The Quezon Huskers rode a closing 10-point cluster to topple the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, 72-67, on Saturday in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Caloocan Sports Complex.
Trailing, 62-67, the Huskers found saviors in Judel Fuentes and Jolo Manansala to tally their 10th win in 12 starts and move closer to the Gensan Warriors (14-2) and the Batangas City Tanduay Athletics (12-2) in the South standings of the two-division, 27-team tournament.
In other games, The San Juan Knights found their rhythm in the second quarter and never wavered to trounce the Sarangani 10ACT Marlins, 110-76, while the Quezon City Black Bulls routed the also-ran Paranaque Patriots, 106-74, in the second game to climb to 7-8 and revive their playoff hopes.
After Manansala soared for a drive, Fuentes buried a triple and cut through the lane, followed by another Manansala drive to regain control for the Huskers, 71-67.
Joshua Yerro pinned Caloocan its second loss in 16 outings by making his first free throw with 8.5 seconds left.
Kean Baclaan canned a one-handed jumper, followed by a drive to put Caloocan up by five with 6 minutes and 14 seconds to go.
Caloocan went silent the rest of the way, however, as Eric Camson missed two free throws and a short stab, and the Batang Kankaloo’s guns misfired.
Cedric Manzano, Quezon’s center of power, posted 20 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals to clinch the SportsPlus best player honors over Fuentes, with 14 points and 6 assists, and Cyrus Tabi, with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
The Knights, with Michael Calisaan, JP Boral and Reyland Torres at the firing end, poured in 32 points in that span to pull away for good, 46-32, and raised their record to 12-1.
