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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783520292439WMPBL 2nd Reg Season Finals_ Akari vs Batangas_ PALMERA-DY Raiza-00170.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>WMPBL photo</div>MANILA — Akari-Rizal averted a major collapse, showing nerves of steel in overtime to survive Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire in Game 1, 92-88, and move on the cusp of the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League championship on Wednesday at Hoops Haven in Pasay.Mar Prado, the 2026 Draft top overall pick, made the big plays that gave the Sparks the lead for good in extra period as her one made free throw and an ensuing drive to the cup gave her team an 85-84 advantage with 2:23 left.Then it was Camille Sambile’s turn to make her presence felt, scoring on a short stab for an 87-84 Akari-Rizal margin with 1:46 remaining.Although Afril Bernardino converted a deuce on the other end, Allana Lim answered with a reverse layup before Sambile’s perfect trip at the free throw line erected a 91-86 cushion for the Sparks.Batangas-New Zealand forward Rocel Dionisio scored on a lay-in with 6.8 ticks to go to cut their deficit to one possession, 88-91, but Prado’s split from the free throw line put the game in the bag for Akari-Rizal.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/7/8/bi-an-thumps-qc-takes-wmpbl-bronze-1928">READ: Biñan thumps QC, takes WMPBL bronze </a></div>“I have to give it to the girls. We lost our poise, we became tentative when Batangas started catching up. We threw the basketball away that’s why they came back. But we regained our confidence, we played tough defensively, and I was telling them, when things are not going for us offensively, we gonna make up for it on the other end,” said Akari head coach Derrick Pumaren.“We made stops. Camille made big shots in the end. We refused to lose. We did not give up.”The Sparks led by as much as 21 in the third quarter but the Lady Valkyries through Bernardino, Pringle Fabruada, and MG Calang rallied back and even took a 69-62 lead at the 6:48 mark of the fourth frame.However, Akari-Rizal recovered just in time as big shots from Prado, Sambile, and Lim forced the extra period.After Sambile’s split from the line put the Sparks up 77-76 with 36.1 seconds left in regulation, Khate Castillo responded with a booming triple from the right corner for a 79-77 Lady Valkyries’ advantage with 28.8 ticks to go.But Sambile saw a wide open lane to the basket to level the match anew at 79 before Bernardino missed her attempt on the other end to send the game to overtime.Raiza Palmera-Dy led the Sparks’ first-half barrage, making 16 of her team-best 20 points there while Sambile emerged with 19 points and seven rebounds while being a plus-15 in her 22 minutes and 51 seconds of floor time.Lim produced 17 points and nine rebounds while Prado got 14 points and five rebounds as well. Shemaiah Abatayo also shone with 12 points, nine assists, four rebounds, and two steals in the victory.Akari-Rizal will seek to dethrone Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire in Game 2 this Sunday at the Paco Arena in Manila.Two-time league MVP Bernardino carried the charge for the Lady Valkyries with 23 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and four blocks.Fabruada added 19 points and eight rebounds but she fouled out with 50.9 seconds remaining in the fourth period.Castillo got 12 points while Calang had 11 of her own as Snow Peñaranda chimed in nine points and 13 rebounds but also fouled out late in the fourth.<div> </div><div>The Scores: </div>AKARI-RIZAL 92 — Palmera-Dy 20, Sambile 19, Lim 17, Prado 14, Abatayo 12, Pontejos 8, Ventura 2, Angeles 0, Adlawan 0.BATANGAS-NEW ZEALAND BLUEFIRE 88 — Bernardino 23, Fabruada 19, Castillo 12, Calang 11, Peñaranda 9, Tongco 7, Dionisio 4, Aquino 3, Torres 0, Manzanares 0.Quarterscores: 26-16, 48-32, 62-58, 79-79, 92-88.

Akari-Rizal averted a major collapse, showing nerves of steel in overtime to survive Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire in Game 1, 92-88, and move on the cusp of the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League championship on Wednesday at Hoops Haven in Pasay City.

Akari-Rizal averted a major collapse, showing nerves of steel in overtime to survive Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire in Game 1, 92-88, and move on the cusp of the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League championship on Wednesday at Hoops Haven in Pasay City.

Akari-Rizal survives Batangas in OT, on brink of WMPBL title

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Akari-Rizal survives Batangas in OT, on brink of WMPBL title

ABS-CBN News

Published July 08, 2026 10:15 PM PHT

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Updated July 08, 2026 10:19 PM PHT

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