Lopsided wins by Batangas, Rizal and Valenzuela marked the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season on Thursday at the Batangas City Coliseum.
The Batangas Tanduay Athletics rebounded with a 98-68 thrashing of Pasig in the nightcap to match Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers’ 117-79 dumping of the Paranaque Patriots in the second game, and Valenzuela Darkhorse’s 85-67 beating of the Negros Hacienderos in the opener.
Reeling from back-to-back stingy losses, Batangas pounded Pasig till the end and improved to 3-2 in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Ced Ablaza chalked up 13 points, sinking 6 of 7 field goal attempts, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals, and was chosen the SportsPlus best player over Ino Comboy, with 13 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals, and Abdul Sawat, with 13 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Other Athletics who delivered were Mark Niel Cruz, with 12 points and 7 rebounds, and Dawn Ochea, with 11 points and 4 rebounds.
Pasig fell to 1-1 as only Ahron Estacio, with 20 points, 4 steals and 2 assists, and Keith Pido, with 11 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, struck back.
Rizal, powered by Billy Robles, was even more imposing in improving to 2-2 and pulling Paranaque down to 0-5.
Robles posted 29 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, followed by Joel Lee Yu with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, Laurenz Victoria with 12 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds, Alwyn Alday with 12 points and 2 rebounds, and JP Sarao with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Paranaque, which trailed as far as 69-110, got 26 points and 8 rebounds from Jomar Santos, 16 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists from Marlon Monte, and 13 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists from Ryusei Koga.
Barely ahead, 39-37, at halftime, Valenzuela got the push from Shaq Alanes, Lester Reyes and Jay Collado to pull away, 67-48, after three quarters en route to its second straight win after back-to-back losses in the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Alanes tallied 14 points, laced by three triples, 5 rebounds and 3 assists to edge JR Olegario, with 14 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds, and Angelo Obuyes, with 14 points and 3 rebounds, for best player honors.
Geremy Robinson Jr. also shone for Valenzuela with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, and so did Lester Reyes with 8 points, highlighted by two triples.
Negros skidded to 0-3 as only Jan Formento, with 18 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals, and Carl Joshua Alattica, with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks, found their rhythm.
The MPBL returns to the Alonte Sports Arena on Friday, featuring games between Meycauayan Marilao and Quezon Province at 4 p.m., Marikina and Caloocan at 6 p.m., and host Binan against Basilan at 8 p.m.
