Quezon Province rode on LJ Gonzales’ triple-double and Gab Banal’s clutch hits to subdue Mindoro, 83-74, and rev up its South Division title-retention bid in Manny Pacquiao Presents Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2025 Season on Monday at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.

Gonzales posted 14 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists on top of two blocks to power the Huskers in the opener of their best-of-three quarterfinal series.

Banal wound up with 19 points, including a triple that derailed the Tamaraws’ rally, five assists and three steals, and put the Huskers within a win of advancing to the semifinal round of the tournament.

The Huskers, who repeated their 88-72 victory over the Tamaraws in the elimination round, also drew 15 points and five rebounds from Judel Fuentes, and nine points plus two rebounds from Will Gozum.

Mindoro, the eighth and last playoff qualifier in the South, got 14 points from Bam Gamalinda, 13 points and five rebounds from Joseph Sedurifa, 12 points plus four rebounds from Axel Inigo, and nine points from Ino Comboy, who converted only 3-of-12 field goal attempts.

The Gensan Warriors broke free late in the third quarter, then fended off the Basilan Starhorse Portmasters’ final assaults to prevail, 85-78, in their quarterfinal tussle earlier.

Gensan bunched nine points, the last four by Larry Rodriguez for a 64-52 lead, from which Basilan couldn’t recover.

Jackson Corpuz, formerly of the Philippine Christian University, finished with 14 points, seven in the fourth quarter, plus eight rebounds; Kyle Tolentino with 17 points, six assists and three rebounds, and Larry Rodriguez 10 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Warriors.

Val Acuna and Eloie Tan also delivered for Gensan with 11 and nine points, respectively.

Basilan went down fighting, with Gab Dagangon pouring in 15 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, followed by Adi Santos with 15 points, nine rebounds and three steals, and Arwind Santos with 15 points plus seven rebounds.

With Marwin Dionisio snagging nine rebounds, the Warriors ruled underneath, 50-42, but made fewer points than the Portmasters, 24-30, in the paint.