Batangas and San Juan notched contrasting wins on Tuesday to join the pacesetters in the 2026 MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Preseason Invitational at the Pasay Astrodome.
The Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters battered the Gensan Warriors, 100-80, while the San Juan Knights bested the Ilagan Isabela Warriors, 85-82, to raise their records to 3-0 in the two-group, 18-team event preceding the MPBL Eighth Season.
Caloocan Batang Kankaloo subdued Pasay, 71-63, in the nightcap to rise to 2-1 and remain in strong contention for a playoff spot in Group A, right behind San Juan and Quezon Province (3-0).
Powered by acquisitions Jhan Nermal and Ino Comboy, Batangas dominated the boards, 44-22, and led by as far as 72-47 in catching up with Abra Solid North (3-0) in Group A.
Nermal chalked 15 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists to clinch best player honors over Comboy with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
Other key players for Batangas, the MPBL inaugural titlist in 2018, were returnees Jeckster Apinan with 12 points and 9 rebounds and Ced Ablaza with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, and recruit Kraniel Viloria with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
Gensan, which absorbed its second straight loss, got 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists from Nelo Santos, 10 points and 3 rebounds from DJ Howe, and 9 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists from James Versoza.
Caloocan held Pasay to just three points in the last five minutes to rebound from a 66-59 loss to San Juan on February 14.
Eric Camson led Caloocan with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists, followed by Rommel Calahat with 11 points and 6 rebounds, Kean Baclaan with 10 points and 5 rebounds, and Anotonio Bonsubre with 8 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists.
The Pasay Voyagers, who fell to 1-1, got 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals from prized rookie Steve Nash Enriquez and 11 points plus 3 rebounds from Cyril Gonzales.
Trailing, 78-80, the Knights, behind Garry Abadiano and Michael Calisaan, outscored the Cowboys, 7-2, in the homestretch.
Abadiano posted 14 points and 2 rebounds, Calisaan 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, while Orlan Wamar also delivered with 11 points and 7 assists.
