Quezon, Abra rip MPBL foes

Quezon Province and Abra Solid North trounced their opponents and stayed close to the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2025 Season pacesetters at the Robert Estrella Sr. Memorial Gymnasium in Rosales, Pangasinan.

Pounding the boards, the Huskers battered the Pangasinan Heatwaves, 92-74, while the Weavers swamped the Bataan Risers, 96-74, to raise their record to 8-1 and share third spot in the round-robin elimination phase.

Unbeaten Nueva Ecija (8-0) and San Juan (7-0) pace the race for playoff slots in the 30-team tournament split into North and South divisions.

The Huskers, last year’s South champion, collared 65 rebounds against the Heatwaves’ 45 and converted this to a decisive 33-7 edge in second chance points.

LJ Gonzales powered Quezon, which bowed to Pampanga in the 2024 National Finals, with 21 points, six rebounds, four steals, three blocks and two assists.

Judel Fuentes provided support with 12 points and six rebounds, JP Sarao with 11 points and six rebounds, Ximone Sandagon with nine points and seven rebounds, RJ Minerva with eight points and six rebounds, and Vince Magbuhos with a game-high 11 rebounds, five assists, four points and two steals.

With Vic Manuel at the helm, Pangasinan moved to within 71-78, only to be neutralized by a 10-1 blast, the last six by Gonzales, by Quezon.

Pangasinan absorbed its second straight loss and fell to 5-3 despite Michael Mabulac’s 30-point, 10-rebound effort, Manuel’s 18 points, four rebounds and three steals, and Ian Melencio’s nine points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Flaunting their depth and firepower, the Weavers cruised to their sixth straight win behind Encho Serrano’s 16 points, four rebounds and four assists, and Marwin Taywan’s 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds and two steals.

Other Weavers who delivered were Mark Yee with 12 points and nine rebounds, Dave Ildefonso with 11 points and six rebounds, Alfred Batino’s 10 points and seven rebounds, CJ Austria’s 10 points and two rebounds and Raven Gonzales’ eight points plus 11 rebounds.

Bataan saw its three-game run broken and dropped to 4-6, with Lorenz Capulong chalking 12 points and 11 rebounds and Hubert Cani posting 10 points, three rebounds and two assists.