The Gensan Warriors quashed Zamboanga SiKat's final assault to prevail, 75-70, and tightened their grip on second spot in the South division of the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season at the sweaty, jampacked Pola Gymnasium in Oriental Mindoro.

Zamboanga rallied from 16 points down to within 65-70, but Gensan held the fort with seven charities in the last minute to raise its record to 13-2, trailing only back-to-back division champion Quezon Province (9-0) in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.

Anton Eusebio drilled in back-to-back triples to push Gensan to a 54-37 spread with 4:40 left in the third quarter, from which Zamboanga couldn't overhaul.

The 6-foot-5 former College of Saint Benilde Blazer finished with 22 points, spiked by six triples, three rebounds and two assists to earn the SportsPlus Best Player honors.

Hesed Gabo provided support with 17 points, three rebounds and two assists, followed by Mark Cruz, with eight points, four rebounds, two assists and three steals.

Zamboanga fell to 4-9 despite the 20-point effort of Brandon Wilson, the 11-point, nine-rebound output of Joseph Gabayni, and 10 points each from Paeng Are, Levin Hernandez and Reggz Gabat, including a buzzer-beater triple that knotted the count, 32-32, at the half.

Meanwhile, Biñan Tatak Gel banked on the hot hands of Nic Cabañero in the fourth quarter to subdue the Meycauayan Marilao Gems, 70-64, in the opener.

The 6-foot-2 Cabañero, former star of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, poured in 11 points, including pivotal back-to-back triples, in that span as Biñan notched its eighth straight win and climbed to 11-3.

Compiling 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 24-minute stint, Cabañero was chosen the Best Player over Carlo Lastimosa, who had 18 points and three rebounds.

Pamboy Raymundo also shone for Biñan with 11 points and five rebounds, followed by Warren Bonifacio and Kenny Roger Rocacurva with six points each.