Defending champion Abra and contending Gensan held virtual practice sessions against cellar-dwellers Negros and Paranaque, respectively, on Saturday in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Quezon City District 2 Gymnasium.
The Abra Solid North Weavers led throughout and clobbered the Negros Hacienderos, 122-81, in the second game to duplicate the Gensan Warriors’ coast-to-coast 126-86 thrashing of the Paranaque Patriots in the opener of another triple-bill.
With their homegrowns joining the scoring spree, the Weavers led as far as 108-54 en route to their seventh straight win and a 9-1 record in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Georell Gonzales, pride of Bucay, Abra, sparkled with 23 points, highlighted by seven triples, and 2 rebounds and was chosen the SportsPlus best player over Encho Serrano, with a team-high 25 points, and Drex Delos Reyes, with 17 points and 16 rebounds.
Raven Gonzales, last year’s Rookie of the Year, delivered 16 points and 8 rebounds, followed by Jake Figueroa, with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, and Josh Asuncion, of Tayum, Abra, with 10 points and 6 rebounds.
Negros tumbled to 1-8 despite Carl Joshua Alattica’s 26 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists, Michael Alvarez’s 17 points, and Wilson Baltazar’s 11 points and 6 rebounds.
Its 10-win run broken by Abra on Wednesday, Gensan was in fiery mood and with eight Warriors, headed by Fil-Indonesian Karl Gloria, Anton Eusebio and Marwin Dionisio, in double figures stormed ahead, 123-80, and rebounded to 11-1.
The 6-foot-5 Eusebio, a former College of St. Benilde Blazer, posted 18 points, highlighted by a dunk late in the third quarter, 12 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks to edge Gloria, with 19 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals, and Dionisio, with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, for best player honors.
Other Warriors who struck hard were Mark Cruz, with 13 points, 13 assists and 6 rebounds, CJ Gonzales, with 12 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds, Joshua Fontanilla, with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, Eloie Tan, with 10 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds, and Nelo Santos, with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
Paranaque, still winless after 12 starts, got 20 points and 3 assists from Jobert Medina, 15 points and 8 rebounds from Samuel Peralta, 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists from Dom Matillano, and 10 points plus 3 rebounds from Paolo Castro.
Meycauayan Marilao foils Sarangani
The Meycauayan Marilao Gems withstood the Sarangani Marlins’ spirited assault to prevail, 70-66, in the nightcap and climbed to 7-3.
Jimboy Pasturan notched 24 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds, and Agem Miranda tallied 15 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds for the Gems, who was cruising for home with a 67-42 spread in the last seven minutes.
The Gems turned complacent, while the Marlins persevered to reduce the margin, 69-48, before Carl Bryan Lacap anchored a 17-point cluster, scoring the last nine that shoved Sarangani within 66-69, with 14.7 seconds left.
Jayson Apolonio was fouled with 1.6 seconds to go and split the two free throws for the final count that pulled Sarangani down to 1-11.
Lacap chalked up 24 points and 3 rebounds, followed by Danny Marilao, with 17 points and 8 rebounds.
Gensan and Abra trail Caloocan (11-0) and Quezon Province (8-0) in the overall race for playoff spots.
The MPBL returns to the One Arena Cainta on Monday, featuring games between Pasig and Bacolod at 4 p.m., Imus and Zamboanga at 6 p.m., and Binan and Marikina at 8 p.m.
