JOSHUA Fontanila drives his way to a 17-point performance to lift the Gensan Warriors to a 91-80 win over the Cebu Greats to gain a share of lead in the MPBL 2026 Season on Friday.
PHOTOGRAPH courtesy of mpbl
The Gensan Warriors withstood the Cebu Greats’ repeated assaults to prevail, 91-80, and share the lead in the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season on Friday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Anton Eusebio poured in nine points and joined forces with Joshua Fontanilla, Kris Porter and Hesed Gabo to power the Warriors to their 10th straight win that put them in a tie with the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
The 6-foot-5 Eusebio, a former College of Saint Benilde Blazer, posted 15 points, 11 rebounds and three assists, while Fontanilla finished with 17 points, three rebounds and two steals to clinch the SportsPlus Best Player honors.
Other Warriors who delivered were Marwin Dionisio, with 15 points, 10 rebounds and two assists, Mark Cruz, with 12 points and five assists, and Porter, with 13 points, Adi Santos with five points and 14 rebounds, and Gabo with eight points and 11 assists.
Cebu tumbled to 7-3 despite Mark Meneses’ 17 points and six rebounds, Brian Heruela’s 12 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals, and Paul Desiderio’s 10 points, two rebounds and two assists.
The Greats led at 56-44, but the Warriors rallied behind Desiderio and Heruela.
Meanwhile, the Valenzuela City Darkhorse banked on JR Olegario, Jay Collado and Angelo Obuyes to subdue the Parañaque Patriots, 76-72, in the first game and level their slate at 5-5.
Olegario chalked up 20 points, eight rebounds, four steals and two assists, Collado pooled 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
