San Juan and Biñan won in runaway fashion while Mindoro scrambled past Marikina in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season on Monday, Aug. 10, at the Paco Arena in Manila.
The San Juan Knights dumped the Manila Batang Quiapo, 124-75, in the nightcap, improving on Biñan Tatak Gel’s 110-86 conquest of the Paranaque Patriots in the opener.
Powered by Patrick Sleat and Harold Alarcon, the Knights led as far as 82-39 in cruising to their 16th win against two losses that put them closer to the Abra Solid North Weavers (18-1) and the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo (17-2) in the North division race for playoff spots.
Sleat, former star of the Perpetual Help Altas, finished with 21 points, highlighted by a two-handed slam, 4 rebounds and 2 assists to clinch the SportsPlus best player honors over Alarcon, former UP Fighting Maroons stalwart, who missed a triple-double with 10 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists.
Michael Calisaan supported with 14 points and 8 rebounds, Nikko Panganiban with 12 points and 5 rebounds, and Dexter Maiquez with 10 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.
Mindoro scrambles past Marikina
Mindoro crawled out of a deep hole in the fourth quarter to nip Marikina, 71-69, in the second game and boost its playoff drive in the South division, where Biñan holds a 17-4 record.
The Mindoro Tamaraws rose to 11-9, virtually assured of a play-in slot involving the 7th to 10th-ranked teams after the eliminations.
Trailing as far as 47-62 and still behind at 52-65, Mindoro bunched 12 points to threaten at 64-65.
Marikina responded with four free throws to pad the lead, 69-64, with 28.3 seconds left.
Mindoro’s Jayjay Caspe, however, sprang a triple and stole off Marikina’s RR Casajeros in the next play, forcing Casajeros to commit an unsportsmanlike foul that sent Mindoro’s Drick Acosta to the free throw line. Acosta settled for a split, after which Bambam Gamalinda drilled a triple to push Mindoro in front, 71-69, with 10.7 seconds left.
It turned out to be the final count, as Casajeros missed two charities with 4.8 ticks to go.
Mindoro drew 15 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 assists from JC Recto, 14 points and 5 rebounds from Caspe, and 11 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists from Marion Magat.
The Tamaraws prevailed despite making only 16 of 38 free throw attempts, with Recto missing all of his seven tries, for 42.1 percent
Marikina, which slid to 6-15, got 14 points from Jeepy Faundo, 13 from Jethro Escoto, and 12 from Jomel Landayan.
Biñan trounces Paranaque
Up by three points after the first quarter, Biñan took the half by six, the third quarter by 17, and as far as 110-84 en route to a 17-4 card and the third position in the South division.
Biñan, which recovered from a 53-63 beating it absorbed from Abra Solid North on August 1, trails Quezon Province (15-3) and Batangas City (15-3), and is ahead of Gensan (13-4) in the chase for playoff spots.
Nic Cabanero again shone for Biñan with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, followed by Michael Mabulac with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists.
Other major contributors for Biñan were Ryan Sual with 12 points, hitting four of five triple attempts, 2 rebounds and 2 assists; Jaymar Gimpayan, with 10 points and 4 rebounds, and Damian Lasco, with 10 points plus 2 rebounds.
Paranaque skidded to 2-22 despite Marlon Monte’s 15 points and 6 rebounds, Dom Matillano’s 13 points and 4 rebounds, Paolo Castro’s 13 points, Jomar Santos’ 12 points and 4 rebounds, and Dan Sara’s 11 points plus 4 assists.
The tournament returns to the Caloocan Sports Complex on Tuesday, featuring games between Bataan and Sarangani at 3 p.m., Zamboanga and Valenzuela at 5 p.m., and Caloocan and Gensan at 7 p.m.
