Quezon bounces back, rips Valenzuela

Quezon Province proved more proficient long-range shooters than Valenzuela City and prevailed, 75-55, in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2025 Season at the Olivarez College Gym in Parañaque City.

Led by Joshua Yerro, who went a perfect 4-of-4 from rainbow territory, and Judel Fuentes, who made 2-of-2, the Huskers drilled in nine of 19 triple tries that swamped the Magic, who could only sink 3-of-19 attempts.

Smarting from the 82-88 defeat it suffered against Pampanga on 10 May, Quezon Province led throughout and by as far as 75-55 en route to a 9-2 record in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.

Yerro, a 6-foot-1 high-flyer from Adamson University, finished with 14 points and two rebounds to clinch Best Player honors over Judel Fuentes, who posted 13 points, four rebounds and three assists, and JP Sarao, who chalked up 10 points and six rebounds.

Valenzuela tasted a fifth straight loss and tumbled to 3-9 as only Jan Formento struck back with 19 points and three rebounds.

The Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters notched a wire-to-wire 75-60 victory over the Sarangani Gripper and returned to the upper half of the standings with a 6-5 card.

Powered by Cedrick Ablaza, Levi Hernandez and John Ambulodto, Batangas surged to a 42-24 halftime spread, which Sarangani couldn’t recover.

Hernandez posted 20 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, Ambulodto 11 points plus six rebounds, Jeckster Apinan nine points, nine rebounds, four assists, and Mark Niel Cruz nine points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.

Sarangani, which fell to 2-10, got 19 points and five rebounds from Junjie Hallare, 11 points plus eight rebounds from Coy Alves, and nine points from Larce Sunga.