Abra is shooting for the crown, Quezon is fighting for life.
This is the scenario when the Abra Solid North Weavers and the Quezon Huskers tangle in Game Three of the MPBL 2025 Season National Finals at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.
After two scary wins at home, the North Division champion Weavers would try to cut short the best-of-five series with a victory at the Huskers’ lair.
The Huskers, the South Division kings, blew away Game One, 80-81, in overtime, and fell short in Game Two, 58-62, putting them on the brink of getting swept again, like what the Pampanga Giant Lanterns did to them in last year’s National Finals.
Abra, bidding for its first title after joining the league in 2024, will be led by MVP race pacesetter Dave Ildefonso, crack point guard Jason Brickman, Encho Serrano, John Uduba, Ryan Batino, Mike Ayonayon, Raven Gonzales, Marwin Taywan and 6-foot-10 Geo Chiu.
Ljay Gonzales will spearhead the Huskers, with support from Christian Pagaran, Ximone Sandagon, Alfrancis Tamsi, Vince Magbuhos, Joseph Gabayni and Gab Banal.
Forced to work doubly hard in the absence of injured gunner Judel Fuentes, Gonzales averaged team-highs 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds plus 3 assists and 1 steal in the Finals.
With Fuentes expected to return for the Huskers’ last stand, Gonzales could be given more time to rest and be more effective in the fourth quarter.
Quezon is ahead in 3-point conversion, making 17 of 45 attempts against Abra’s 12 of 38, but the Weavers compensated by ruling the boards, 95-82, and sinking more charities, 35-15.
Before the game starts, the league will honor the Seventh Season’s All-Star MPBL First Team, Second Team, MVP, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Homegrown Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sportsmanship awardee, and the Executive of the Year.
