Ever Bilena goes for a sweep of the Women’s Philippine Basketball League (WPBL) crown today as it battles Smart Buddy-University of the Philippines in Game 2 of the best-of-three series at the Guadalupe Viejo Sports Complex.
The Gandang Pinay thwarted the Lady Maroons, 67-57, in the opener of the playoff at the Letran gym last Tuesday to move within a victory from annexing their third crown. They dominated the tournament twice, the last during the 1999 season before the women’s league closed shop.
Gametime is at 4 p.m. with Ever Bilena out to finish the series.
“We’ll go for the clincher today,” said Ever Bilena owner Dioceldo Sy.
Smart Sports’ Pato Gregorio, however, vows to go all out to force a rubber match.
But to do that, the Lady Maroons must stop Ever Bilena’s Marichu Bacaro.
The reigning UAAP MVP from UST has been doing everything for the team – scoring, rebounding and creating plays.
In Game 1, she tallied 14 points, six rebounds, six steals and five assists.
Aside from Bacaro, other players expected to step for Ever Bilena are Fil-Japanese Aiumi Ono, Nikki Leonardo and Rem Buenacosa.
Ono fired 19 points while Leonardo chipped in 16 points aside from shackling Smart-UP’s Fatima Tolentino on the other end.
Aside from Tolentino, also expected to shine for Smart-UP is Sai Sadorra.
Meanwhile, Magnolia Purewater tries to prop up its bid for an outright semis seat as it plays Burger King in the PBL PG Flex Linoleum Cup.
Though the Wizards are coming off a loss to league-leading Harbour Centre last week, they remain as the favorites against the Stunners in their 2 p.m. game.
The BK Stunners will be missing three key players who are all members of the 25-man RP training pool currently competing in an invitational meet in China.
The Wizards are toting a 6-2 card while the Stunners are tied with Toyota Otis at 3-5.