Abra took the shortcut, and Pasay trod the long route to victories in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season quarterfinal round at the Gov. Andres Bernos Memorial Gymnasium in Bangued, Abra.
The Abra Solid North Weavers battered the Quezon City Darkhorse, 106-54, in the nightcap, while the Pasay Voyagers tripped the Meycauayan Marilao Gems in overtime, 66-64, in the first game of their North Division playoffs.
Showing why they’re the reigning national champions, the Weavers surged ahead by the first quarter, 34-15, and never slowed down to move a win away from a semifinal slot like the Voyagers, who leaned on Christian Fajarito to thwart the Gems.
DJ Fenner paced Abra, the country’s lone representative to the EASL (East Asia Super League) 2026-27 Season, with 19 points, four assists, four steals and two rebounds; followed by Dave Ildefonso with 14 points, five assists and three steals; and Raven Gonzales with 14 points and six rebounds.
Other Weavers who delivered were Shaun Ildefonso with 13 points and four rebounds; and Encho Serrano with nine points and three assists.
Abra and Pasay will seek a repeat and a sweep of the three-game series on Thursday, October 15, at the Meycauayan Sports Complex.
Quezon City drew 14 points, five rebounds and three assists from Kobe Monje, but no other Darkhorse scored in double figures.
The 6-foot-7 Fajarito scored three of the Voyagers’ last four points in the extension period, where the Gems went silent in the last 2:41, to emerge as Best Player.
Fajarito posted 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks, followed by Lennard Santiago with 12 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Pasay pulled away at 52-42 early in the fourth quarter, but Meycauayan Marilao bundled 13 points, seven by Jayson Apolonio, to seize control at 55-52 with 5:07.
A triple by Fajarito and two free throws each by Cyril Gonzales and Jimboy Pasturan, against four points by the Gems, forged the overtime thriller
Gonzales and homegrown Nico Quinal contributed eight points each as the Voyagers avenged their 77-82 defeat to the Gems in the elimination round.
With both teams employing tight defense, the first half ended 29-24 with the Voyagers on top.
The Gems got 13 points, 17 rebounds, three assists and two steals from Jayson Apolonio; 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists from Agem Miranda; and 11 points and seven rebounds from Joshua Guiab.
Robin Nayve chipped in seven points, but muffed a drive and hit a triple short in the homestretch of the extra period.
Abra, bidding to become the first Philippine team to advance to the playoffs of the EASL, the elite tournament featuring the region’s top ballclubs, bested Hong Kong Eastern, 79-72, in the inaugurals on October 3. The Weavers will tackle the Ryukyu Golden Kings on December 9 in Okinawa, Japan.
Abra team owner JB Bernos and imports Jaylen Johnson, Micheal Eric and Freddy Ibrahim, along with thousands of Abrenians, watched the Weavers demolish the Darkhorse.
MPBL Commissioner Emmer Oreta, who lauded Abra for its historic win over Hong Kong Eastern, said the Weavers’ experience playing against a foreign team served them well against the Darkhorse.
The South Division playoffs resume Monday at Paco Arena in Manila, with games between Binan Tatak Gel and Mindoro at 5 p.m., and Rizal XentroMall against Gensan at 7 p.m.