Caloocan needed just one scoring spurt to subdue Pasig City, 96-87, and keep in step with Abra Solid North in the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season at the Caloocan Sports Complex on Thursday.

With Kymani Ladi bundling 10 points, the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo dropped an 18-point bomb bridging the second and third quarters and pulled away, 53-33, to stay in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 26-team tournament.

The Batang Kankaloo caught up with the San Juan Knights at 18-3 and trailed the Weavers, who bested the Quezon City Black Bulls, 79-71, in the first game, in the jostling for top four placings in the quarterfinal playoffs of the North division.

The 6-foot-8 Ladi finished with 28 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks and was named the SportsPlus Best Player over Jeff Manday, with 15 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Rommel Calahat, Dom Escobar and Jammer Jamito supported with eight points each for Caloocan.

Pasig skidded to 10-11 despite Jerald Bautista’s 18 points, three rebounds and two assists; Jerome Garcia’s 17 points and five rebounds, Jacob Galicia’s 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, and Keith Pido’s 10 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.