Valkyries, Sparks renew championship rivalry in WMPBL Finals

One year after Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire denied Akari-Rizal its title aspirations, the two powerhouse squads are set to clash once more as they meet in the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) Finals.

The defending champion Valkyries booked their return to the championship series by sweeping Biñan-Tatak Gel in the semifinals, while the Sparks advanced after dispatching RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT in two games.

Game 1 of the best-of-three Finals tips off Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Hoops Haven in Pasay City, following the third-place matchup between Biñan-Tatak Gel and RK Hoops-Quezon City 10ACT at 4 p.m.

Batangas-New Zealand head coach Cholo Villanueva acknowledged that defending a title presents a different challenge, with every opponent eager to knock off the reigning champions.

Instead of shying away from that pressure, the Valkyries embraced it and once again earned a place in the Finals. Now, they are just two victories away from securing back-to-back championships in the Aktive-backed tournament.

“Teams know us already. Teams know how to beat us. It's always a tougher road repeating because the first time, you're the hunter. This time, you're the hunted. So there's much more preparation, much more sleepless nights of game planning and preparation,” Villanueva said.

“But we're up for the challenge. Whoever gets those two wins in the championship series wins the championship, so that's what we're preparing for.”

The finalists split their regular-season meetings, with Batangas-New Zealand claiming a 72-56 victory in the first round before Akari-Rizal responded with a convincing 74-58 triumph in the second.

Despite those contrasting results, Sparks head coach Derrick Pumaren believes the regular season offers little indication of what lies ahead in the Finals.

“We cannot be happy with beating them in the last elimination round. It doesn't mean anything. It's a totally different series,” Pumaren said, stressing that both teams begin the title showdown on equal footing.

He expects the defending champions to bring the same relentless effort that carried them to last year's crown and emphasized that Akari-Rizal must be ready to match that intensity from the opening tip.

“We just have to be ready for Game 1 against this team, and we have to play hard and match their energy because when we played them, parang mas masipag sila sa amin. Kailangan same rin kami,” he said.

The Sparks will lean on veterans Allana Lim, Janine Pontejos, Raiza Palmera-Dy, and Mar Prado as they pursue the franchise's first WMPBL championship.

The Valkyries, meanwhile, will once again be anchored by reigning Most Valuable Player Afril Bernardino, with Andrea Tongco, Snow Peñaranda, and Khate Castillo expected to play key roles in their bid for a second straight title.

With the championship series set to begin, both teams know that talent alone will not determine the outcome.

Execution, consistency, and composure under pressure are expected to be the deciding factors in a best-of-three showdown where every possession could shape the race for the WMPBL crown.