Pilipinas Aguilas and Discovery Perlas secured their spots in the playoffs with crucial victories in the 2025 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) Invitational Tournament last Wednesday at Enderun Gym.
Alexis Pana led the charge for Pilipinas Aguilas in their 82-75 victory over University of Santo Tomas, while Discovery Perlas leaned on its veterans to outlast Galeries Tower, 74-67.
Both teams improved to identical 4-1 records, guaranteeing a top-two finish in Group A and clinching their postseason berths.
Meanwhile, Far Eastern University (1-3), Cavite Tol (1-3), Solar Home (1-3), and Centro Escolar University (1-4) will battle for the remaining two playoff spots in the group.
Clinging to a 74-73 lead with just over four minutes left, the Aguilas tightened their defense against the Growling Tigresses and closed the game on an 8-2 run. The trio of Mar Prado, Chack Cabinbin, and Alexis Pana stepped up to secure their team’s third straight victory.
Pana, a former standout from Central Washington University, delivered a stellar performance with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, along with five rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and one block.
Prado contributed 16 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while the 5-foot-2 Cabinbin played beyond her size with a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds, plus seven assists. Kem Adishina also made a significant impact with 12 points and nine boards.
On the other hand, Kent Pastrana led UST, which dropped to 3-1, with 19 points on 7-of-21 shooting, along with four assists and three rebounds. Nicole Danganan added 14 points, while Eka Soriano and Vergen Maglupay chipped in 13 and 11 points, respectively.
In the nightcap, Discovery Perlas fended off a late surge from the Skyrisers to claim their third consecutive win.
Galeries Tower, trailing by 14 points with under three minutes remaining, launched a furious 9-0 run behind Ambie Almazan, Princes Fabruada, and Keza Buscar to cut the deficit to six, 71-65, with just 39 seconds left.
However, AJ Gloriani delivered the dagger three-pointer with 22 seconds remaining to seal the win for Perlas.
Allana Lim spearheaded Discovery’s offense with 24 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Raiza Palmera-Dy tallied 20 points, four rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Tantoy Ferrer also made her presence felt with 13 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. in the loss.
