Pilipinas Aguilas Clinch WMPBL Title As League Announces Pro Status

Pilipinas Aguilas secured their place in Philippine basketball history Wednesday night, defeating the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigresses 54-45 in Game 3 of the finals to capture the inaugural Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) championship at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The hard-fought victory coincided with a landmark announcement that the WMPBL will transition to professional status later this year, marking a watershed moment for women’s basketball in the Philippines.

“Turning pro means we’re no longer just proving we belong; we’re building a future,” said WMPBL president John Kallos during the post-game celebration.

“The WMPBL is here to stay, and we’re ready to give Filipina athletes a real career path in the sport they love,” Kallos added, highlighting the league’s commitment to creating sustainable opportunities for female basketball players.

WMPBL commissioner Haydee Ong, who also serves as UST head coach, pointed to increasing fan engagement as a key factor in the decision to professionalize.

“Nakikita ko ‘yung games, how exciting it is,” Ong remarked.

“‘Yung involvement ng mga fans—very into it sila every time may laro tayo, especially sa finals. Very engaged ‘yung audience,” she continued, noting the league’s growing popularity throughout the tournament.

Ong, a former national team player herself, shared that creating a sustainable platform for women’s basketball has been her long-standing dream.

“Ako, dream ko talaga kahit nung naglalaro pa ako is to have a platform for women’s basketball to showcase their skills and talent,” she said.

“This is a great opportunity for the future and present generation of women’s ballers—na parang meron pa silang career na mapupuntahan right after college,” Ong explained, emphasizing how the professional league will provide post-collegiate career paths for players.

The commissioner acknowledged that establishing a professional league requires careful planning and strict standards.

“Marami kaming dapat gawin for the league to be sustainable,” she noted.

“Kailangan muna maging stable ‘yung liga namin… we will scrutinize lahat talaga para mas gumanda ‘yung liga,” Ong added, stressing that organizers will evaluate all aspects to strengthen the league’s foundation.

On the court, the championship-clinching Game 3 showcased the Aguilas’ determination as they overcame an early 3-14 deficit in the first quarter.

The team’s 10-2 run in the fourth quarter, highlighted by Mar Prado’s crucial drive that extended their lead to 51-43 with 4:16 remaining, proved decisive in securing the championship.

Alexis Pana earned Finals MVP honors after averaging 16.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.6 steals throughout the series, including 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and five steals in the deciding game.

Prado complemented Pana’s efforts with a double-double performance of 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Cheska Apag contributed 13 points on three triples along with five assists and four steals.

Aguilas head coach Paulo Layug attributed the championship success to his players’ diverse backgrounds and remarkable resilience.

“For me, it’s really about the players,” Layug said during the post-game press conference.

“You have players from all sorts of backgrounds. Some were students, some were in the army, some are coming back from bad injuries… so the story behind each and every player is something very special,” he elaborated.

“The makeup of the team, the character of the team, you rarely get to coach a team like this,” Layug continued.

“That’s why I’m very grateful. It was really an honor to be their coach this season,” he concluded, visibly moved by his team’s achievement.

The Growling Tigresses’ standout Kent Pastrana was limited to eight points due to foul trouble and constant double teams, while teammate Oma Onianwa contributed six points and pulled down 17 rebounds in the losing effort.

The inaugural WMPBL season received strong corporate backing from sponsors including Uratex, Discovery Suites, Gotobox, Red Dynasty, Gerry’s Grill, and Katinko, demonstrating the growing commercial interest in women’s basketball.