Lopsided wins by Batangas, Rizal and Valenzuela marked the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season on Thursday at the Batangas City Coliseum.
The Batangas Tanduay Athletics rebounded with a 98-68 thrashing of Pasig in the nightcap to match Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers’ 117-79 dumping of the Parañaque Patriots in the second game, and Valenzuela Darkhorse’s 85-67 beating of the Negros Hacienderos in the opener.
Reeling from back-to-back stingy losses, Batangas pounded Pasig till the end and improved to 3-2 in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Ced Ablaza chalked up 13 points, sinking 6 of 7 field goal attempts, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, and was chosen the SportsPlus Best Player over Ino Comboy, with 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals, and Abdul Sawat, with 13 points, four rebounds and two assists.
Other Athletics who delivered were Mark Niel Cruz, with 12 points and seven rebounds, and Dawn Ochea, with 11 points and four rebounds.
Pasig fell to 1-1 as only Ahron Estacio, with 20 points, four steals and two assists, and Keith Pido, with 11 points, two rebounds and two assists, struck back.
Rizal, powered by Billy Robles, was even more imposing in improving to 2-2 and pulling Parañaque down to 0-5.
Robles posted 29 points, five rebounds and three assists, followed by Joel Lee Yu with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists, Laurenz Victoria with 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds, Alwyn Alday with 12 points and two rebounds, and JP Sarao with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Parañaque, which trailed as far as 69-110, got 26 points and eight rebounds from Jomar Santos, 16 points, six rebounds and two assists from Marlon Monte, and 13 points, three rebounds and three assists from Ryusei Koga.