Sparks and Valkyries clash with top seed on the line

Akari-Rizal Sparks and Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire Valkyries face off on Sunday in a high-stakes matchup in the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) at the Uratex Showroom in Muntinlupa, with a top seed and outright semifinal berth at stake.

The 6 p.m. main game pits the league-leading Sparks (7-1) against the Valkyries, who are looking to claim sole possession of first place. Akari-Rizal enters the contest motivated for revenge after suffering their only loss of the season to Batangas-New Zealand, 72-56, in the first round on April 29.

“We’ll play Batangas in back-to-back hard games, so hopefully it’s gonna be a different result this time,” said Sparks head coach Derrick Pumaren after their narrow 52-48 win over Biñan-Tatak Gel last Wednesday.

Allana Lim, Mar Prado, Raiza Palmera-Dy, and Janine Pontejos are expected to lead Akari-Rizal’s charge for an automatic semifinal spot. The top two teams after the elimination round earn direct semifinal berths, while third and fourth get a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.

For the Valkyries, head coach Cholo Villanueva is urging his team to stay focused.

“We’re playing Akari, so I’m sure they’ll be ready, but we’ll make sure we cover all our bases and come out with a win against a very formidable team,” Villanueva said as Batangas-New Zealand aims for its sixth straight victory and a league-best 7-1 record.

Khate Castillo, Snow Peñaranda, and Afril Bernardino are expected to lead the Valkyries’ attack.

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In the 4 p.m. curtain-raiser, **Biñan-Tatak Gel Angels** (5-3) battle struggling Caloocan as they fight to keep their outright semifinal hopes alive. Biñan dominated the first-round meeting, winning 102-67.