BATANGAS City banked on the hot hands of Levi Hernandez, Cedrick Ablaza and Kenneth Ighalo to dump Pasay, 123-82, on Saturday and returned on track in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at The Capital Arena in Ilagan, Isabela.

Hernandez notched a game-high 28 points, laced by three triples, and made 55 percent of his shots to go with five rebounds and two steals to clinch best player honors over Ablaza, who shot 71.4 percent from the field en route to 16 points, including two triples, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.

Ighalo contributed 12 points on four triples and six rebounds for the Batangas City Tanduay Rhum Masters, who leveled their record to 4-4 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.

Pasay was ahead, 29-28, until Batangas bunched 13 points on Ablaza’s back-to-back triples and Hernandez’s seven straight, to gain control at 41-29 with 37.5 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Voyagers fell to 6-3 despite Warren Bonifacio’s 19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, Marc Daniel Sangco’s 16 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists, and Cyrus Tabi’s 13 points, 8 assists and four rebounds.

Laurenz Victoria had a chance to extend the game, but Laurenz Victoria missed his triple attempt before the final buzzer.

The GenSan Warriors fended off the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys’ repeated rallies to tally a wire-to-wire 90-83 victory in the nightcap of another triple-bill.

Powered by Kyle Tolentino and Rene Pacquiao, the Warriors surged ahead, 22-6, and proceeded to tie the Rhum Masters’ 4-4 mark.

Ilagan Isabela threatened at 71-74 on a drive by Arth Dela Cruz, but Nico Elorde converted two charities, Tolentino drilled in a triple and Elorde followed suit to give GenSan breathing room, 82-71, with 4 minutes and 55 seconds to go.

Mark Dyke, Mark Antony Marcos and JR Olegario pushed Isabela closer, 80-84, with 1 minute and 25 seconds left, but Tolentino and Elorde canned two charities each to pull down the Cowboys to 4-5.

Tolentino finished with 16 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists; Elorde 14 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds; Val Acuna 14 points and 3 rebounds; and Pacquiao 12 points and 7 rebounds.

The Cowboys got 18 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks from Dela Cruz; 20 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals from Allen Mina; 15 points and 3 rebounds from Olegario; and 12 points plus 7 rebounds from Marcos.

The Quezon Huskers battered Manila Batang Quiapo, 123-82, in the freewheeling opener.

With LJ Gonzales and Judel Fuentes finding their range, the Huskers surged ahead, 89-62, after three quarters and never let up to post their third straight win and improve to 7-1.

The Huskers shared third spot with the Abra Weavers and trailed only the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards (8-0) and the San Juan Knights (6-0) in the chase for playoff spots.

Gonzales posted 16 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals to emerge the best player over Fuentes, who tallied 16 points and 5 assists.

Flaunting their depth, the Huskers also drew twin digits from JP Sarao (15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists), Ximone Sandagon (13 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists), Christian Pagaran (12 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals), Gab Banal (11 points plus 4 rebounds), and homegrown Emman Tagle (10 points).

Manila tasted its seventh straight defeat after an initial win despite Achie Inigo’s 17-point, 7-rebound, 4-assist effort and homegrown John Ashley Faa’s 14 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 steals.

Batang Quiapo also drew 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists from John Derico Lopez and 11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks from Jan Baltazar.

The MPBL returns to the Orion Sports Complex with games pitting Bacolod against Pampanga at 4 p.m., Muntinlupa against Valenzuela at 6 p.m., and host Bataan against Bulacan at 8 p.m.

AUTHOR PROFILE

People's Tonight