The Abra Weavers drubbed Imus Braderhood, 103-80, on Saturday, June 7, to retain the solo second spot in Manny Pacquiao presents MPBL 2025 Season at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.
Abra tallied its 11 straight win and climbed to 13-1, trailing Nueva Ecija (14-0) and pacing San Juan (12-1) in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
The San Juan Knights flexed their shooting prowess with a 110-56 drubbing of the Paranaque Patriots, while the Quezon Huskers trounced Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, 83-71, in the nightcap and rose to 11-3.
Powered by Dave Ildefonso and Encho Serrano, the Weavers led as far as 90-54 before easing their pressure on the Braderhood in the fourth quarter.
Ildefonso posted 25 points, spiked by four triples, 2 assists and 1 block to clinch best player honors over Serrano with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.
Other Weavers who delivered were homegrown Georell Gonzales with 12 points, veteran Mark Yee with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, and 6-foot-7 Raven Gonzales with 8 points plus 9 rebounds.
Imus absorbed its third straight defeat and tumbled to 6-9 despite Jayjay Caspe’s 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals; Kint Ariar’s 13 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks; Eroll Soriano’s 13 points and 8 rebounds; and Mark Doligon’s 15 points plus 2 rebounds.
Not to be outdone, the Huskers, with Judel Fuentes and LJ Gonzales at the firing end, led throughout in pulling down the Batang Kankaloo to 10-5.
Fuentes canned 7 triples and finished with 22 points, 3 steals, 3 assists and 2 rebounds, while Gonzales chalked up 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
Gab Banal supported with 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, and so did JP Sarao with 6 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
Caloocan got 10 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists from homegrown Joseph Manlangit, 10 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals from Jeff Manday, and 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists from Rommel Calahat.
With AC Soberano sinking 5 of 8 triple attempts, Ron Dennison 4 of 7, Jose Manuel Sabandal 2 of 3 and Arvin Gamboa 2 of 3, the Knights made 18 of 32 for an outstanding 56.2 percent clip from afar. In contrast, the Patriots could only convert 4 of 29 triple tries.
The Knights also pounded the Patriots off the boards, 57-25, and scored more second-chance points, 20-4, on the way to the wire-to-wire victory.
Dexter Maiquez posted 18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals to earn best player honors over Soberano with 15 points and 2 assists, Gamboa 15 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, Joseph Ubalde 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists, and Denison 12 points, 14 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 assists.
Paranaque tasted its eighth straight defeat and fell to 1-12 as only three Patriots struck back.
Allen Papa tallied 13 points and 4 rebounds, James Mangahas 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, and MJ Homo 11 points and 5 assists.
The MPBL resumes on Monday, June 9, at the Paco Arena in Manila with games pitting Pangasinan against Marikina at 4 p.m., GenSan against Muntinlupa at 6 p.m., and Manila against Ilagan Isabela at 8 p.m.
