PHILIPPINE Army defeated Taguig, 51-44, on Sunday to complete the upset in the Women’s National Basketball League-Pilipinas (WNBL) semifinals at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Janine Pontejos led the Lady Battalion in the upset as the fourth-seeded squad eliminated the top-seeded Lady Generals to set up a finals rematch against the PSI Lady Air Defenders.
The Philippine Air Force-backed Lady Air Defenders defeated Army, which carried the Taguig Army Lady Generals name, in the 2019 finals during the inaugural season of the league when it was still in amateur status.
For the 2022 season, Army entered the semifinals with a 3-5 win-loss record, while Taguig finished first in the eliminations with a 7-1 win-loss slate.
Pontejos had 16 points including six during a 14-0 run that broke a 27-27 deadlock as Army grabbed a 41-28 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Chack Cabinbin also played a key role in the win with eight points and 10 rebounds while Marites Gadian also had eight points for the Lady Battalion, who won over the Lady Generals, 64-62, in Game One.
Pontejos and Cabinbin will now aim for a victory for their club team after winning the gold medal for Gilas Pilipinas Women in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Snow Penaranda had nine points and registered a league-record 21 rebounds, while AJ Gloriani and Janeth Sison each had seven markers but it was not enough for the Lady Generals to pull off another victory after tying the series with a 63-51 win.
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