Pilipinas Aguilas targets inaugural WMPBL championship

Action between the Pilipinas Aguilas and the UST Growling Tigresses in Game 1 of the WMPBL Invitational Tournament Finals at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. Handout/WMPBL

MANILA -- The Pilipinas Aguilas look to write a new chapter in the country's basketball history even as the University of Santo Tomas tries to keep its title hopes alive in Game 2 of the 2025 Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Invitational Tournament.

The showdown is set for Easter Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

Game 1 was a gritty, hard-fought battle that went down to the wire, with the Aguilas emerging victorious in double overtime, 95-86, over the young Growling Tigresses to move on the verge of the inaugural WMPBL crown.

READ: Aguilas one win away from crown after outlasting UST

With emotions running high and the physicality expected to carry over, another tightly contested showdown looms at 6 p.m., as the Pilipinas Aguilas look to close out the series while UST fights to stay alive in the tournament backed by Manny Pacquiao, Senator Francis Tolentino, and the MPBL Partylist.

The Aguilas clamped down on defense in the second overtime of Game 1, holding the Growling Tigresses to just three points in the final extension—and keeping them scoreless in the last three minutes and 56 seconds of the game.

But interim Pilipinas Aguilas head coach Paolo Layug wants more from his squad on the defensive end, stressing that they need to shut down—or at least contain—Kent Pastrana to have a real shot at closing out the series and securing the championship.

"For us to close out the series, I think we really need to clean up on our defense and find a way to contain them. But a great player like Kent Pastrana, you can't completely shut her down, but we have to try and limit her and make it more difficult for her," emphasized Layug.

"We have to find a way to limit her 'cause she really, really gave us a hard time in [Game 1]," he added.

Pastrana, who buried a buzzer-beating triple to force a second overtime in Game 1, delivered a stellar performance of 23 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals for UST before fouling out late. 

Her all-around impact is exactly what Layug hopes to neutralize as the Aguilas look to close out the series.

The 5-foot-7 winger, who was visibly frustrated after fouling out in the second overtime, shared that the Growling Tigresses—herself most of all—took plenty of lessons from their Game 1 heartbreak and vowed to come back stronger and more composed in Game 2.

"Marami kaming natutunan and hopefully sa next game, maco-correct namin 'yung mga mali namin," said Pastrana.

"Siguro additional na natutunan ko sa game na 'to, kailangan kahit anong mangyari, kahit matalo, kailangan 'yung tiwala sa sarili. Walang sisihan kahit anong mangyari. Kailangan naming magtrabaho bukas ulit," she added.

Elaine Etang, who came through with clutch shots for the Pilipinas Aguilas in Game 1, will once again join forces with Alexis Pana and Mar Prado to lead the charge against a UST squad powered by Kent Pastrana, Eka Soriano, and Gin Relliquette.

Before the highly anticipated Game 2 clash, the league's top performers in the tournament—backed by sponsors Uratex, Discovery Suites, Red Dynasty, Gotobox, Gerry's Grill, Prettiest, Team Graphitee, Evo Performance Helmets, Ryzen Helmets, Katinko, Dorayd, Sogo Hotel, Global Bosny Manufacturing, and Bavin—will be honored in an awarding ceremony set for 5:30 p.m.