BENGALURU (India) - For the first time, the Philippines will be competing in the Women's Basketball League Asia (WBL Asia) with the Akari Sparks all set to carry the fight for the country in the 2026 competitions.
Team history
Their upcoming appearance in a FIBA club competition marks a major milestone for a ball club that just started out in 2025 - and an achievement for a company that's been one of local sports' staunchest supporters.
Before being known as the team that they are right now, the entity carried the Discovery-Rizal Perlas banner when it joined the Women's Maharlika Pilipinas' Basketball League's first season as a pro league back in 2025.
They then rebranded to the Akari Sparks come the 2026 festivities, further signifying the lighting company's huge involvement in sports which began several years ago when they sponsored various collegiate programs.
From there, Akari would venture into the professional ranks in 2022, when they formed the Akari Chargers in the Premier Volleyball League, followed by the NXLed Chameleons the following year in the same league.
It wouldn't take long for Akari to get involved into women's pro hoops with the Sparks, showing that they're ready to take it up a notch after previously fielding a school-based team in the PBA's developmental league.
Path to WBL Asia 2026
And that rebrand they had seemingly brought better luck.
Akari finished their story in the 2026 WMPBL season, beating the Batangas-New Zealand Blufire in the best-of-3 Final that went the distance, beating the same team that foiled their bid last year to finally win it all.
It was a dominant run overall for the charges of Coach Derrick Pumaren. They went near-perfect in the elimination round to finish as the no. 1 team with a 9-1 card, enabling themselves to barge into the Semi-Finals outright.
The Sparks then swept RK Hoops–Quezon City to book a return trip to the Big Dance, where they'd go on to figure in another waltz with the Blufire and oust them from their throne, capped by a 73-59 rout in the clincher.
Not only did they complete their redemption tour but winning their first-ever WMPBL championship would also become their ticket en route to something bigger: the WBL Asia 2026, to be precise.
Players to watch
Former Philippine women's team vanguard Allana Lim played a crucial role in their road to success, winning Finals Most Valuable Player honors after averaging 17.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in the series.
Needless to say, the decorated guard will once again be at front and center of Akari's WBL Asia debut, although she'd be surrounded by quality young players that have become seasoned in the global stage as well.
The Sparks are bringing in a number of former and current Gilas Women cogs led by Stef Berberabe, who made history during the 2025 WMPBL season by becoming the first Filipina to tally a quadruple-double.
Then there are also Jhazmin Joson, Kent Pastrana, and Camille Clarin, all of whom had been to some of FIBA's major women's national team competitions when the program was still under the tutelage of Pat Aquino.
Adding a more intriguing dynamic to this Akari team is the addition of reinforcements Saicha Grant-Allen and Bre'Amber Scott, both of whom are expected to provide experience for the debuting club.
Schedule
FIBA