The San Juan Knights and the Quezon Huskers trounced separate opponents to sustain momentum in the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season on Tuesday at the Navotas Convention Center.

Led by Michael Calisaan, the Knights subdued the Meycauayan Marilao Gyms, 88-78, in the opener, while the Huskers followed suit with a wire-to-wire 86-73 victory over the Bataan Risers in the round-robin elimination phase of the 27-team tournament.

San Juan raised its record to 14-1, sharing the top spot with defending champion Abra Solid North, its 66-58 victim on 2 May, in the playoff race of the North division.

Quezon opened with a 13-point bundle and never wavered en route to a 12-2 slate, tailing Batangas (13-2) in the South division.

High-flyer Jolo Manansala paced the Huskers with 15 points, including two triples, and five rebounds to clinch the SportsPlus Best Player honors over Cedric Manzano, who had 14 points, 14 rebounds and three assists.

Other Huskers who delivered were Christian Pagaran with 13 points and six rebounds, and Joshua Yerro with 11 points and three assists.

Bataan, which skidded to 6-11, drew 13 points and four rebounds from Alfred Flores, 12 points and five rebounds from Yves Sazon, 11 points, four rebounds and three assists from Robbi Darang, and 11 points and four rebounds from Yerro.

Calisaan, taking over the role vacated by Japan B. League-bound Michael Phillips, notched 19

19 points, making 9 of 10 field goal attempts, and snagged seven rebounds, while former University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons Harold Alarcon, Terrence Fortea and Gerry Abadiano provided solid support.

Alarcon notched 14 points, four rebounds and two assists, Fortea 13 points, spiked by three triples, and four assists, and the Korean Basketball League-bound Abadiano 10 points and four assists.

“I trust my teammates. I know the ball will come to me,” said Calisaan, who was named as the game’s best player. “That’s part of our system.”

With the 6-foot-8 Phillips gone and the 6-foot-6 Jommel Puno staying with San Beda, San Juan team manager Jun Usman said the Knights intend to put 6-foot-6 Jhaymo Eguilos on the active list.

The Gems fell to 9-8 despite Agem Miranda’s 20 points, 5 steals and 4 rebounds, Felix Apreku’s 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, and Shawn Argente’s 10 points plus three assists.