Batangas, Rizal Claim Dominant Wins in MPBL Showcases

Batangas and Rizal delivered commanding victories Thursday at the Batangas City Coliseum, stealing the spotlight in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2026 Season.

The Batangas Tanduay Athletics bounced back emphatically, overwhelming Pasig 98-68 in the nightcap, while earlier, the Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers rolled past the Parañaque Patriots 117-79 in an even more lopsided showdown.

Seeking to recover from two straight losses, Batangas controlled the game from the outset, improving to 3-2 in the round-robin phase of the 28-team tournament. Ced Ablaza led the way with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, along with seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals. He shared best player honors with teammates Ino Comboy (13 points, five assists, four rebounds, two steals) and Abdul Sawat (13 points, four rebounds, two assists).

Mark Niel Cruz added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Dawn Ochea chipped in 11 points and four boards, highlighting the Athletics’ balanced attack. Pasig fell to 1-1 despite Ahron Estacio’s 20 points, four steals, and two assists, complemented by Keith Pido’s 11 points, two rebounds, and two assists.

Earlier, Rizal rode an explosive performance from Billy Robles to a 2-2 record, handing Parañaque a tough 0-5 start. Robles tallied 29 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Joel Lee Yu added 15 points. Laurenz Victoria contributed 12 points, seven assists, and five rebounds, Alwyn Alday chipped in 12 points, and JP Sarao finished with 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists.

Parañaque struggled throughout, trailing by as many as 41 points, though Jomar Santos delivered 26 points and eight rebounds, Marlon Monte scored 16, and Ryusei Koga added 13 points.

The MPBL action continues Friday at the Alonte Sports Arena, with Meycauayan Marilao taking on Quezon Province at 4 p.m., Marikina facing Caloocan at 6 p.m., and host Biñan clashing with Basilan at 8 p.m.