The PBA Team League Round 1 title race has come into sharp focus. Whichever team wins the final-day head-to-head between Woori Financial Capital and Harim will claim the championship.
On Sunday at Gwangmyeong Citizens Gymnasium in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, Woori Financial Capital defeated NH NongHyup Card 4-2 on day eight of the Welcome Savings Bank PBA Team League Gwangmyeong City Tour 2026-2027. Harim also beat Huons 4-2 on sets. Both teams added three points to their tallies, leaving Harim atop the standings at 7 wins and 1 loss (18 points), with Woori Financial Capital in second at 6 wins and 2 losses (17 points).
Woori Financial Capital had stumbled briefly after a loss to SY in their previous match but quickly regained momentum by dispatching NH NongHyup Card. Kang Min-gu sealed the fifth set with an 11-6 win over Ma Minh Cam (Vietnam), and Sruong Pheavy (Cambodia) wrapped up the sixth set with a 9-3 victory over Kim Min-a.
Harim quieted Huons, who had been riding a four-match winning streak. In the third set, Kim Jun-tae defeated Kang Dong-gung 15-12, and in the sixth set, Park Jeong-hyeon edged Kim Se-yeon 9-7.
The Round 1 title race has now narrowed to Harim and Woori Financial Capital. The two teams meet in the final match of the round Monday at 6 p.m. The winner will be crowned PBA Team League Round 1 champion.
If Harim — currently at 18 points (7 wins, 1 loss) — loses to Woori Financial Capital (17 points, 6 wins, 2 losses) in a full-set match, both teams would finish level at 19 points with 7 wins and 2 losses. In that scenario, Woori Financial Capital's set ratio would stand at 1.375, edging out Harim's 1.308 to claim first place. The PBA Team League determines standings in order of points, wins, set ratio and point ratio.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
