Batangas City and Gensan are tipped to go all out as they collide for the top-four spot in the South division playoffs of the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season on Friday at the Batangas City Coliseum.

Game time is 7 p.m. with the Athletics (18-5) looking for a win over the Warriors (18-5) that would help them secure the No. 4 spot via the virtue of the win-or-the-other tiebreaker. 

The Cebu Greats (19-6) would become No. 3 because of their freak 84-83 stunner over the Athletics on 23 April when Rhinwill Yambing was called for a goaltending violation after Paul Desiderio threw a desperation triple from way out to beat the buzzer.

A win by Gensan, on the other hand, will put the Warriors at No. 3, the Greats at No. 4, and the Athletics at No. 5. Gensan trounced Cebu, 91-80, on 29 May.

Finishing in the top four of the eight qualifiers carries the homecourt advantage in the quarterfinal playoffs.

Batangas will lean on Jhan Nermal, Ino Comboy, Ced Ablaza, Jeckster Apinan and Yambing in their bid to regain the crown it won in the 2018 inaugural edition of the country's biggest regional league.

Gensan, which has yet to reach the division finals, will bank on MPBL All-Stars Anton Eusebio and Hesed Gabo, reigning three-point king Mark Cruz, Marwin Dionisio and Kris Porter.

Also-ran teams Bulacan and Marikina tangle at 5 p.m.