Basilan and Marikina won in contrasting fashion, joining the early leaders in the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2026 Season at One Arena Cainta in Rizal Province.

The Basilan Steel cruised past Valenzuela City, 99-86, in the second game, while Marikina BigZ Burger turned hot in the fourth quarter and bested Sarangani, 75-66, in the nightcap of another elimination round triple-bill.

They joined the Meycauayan Marilao Gems, who trounced Zamboanga SiKat, 94-76, in the opener, previous winners San Juan, Caloocan, Cebu, Gensan, Bulacan, Mindoro and Batangas at the top of the two-division, 28-team tournament.

John Wilson, the MPBL Most Valuable Player in 2021, wound up with 27 points, seven rebounds and two assists to clinch the SportsPlus Best Player honors for Basilan.