Quezon keeps rolling, clobbers Zamboanga

Streaking Quezon Province subdued Zamboanga SiKat, 64-54, to assert its dominance in the South Division of the Manny Pacquiao Presents Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2025 Season at the Robert Estrella Sr. Memorial Gymnasium in Rosales, Pangasinan on Saturday.

With Judel Fuentes at the helm, the Huskers pulled away at 54-42 and held the fort en route to their eighth straight win and a 24-4 record, way ahead of the Batangas City Rum Masters (19-9) and the Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers, who bowed to the Pangasinan Heatwaves, 67-75, in the nightcap.

Fuentes posted 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals for the Huskers, the reigning South champion and losing national finalist to the Pampanga Giant Lanterns.

Alfrancis Tamsi supported Fuentes with 9 points, followed by Diego Dario and LJ Gonzales with 7 points each.

Zamboanga fell to joint fourth with Gensan at 17-11 and must beat Caloocan in its last game in the round-robin elimination phase to gain the homecourt edge in the playoffs.

Zamboanga drew 15 points, four rebounds from Michael Are and Chino Mosqueda with nine points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Egged on by the hometown crowd, the Heatwaves greeted the third quarter with a nine-point cluster and surged ahead, 46-29, before cruising to their 19th win against eight losses in the North Division, the same as the Giant Lanterns.

Pangasinan drew 19 points and 11 rebounds from Vic Manuel, 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists from Allyn Bulanadi, eight points plus eight rebounds from Jorey Napoles, and eight points plus four rebounds from Lervin Flores.

Rizal skidded to 18-9 despite Michael Canete's 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Samboy De Leon's 13 points, five rebounds and three blocks.

Meanwhile, the Pasay Voyagers extended their upward trip with an 87-50 drubbing of Imus Grumpy Joe in the opener.

Pasay's 10th straight win pushed the Voyagers' record to 20-8 and the fourth spot in the North Division.

The Voyagers trail playoff qualifiers Abra (25-1), Nueva Ecija (26-2) and San Juan (25-3).