Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Week 1 Recap
The Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) opened its inaugural season with Founder and CEO Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao gracing the event, together with Commissioner Haydee Ong, Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino, the league’s sponsors, and supporters at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on October 19, 2025.
The first game featured the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses against the Discovery Perlas.
UST won the very first game of the WMPBL invitational with an 82-67 victory. Ona Onianwa led the Growling Tigresses with 13 points, nine rebounds, and one assist.
In the second game, the Terrence Romeo-coached squad, PSP Gymers failed to snatch a win as they were defeated by the Imus Lady Magdalo, 70-73.
Katherine Cantimbuhan guided Imus to the slim triumph as she poured 17 markers, three dimes, and one board.
On the other hand, Jeedel Bartolo finished a game-high 18 markers banking on four three-pointers to pace the Lady Gymers, who also have Vic Manuel, CJ Perez, and Arvin Tolentino on the sidelines as assistant coaches.
In the final match of the night, the New Zealand-Bluefire Valkyries edged the Cavite-Tol Patriots in a tight defensive battle to have a 54-51 success in the end.
La Salle great Snow Peñaranda of the Valkyries made history by being the first WMPBL player who registered a double-double, scoring 25 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
Cameroonian Fina Tchuido was also instrumental in the win as she sank two crucial free throws to seal the victory for New Zealand-Bluefire.
Meanwhile, Charmaine Lepardo was the lone double-digit scorer for Cavite with 11 points.
After the successful opening on Sunday, the WMPBL went to the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig for their mid-week schedule.
In the first match-up, the Galeries Tower Skyrisers overpowered the CEU Lady Scorpions, 102-46, behind Cindy Resultay’s 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.
It was also a blowout game in the second battle as the San Juan Lady Knights dominated the Solar Home Suns, 75-39, behind the double-double performance of LJ Miranda, who finished with 11 markers, 14 boards, and five dimes.
This coming Sunday, January 26, the WMPBL will be back in action featuring the match-ups between the Discovery Perlas versus the Imus Lady Magdalo, Cavite-Tol Patriots against the Philippine Navy Aguilas, and the FEU Lady Tamaraws versus the EZ Jersey Relentless.
It will be the debut game of the Aguilas, Lady Tamaraws, and Relentless in the WMPBL games to be held at the Enderun Gym in Taguig.
