Abra, Pangasinan secure spots on top

Abra and Pangasinan trounced separate opponents on Friday to share the lead in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2025 Season at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

The Abra Weavers started strong and battered the Marikina Shoemasters, 97-74, while the Pangasinan Heatwaves waxed hot throughout and torched the Bulacan Kuyas, 91-51, on Friday to notch their second straight win in the round-robin elimination round of the 30-team tournament.

Drilling in triples, the Weavers led by as far as 75-43, early in the third quarter, replicating the effort of the Heatwaves, who posted their biggest margin at the final buzzer.

Encho Serrano led Abra’s surge with 19 points, including two triples, three rebounds and two assists to clinch best player honors over CJ Austria, who posted 13 points, including three triples, and two rebounds, and Dave Ildefonso with 12 points, including two triples, four rebounds and two assists.

Jayson Castro Apolonio also delivered for Weavers Coach Yong Garcia with 10 points, including two triples, three rebounds and two assists, and so did homegrown Georell Gonzales with eight points.

The taller Weavers ruled the boards, 59-40, and emerged the better shooters, sinking 16 of 38 tries from beyond the arc for a high 42.1 percent conversion.

Way ahead, 45-20, at the half, the Heatwaves kept grinding behind Michael Mabulac, Michael Digregorio and homegrown Kriss Kelly Gurtiza.

Mabulac tallied 14 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists to earn Best Player honors, besting Digregorio, who finished with 12 points and two rebounds, and Gurtiza, who notched 12 points, three rebounds and two steals for Coach Jerson Cabiltes.

Vic Manuel flexed his muscles with 11 points and four rebounds, while Jerald Bautista chalked eight points and five rebounds for the Heatwaves, who are projected to make the playoffs this season.

The Kuyas got 17 points and eight rebounds from RR De Leon and 13 points plus eight rebounds from Jebb Bulawan, but still got clobbered underneath, 39-55.