds, and four assists. Caryl Molina chipped in six points and nine rebounds, while Aragon finished with nine points.

Pasig’s season came to an end following the loss, made more challenging by the absence of star guard Gabi Bade, who suffered a right knee injury in the team’s final regular-season game against Biñan-Tatak Gel.

Lee Sario paced the Queenpin with 22 points, including five three-pointers, and seven rebounds, while Miranda added 12 points and five rebounds in the losing effort.