Caloocan grabbed the solo lead while Abra and Quezon Province debuted in style on Tuesday in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Caloocan Sports Complex.
The Caloocan Batang Kankaloo trounced the Negros Hacienderos, 77-49, in the nightcap to notch their third straight win in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Held to a 37-37 count by Negros after a triple by Jan Formento, Caloocan bundled 11 points, triggered by a Kymani Ladi dunk, to cut loose and never wavered.
The 6-foot-8 Ladi finished with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, followed by Kean Baclaan with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, and Jielo Razon with 9 points and 3 rebounds.
The defending champion Abra Solid North Weavers were even more imposing in a 115-81 thrashing of the Paranaque Patriots in the second game, overshadowing the Quezon Huskers’ 66-59 victory over Binan Tatak Gel in the opener.
Led by the touted DJ Fenner, the powerhouse Weavers surged to a 99-63 spread before easing down on the hapless Patriots.
The 6-foot-6 Fenner, a former US NCAA Division I guard/forward from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, posted 18 points, highlighted by a two-handed slam, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block in a 22-minute, 32-second stint to clinch the SportsPlus best player honors.
Fenner, a veteran of European leagues, was supported by Raven Gonzales with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 assists, Drex Delos Reyes with 15 points, including two one-handed jams, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks, and homegrown Jay Yutuc with 15 points and 5 rebounds.
Reigning MVP Dave Ildefonso settled for 13 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, while his elder brother Shaun contributed 7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal.
With the 6-foot-8 Delos Reyes, the 6-foot-7 Gonzales, and the 6-foot-6 Tucker Molina clogging the shaded lane, the Weavers scored 76 points in the paint against only 24 for the Patriots.
The Weavers, who swept the 2025 MPBL National Finals and the 2026 Preseason Invitational, both against the Huskers, have gone unbeaten for over a year and are now riding a 47-win streak.
