Mindoro regained traction while Zamboanga SiKat sustained its climb in the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season on Monday at the Orion Sports Complex in Bataan.

Sidetracked last Friday, the Mindoro Tamaraws gored the Negros Hacienderos, 120-74, in the second game, while the Zamboangueños thwarted the Bataan Risers, 94-87, in the nightcap.

Also emerging victorious were the Quezon City Black Bulls, who stifled the Imus Yangkees with a full-court press in the second half to prevail, 111-94, in the opener.

The Black Bulls, led by Patrick Buena and Jessie Sumoda, rallied from a 44-49 halftime deficit to seize control after three quarters, 89-71, and improve to 9-11 in the North division.

Kobe Monje paced Quezon City with 18 points, three rebounds and three assists and was named the Best Player over Sumoda, who tallied 18 points, four rebounds and two assists, and Buena, who notched 15 points, six assists and two steals.

With seven Tamaraws posting double digits, Mindoro led throughout and as far as 109-58 in notching its 12th win against 10 losses, the last a 69-70 heartbreaker against the Cebu Tamaraws, in the round-robin elimination phase of the 26-team tournament.

The Tamaraws are assured of a stint in the play-in for teams ranked seventh to 10th after the eliminations, and with four games left, can still catch up with the Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers (14-7) for the sixth spot in the South division quarterfinal slots.

Joshua Flores posted 19 points and 11 rebounds and was chosen the SportsPlus best player over fellow Tamaraws RJ Ramirez, with 17 points, seven assists and three rebounds; Bambam Gamalinda with 14 points, 10 rebounds and three assists; JC Recto, with 12 points, 11 rebounds and three assists; Jayjay Caspe, with 12 points, three rebounds and three assists; Joshua Ramirez, with 10 points, four rebounds and two assists; and Marion Magat, with 10 points and five rebounds.

Also-ran Negros (1-21) drew 25 points from DH Howe, 16 from Michael Alvarez, and 11 from Rev Diputado.

Zamboanga also dominated Bataan, surging ahead, 64-40, before coasting to its ninth win in 21 starts, assuring it of a play-in stint in the South.

Brandon Wilson shone for Zamboanga with 23 points, spiked with four triples, seven rebounds and two steals; followed by Levi Hernandez, with 18 points and eight rebounds, Paeng Are, 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals, and homegrown Forthsky Padrigao, with 11 points and five assists.

Bataan, which skidded to 9-13, got 21 points, four rebounds and four assists from Alfred Flores, 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals from Edrian Ramirez, and 10 points plus six rebounds from Joshua Gallano.