Batangas and Biñan extended their winning runs on Tuesday, June 2 in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the One Arena Cainta in Rizal Province.
The Batangas City Tanduay Athletics bested the Mindoro Tamaraws, 77-71, while the Biñan Tatak Gel routed the undermanned Iloilo United Royals, 114-64, to sustain their rise in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Ino Comboy, a former Tamaraw, paced Batangas with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, followed by Kraniel Viloria, with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, and Abdul Sawat, with 10 points and 3 rebounds.
Marion Magat scored on a follow-up, a two-handed dunk, made his first free throw, only to miss the second, dashing Mindoro’s hopes, 68-75, with 24.3 seconds left.
Batangas posted its sixth straight win for an 8-2 card that put the Athletics behind the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo (10-0), Gensan Warriors (10-0), Quezon Huskers (8-0), San Juan Knights (7-1), and Abra Solid North Weavers (7-1).
Mindoro dropped to 5-5 as only Magat, with 15 points and 7 rebounds, and Bambam Gamalinda, with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals, were able to hit their stride.
Biñan cruised to its fifth straight win and an 8-3 slate as Iloilo fielded only six United Royals, making them easy prey for the Lagunenses, all of whom scored.
Homegrown John Barba presided over Biñan’s romp with 16 points and 3 rebounds, towing Michael Mabulac, with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, Nic Cabanero, with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists, Jonah Jacob, with 13 points and 4 rebounds, and Pamboy Raymundo, with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Iloilo, which slid to 2-9, drew 25 points and 2 rebounds from Carl Sumalacay, 16 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists from Dan Sara, and 12 points plus 6 rebounds from Jasper Longalong.
Zamboanga Sikat fielded three recruits and reaped early dividends with an 83-73 over Bulacan in the opener.
Brandon Wilson and Forthsky Padrigao shone in their pro debuts while veteran Levi Hernandez, acquired from Iloilo, also delivered to push Zamboanga’s record to 3-7.
The 6-foot-6 Wilson, formerly of the Oklahoma City University Stars, notched 16 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals to clinch the SportsPlus best player honors over homegrown Padrigao, a former UAAP Season 85 Elite Team member with the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, with 16 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds.
Hernandez, who played for Batangas last year, contributed 11 points and 2 rebounds for Zamboanga, which hopes to recover from its poor start and make the playoffs.
“I love the intensity, I love the physicality,” said the 220-pound Wilson. “It’s my brand of basketball.”
Zamboanga’s Inand Fornilos and John Mahari contributed 8 points each, with Joshua Lazaro, who added 11 rebounds and 6 assists.
Bulacan fell to 3-7 despite Airohn Acop’s 24 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists, Kenneth Castillo’s 16 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks, and Jeremy Cruz’s 11 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
The MPBL returns to the San Jose Del Monte City Sports Complex on Wednesday, featuring games between Pasig and Ilagan Isabela at 4 p.m., Abra and Gensan at 6 p.m., and Negros and Manila at 8 p.m.
