Valkyries Bounce Back in Dominant Fashion, Crush RK Hoops

Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire wasted no time shaking off their previous loss, delivering a dominant all-around performance to crush RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT, 108-61, in the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) on Sunday at the MRB Gymnasium.

Coming off a tough 83-79 overtime defeat to Biñan, the defending champions responded with urgency on both ends, establishing an early lead and never looking back. The 47-point rout pushed their record to 2-1, putting them in solo third place.

Head coach Cholo Villanueva viewed the impressive victory as a direct response to their earlier setback. “We wanted a bounce-back win after that overtime loss to Biñan,” said Villanueva. “We made sure to correct our mistakes, and it’s still early in the season. Losing that game was actually beneficial for us to learn from our errors.”

Batangas-New Zealand set the tone with an explosive outside shooting display, hitting 14 three-pointers. Jill Talas and Khate Castillo led the perimeter barrage, combining for eight triples and stretching the RK Hoops defense throughout the game.

Talas and Castillo each finished with 17 points. Talas added two steals and two blocks, while Castillo contributed four rebounds and three triples. The Valkyries' depth was on full display, with Snow Peñaranda posting 15 points and eight rebounds, and Queenie Aquino recording a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Camille Claro and Mary Grace Calang also chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively, while reigning MVP Afril Bernardino filled the stat sheet with nine points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Batangas-New Zealand controlled every aspect of the game, as they proved why they are the defending champions in the Aktive-supported tournament.

RK Hoops-Quezon City, missing key forward Tantoy Ferrer—who is representing Gilas in the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China—struggled to find their rhythm. The team couldn’t match the defending champs’ firepower and fell short in their efforts.

Ann Dampios led RK Hoops with 12 points, all from beyond the arc, while Hazel Panti added 11 points, four rebounds, and four assists. Fatima Quiapo and Danica Docallos contributed 10 points apiece in the loss.