The San Juan Knights and the Quezon Huskers trounced separate opponents on Tuesday to sustain momentum in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Navotas Convention Center.
Led by Michael Calisaan, the Knights subdued the Meycauayan Marilao Gyms, 88-78, in the opener, while the Huskers followed suit with a wire-to-wire 86-73 victory over the Bataan Risers in the round-robin elimination phase of the 27-team tournament.
San Juan raised its record to 14-1, sharing the top spot with defending champion Abra Solid North, its 66-58 victim on May 2, in the playoff race of the North Division.
Quezon opened with a 13-point bundle and never wavered en route to a 12-2 slate, tailing Batangas (13-2) in the South Division.
High-flyer Jolo Manansala paced the Huskers with 15 points, including two triples, and five rebounds to clinch Best Player honors over Cedric Manzano, who had 14 points, 14 rebounds and three assists.
Other Huskers who delivered were Christian Pagaran with 13 points and six rebounds, and Joshua Yerro with 11 points and three assists.
Bataan, which skidded to 6-11, drew 13 points and four rebounds from Alfred Flores; 12 points and five rebounds from Yves Sazon, 11 points, four rebounds and three assists from Robbi Darang, and 11 points and four rebounds from Joshua Yerro.
Calisaan, taking over the role vacated by Japan B. League-bound Michael Phillips, notched 19 points, making 9-of-10 field goal attempts, and snagged seven rebounds, while former University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons Harold Alarcon, Terrence Fortea and Gerry Abadiano provided solid support.
Alarcon notched 14 points, four rebounds and two assists; Fortea 13 points – spiked by three triples – and four assists, and the Korean Basketball League-bound Abadiano 10 points and four assists.
“I trust my teammates. I know the ball will come to me,” said Calisaan, named the game’s Best Player. “That’s part of our system.”
With the 6-foot-8 Phillips gone and the 6-6 Jommel Puno staying with San Beda, San Juan team manager Jun Usman said the Knights intend to put 6-foot-6 Jhaymo Eguilos on the active list.
The Gems fell to 9-8 despite Agem Miranda’s 20 points, five steals and four rebounds; Felix Apreku’s 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals; and Shawn Argente’s 10 points plus three assists.
Zamboanga batters Sarangani
Zamboanga SiKat battered Sarangani 10ACT, 104-77, in the nightcap to regain traction with a 6-10 card.
Levi Hernandez paced Zamboanga with 21 points – spiked by five triples – followed by Jun Arthur Calisay with 19 points and two steals; Forthsky Padrigao with nine points, 11 rebounds and nine assists; Reggz Gabat with 12 points, four assists and three rebounds; and Jayson Puray, with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Sarangani, which slid to 3-15, got 14 points, four assists and three rebounds from Alex Desoyo; 12 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists from Ralph Tansingco; 12 points – all from triples – from Paul Sanga; and 10 points, three assists and two rebounds from Leland Estacio.
The tournament returns to the Pasay Astrodome on Wednesday, featuring games between Paranaque and Negros at 4 p.m.; Quezon City and Manila at 6 p.m.; and Pasay and Bulacan at 8 p.m.