The Cebu Greats and the Pasay Voyagers hurdled their rivals on Friday to keep in step with the Quezon City Black Bulls in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the One Arena Cainta in Rizal Province.
Powered by homegrown icon Dondon Hontiveros and high-flyer Mark Meneses, Cebu rallied to beat Imus Yangkee, 91-77, in the nightcap, while Pasay breezed past Sarangani 10ACT, 75-58, in the second game, preceding Quezon City’s 102-70 thrashing of the Iloilo United Royals.
Cebu, Pasay and Quezon City tote 4-2 records in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Flashing vintage form, the 48-year-old Hontiveros posted 18 points, all from triples, and 3 assists to clinch the SportsPlus best player honors over Meneses, who pooled 16 points, highlighted by a one-handed and two-handed slams, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocks and 2 assists.
Hontiveros, a many-time national player and former Cebu City councilor, also achieved a milestone when he shared the floor with his son, Ice, in the fourth quarter.
They became only the second father-son tandem to see action together in the MPBL, following Marlou Aquino and son Matthew, who played alongside each other for the Bacoor Strikers in the 2019 Season.
Tiny Ryan Costelo stood tall for Quezon City, pouring in 24 points, 15 in the fourth quarter, 6 assists and 2 rebounds, to earn best player honors over Christian Jake Agoncillo, with 13 points and 5 rebounds.
Levi Hernandez was the lone bright spot for the United Royals, chalking 36 points, including all of Iloilo’s 23 points in the third quarter, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
The 5-foot-6 Costelo pumped in eight in a 10-point run that padded Quezon City’s lead to 96-65 and doomed Iloilo to a 1-5 slate.
