The Abra Solid North Weavers gave the Meycauayan Marilao Gems a rude reality check on Friday in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the One Arena Cainta in Rizal Province.
The defending champion Weavers subdued the Gems, 101-75, in the nightcap and climbed to 10-1, moving closer to the pacesetters in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Abra trails Caloocan (11-1) and tows San Juan (9-1) in the North division race for playoff spots. Quezon Province paces the South division with its 8-0 slate, followed by Gensan (12-1).
In other games, the Paranaque Patriots banked on Marlon Monte to stun the Imus Yangkee, 102-96, and snap their string of 13 losses, while Marikina won by forfeiture over Iloilo United Royals in the second game and improved to 5-8.
Iloilo fell to 2-8. Under Fiba rules, the official score is 20-0.
The league is being bankrolled by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.
The league did not explain the reason the Iloilo squad did now show up its scheduled game.
Monte delivered a personal-high 34 points, 18 in the pivotal third quarter, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals, and was chosen the best player over Domark Matillano, who posted 17 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals.
The Weavers’ Jake Figueroa tallied 12 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists and was chosen the SportsPlus best player over Shaun Ildefonso, who had 15 points and 8 rebounds, and Encho Serrano, with 13 points and 3 assists. Fil-Am DJ Fenner contributed 9 points and 4 rebounds.
Mike Ayonayon completed an alley-oop off a Nico Elorde pass to hand the Weavers their biggest spread, 88-53, with 5 minutes and 46 seconds left.
The taller, bigger Weavers dominated the boards, 53-32, with the 6-foot-8 Drex Delos Reyes helping Figueroa and Ildefonso with 7 rebounds.
