QUEZON Province and Zamboanga Sikat posted convincing victories on Tuesday to move nearer the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season leaders at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

The Quezon Huskers exploited their board dominance to trounce the Quezon City Galeries Taipans, 79-66, in the opener, while the Zamboanguenos banked on a second-quarter run to subdue Manila Batang Quiapo, 106-89, in the second game of the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.

Roi Sumang and Paul Turcu fired five each as Zamboanga bundled 14 points to wrest control from Manila, 49-40, and proceed to match Quezon’s 5-1 record.

They trail Nueva Ecija (6-0), San Juan (4-0), Muntilupa (3-0) and Pasig (1-0) and were tied with Abra, Rizal Xentromall and Pangasinan in the chase for playoff spots.

The Pasay Voyagers also gained traction with a coast-to-coast 91-83 conquest of the Sarangani Grippers in the nightcap.

Powered by Laurenz Victoria, Warren Bonifacio, Cyrus Tabi and AJ Coronel, Pasay climbed to 5-2 and pulled down Sarangani to 0-7.

Victoria tallied 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals; Bonifacio 12 points, 14 rebounds and 2 assists; Tabi 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals; and Coronel 10 points plus 5 rebounds.

Sarangani got 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists from Martin Gozum, 16 points, 9 rebounds from Arvie Bringas, 15 points plus 2 rebounds from Junjie Hallare, and 11 points plus 12 rebounds from Larce Christian Sunga.

Sinking 5 triples, Sumang pooled 23 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks to clinch best player honors over teammates Michael Are, who chalked 13 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals; and Abdul Sawat, who notched 11 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists.

Reggz Albert Sawat contributed 11 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists; John Arthur Calisay with 10 points plus 4 rebounds; and the 6-foot-6 Turco with 9 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assist, 2 steals and 2 blocks.

Manila absorbed its sixth straight defeat after an initial win despite the joint efforts of homegrown John Ashley Faa, who posted 22 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists, and Richard Albo with 22 points plus 7 rebounds.

The Huskers grabbed 50 rebounds against the Taipans’ 34 and converted this edge to more points in the paint, 30-16, second chance points, 18-3, and fast break points, 17-3.

Christian Pagaran, a 6-foot-1 prized find from the University of Perpetual Help System (DALTA), posted 10 points and 4 rebounds and was named best player over fellow Huskers Joseph Gabayani with 11 points and 6 rebounds and Jason Opiso with 10 points and 7 rebounds.

Other Huskers who delivered for Coach Eric Gonzales were Judel Ric Fuentes with 10 points, 4 assists and 2 steals; Vince Magbuhos with 10 points and 3 rebounds; and LJ Gonzales with 8 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.

Quezon City, which fell to 2-4, got 14 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds from Franz Diaz, 12 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds from Nino Ibanez, and 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists from Jerome Santos.

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