With its back-to-back title bid hanging in the balance, Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire responded with authority, routing Akari-Rizal, 83-60, on Sunday night at the Paco Arena to send the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Finals to a deciding Game 3.

The Sparks landed the opening punch by scoring the game’s first five points, but the Valkyries responded with a devastating 26-4 barrage for a 26-9 lead to end the opening period, blowing the game wide open before the second quarter even began.

Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire never let up from there, methodically building on its advantage in the middle quarters before a jumper by Charmine Torres just five seconds into the fourth period stretched the lead to 30, 71-41, effectively putting the game out of Akari-Rizal’s reach.

“We didn’t give up. Our backs were against the wall and our character came out. The heart of a champion,” said Valkyries head coach Cholo Villanueva after their Game 2 win.

“The girls didn’t want to give up. They worked hard and the other guys stepped up like Rizza Lozada, Chris Bariquit, Queenie Aquino. The intangible guys helped us get the win tonight and again, like any other series, we need someone to step up, and they did,” he added.

Fresh off receiving her third MVP award in the tournament backed by Aktive, Afril Bernardino turned in a monster double-double of 24 points and 21 rebounds, along with three assists, three blocks, and two steals, to keep Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire’s title defense alive.

Camille Claro added 14 points off the bench, while Peñaranda and Khate Castillo added 10 and nine points, respectively.

Meanwhile, Allana Lim was the lone bright spot for Akari-Rizal with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds in the deflating loss.

Mar Prado, Janine Pontejos, and Jhenn Angeles all finished nine points apiece in the loss, while Raiza Palmera-Dy was held to just four points along with seven boards.

With the series now tied at one game apiece, Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire and Akari-Rizal will settle the championship in a winner-take-all Game 3 on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Parañaque Coliseum.

The Scores

Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire 83 – Bernardino 24, Claro 14, Peñaranda 10, Castillo 9, Lozada 7, Tongco 7, Aquino 4, Bariquit 4, Torres 2, Calang 2, Arciga 0, Manzanares 0, Fabruada 0, Dionisio 0

Akari-Rizal 60 – Lim 15, Prado 9, Pontejos 9, Angeles 9, Candelario 8, Adlawan 4, Palmera-Dy 4, Abatayo 2, Ventura 0, Sambile 0

Quarterscores: 26-9, 51-32, 69-41, 83-60