Batang Kankaloo, Huskers Extend Unbeaten Runs in MPBL

Caloocan clamped down on Bulacan in the closing minutes to escape with a 91-84 win on Thursday and take sole possession of the top spot in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2026 Season at the Malolos Convention Center in Bulacan.

Down 83-84 with 1:17 left in the game, the Batang Kankaloo responded with a decisive 8-0 finishing run to remain unbeaten with a 10-0 record in the round-robin eliminations of the 28-team, two-division tournament.

Jeramer Cabanag sparked the late surge with a driving layup, followed by two free throws each from Jielo Razon and Dom Escobar. Cabanag then iced the victory with another pair of free throws with 5.7 seconds remaining.

Kymani Ladi played a crucial role in the win, delivering six points in a key 10-3 stretch that helped Caloocan regain control at 83-79 after seeing its huge 50-24 advantage disappear.

The former Ateneo standout finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and two assists. Jammer Jamito chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds, while Cabanag added 11 points and four assists. Paul Hendrix Casin also contributed 10 markers.

The victory pushed Caloocan to 10-0, overtaking Gensan (9-0) for the league’s best record.

Bulacan, despite trailing by 20 points and facing a 30-50 halftime deficit, mounted a strong comeback behind Benedict Benedictos, who buried seven three-pointers to power the Kuyas to a 70-63 lead entering the fourth quarter. The hosts, however, struggled late and slipped to 3-6.

Benedictos finished with 29 points, three rebounds, and two steals, while Airohn Acop tallied 18 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Andrei Acop added 11 points and six rebounds.

In the other game, the Quezon Huskers rolled past the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys, 89-64, to stretch their unbeaten run to 7-0.

Powered by Judel Fuentes, John Abate, and Diego Dario, the Huskers unleashed a dominant run that widened the gap to 89-54, sending the Cowboys to their fourth consecutive defeat and a 5-5 record.

Fuentes led Quezon with 17 points and three rebounds, while Abate registered 15 points and seven boards. Dario chipped in 13 points and two assists, while Will McAloney supplied seven points, nine rebounds, and three assists for the reigning South Division champions.

Arth Dela Cruz paced Ilagan Isabela with 14 points, five rebounds, and two steals. Donald Gumaru scored 11 points, while Alex Cabagnot contributed 10 points and two rebounds.