Basilan Steel leaned once again veteran John Wilson to stun the Gensan Warriors, 82-79, on Monday and regain traction in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Flashing the form that made him the 2019 MVP, Wilson, 39. knocked in a jumper and sank two charities with 0.8 seconds left to end Basilan’s three-game slide and improve to 6-7 in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Wilson notched 23 points, laced by four triples, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 27 minutes and 13 seconds to earn the SportsPlus best player over Gab Cometa, who tallied 20 points, spiked by three triples, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in 17 minutes.
In other games, Meycauayan Marilao Gems put the clamps on the Imus Yangkee in the second quarter and never let go to tally a runaway 120-75 victory, while the Valenzuela Darkhorse subdued the Bacolod Masskara, 92-80, for a 7-6 card.
Mark Montuano, acquired from the Mindoro Tamaraws, contributed 17 points and 4 rebounds while manning the slot for Basilan, which reinforced its roster in the hope of making the playoffs.
Riding on the triple-double of Agem Miranda and the double-double of Jayson Apolonio and Felix Apreku, the Gems bundled 12 points to pull away, 112-69, and climb to 8-4.
Meycauauan Marilao is in fifth place in the North division behind Caloocan (12-1), Abra Solid North (10-1), San Juan (9-1) and Pasig City (7-3).
