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Bella Belen Drops Career-High 35 as Capital1 Outlasts Akari in Five-Set Thriller

Bella Belen scored a career-high 35 points with a triple-double as Capital1 survived Akari in a PVL five-set classic, 28-26, 22-25, 25-15, 23-25, 21-19.

Published

8 hours ago

October 22, 2026

Royal Jones

Bella Belen Drops Career-High 35 as Capital1 Outlasts Akari in Five-Set Thriller

Bella Belen delivered the finest performance of her young professional career, and Capital1 needed every bit of it. Belen exploded for a career-high 35 points as the Solar Spikers outlasted the Akari Chargers in a five-set thriller, 28-26, 22-25, 25-15, 23-25, 21-19, on October 15 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Belen scored her 35 points on 34 attacks and one block, eclipsing the previous career best of 29 she set last February, and she did it while playing with a heavily taped right wrist. It was a full triple-double performance: she also collected 20 excellent digs and 19 excellent receptions in the two-hour, 33-minute marathon.

The fifth set nearly slipped away. Akari moved ahead 14-13 behind a 3-0 run from Fifi Sharma and Grethcel Soltones, one point from stealing the match. Belen refused to let it happen, hammering back-to-back off-the-block kills to drag Capital1 across the finish line.

Vanie Gandler, Erika Santos and Cherry Nunag backed Belen with 10 points apiece, setter Julia Coronel dished out 29 excellent sets, and rookie libero Detdet Pepito held the floor with 24 excellent digs. Sharma led Akari with 20 points, while Ivy Lacsina added 18 points and 26 excellent receptions.

The victory was Capital1’s first of the conference after the Solar Spikers let a 2-0 lead slip in their opener against Choco Mucho, while Akari fell to 0-2 before bouncing back with its first win over PLDT later in the week.

Photo: PVL Images

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Royal Jones

We Speak Sports

Angel Reese’s Historic Night Powers Dream Past Valkyries 97-71 for 2-1 Finals Lead

Angel Reese had 21 points and 12 rebounds to become the first player in WNBA history with a double-double in each of her first three Finals games, and the Atlanta Dream routed the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals.

Published

4 hours ago

October 22, 2026

Royal Jones

Angel Reese high-fives Jordin Canada during WNBA Finals Game 3

The Atlanta Dream turned their first home game of the WNBA Finals into a statement. Behind another commanding performance from Angel Reese, Atlanta blew out the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday night in front of a sold-out crowd of 17,099 at State Farm Arena, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and setting a franchise record for points in a Finals game.

Watch the official Game 3 highlights:

Atlanta’s defense set the tone from the opening tip. The Dream held Golden State scoreless for the first five minutes, and the Valkyries did not make a field goal until Aminata Gueye’s hook shot with 4:38 left in the first quarter. Atlanta led 23-15 after one and 46-40 at halftime.

Golden State made its push early in the third quarter, tying the game at 49. Reese answered personally, fueling an 8-0 run and capping it with a coast-to-coast driving layup. After the Valkyries trimmed the margin to 59-55, the Dream closed the quarter by scoring 12 of the final 14 points to carry a 71-57 lead into the fourth, then outscored Golden State 26-14 the rest of the way. Atlanta has now outscored Golden State 63-35 in third quarters across the series.

Angel Reese celebrates with Rhyne Howard during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. (AP Photo)

Reese finished with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals. She is the first player in WNBA history to record a double-double in each of her first three Finals games, the youngest player ever with three straight double-doubles in the Finals, and she joined A’ja Wilson as the only players to post 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive Finals games. She also went 2-for-2 from three-point range; Atlanta is 14-0 this season when Reese makes a three.

“Time to take over. Do whatever it takes to win,” Reese said. “Everybody was just playing together. It’s fun when you win and you play with a great group. So it makes my job super easy.”

Rhyne Howard added 16 points and five steals, becoming the first player in league history with five steals in consecutive Finals games. Naz Hillmon scored 15, Isobel Borlase added 12 off the bench, and Jordin Canada finished with 10 points and eight assists. Atlanta shot 49.3 percent from the field, hit nine three-pointers and owned the paint, 44-20.

Gabby Williams led Golden State with 15 points, Tiffany Hayes scored 14, and Janelle Salaün and Cecilia Zandalasini added 13 apiece. But the Valkyries shot just 34.8 percent and committed 17 turnovers, which Atlanta converted into 22 points. “Sometimes, promises aren’t kept,” Golden State coach Natalie Nakase said.

Game 4 is Saturday, October 24 at 1 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena, televised on NBC and streaming on Peacock. Atlanta, playing in its first Finals since 2013, is now two wins away from the first championship in franchise history.