Knights and Batang Kankaloo Dominate Opening Day to Share Early Lead

San Juan and Caloocan lived up to the excitement on Friday, each dominating their opponents to share the early lead in the 2026 MPBL season at the Caloocan Sports Complex.

The San Juan Knights, showcasing their revamped roster, cruised to a 90-61 victory over the Pasay Voyagers in the opening game, while the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo followed suit with a dominant 89-63 win over the Quezon City Black Bulls in the nightcap.

For Caloocan, 6-foot-8 forward Kymani Ladi, a former Ateneo Blue Eagle, led the charge with a stellar all-around performance: 12 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Ladi edged Jeff Manday (14 points, eight rebounds, five assists) for the Best Player honors under new head coach Jerson Cabiltes.

“The team trusts me, and I trust them. When that happens, we play really well together,” said Ladi.

Rob Celiz also contributed to the wire-to-wire victory, finishing with nine points, four rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, while Chris Bitoon added nine points, four assists, and three rebounds.

Meanwhile, at the Alonte Sports Arena, Cebu soared past Rizal Xentromall with an 81-65 victory, while General Santos survived a late push from Biñan Tatak Gel to secure a 71-67 win.

General Santos relied on standout performances from Kyle Tolentino, Kris Porter, and Hesed Gabo. Porter drained a jumper and a three-pointer, while Tolentino added another triple in the closing stretch to help General Santos regain control after Biñan briefly led 64-63. Gabo finished with 15 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds to earn Best Player honors.

Biñan was led by Kenny Roger Rocacurva, who posted 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, while Nic Cabanero and Michael Mabulac added nine points apiece. Biñan struggled from the free-throw line, hitting only 13 of 30 attempts (43.3%), while General Santos converted 11 of 15 (73.3%).

Back in Caloocan, the San Juan Knights, fresh off their 2019 championship, extended their lead in the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run, capped by back-to-back triples from Orlan Wamar and Rey Suerte, to go up 81-52 with 3:07 left.

The Knights controlled the game from the start, heading into halftime with a 50-35 lead. Powered by balanced scoring from Gerry Abadiano, Dexter Maiquez, Michael Calisaan, and Wamar, they extended their lead to 65-43.

Abadiano, a former University of the Philippines standout, led San Juan with 14 points, including three three-pointers, and earned Best Player honors. Maiquez contributed 11 points, while Calisaan finished with 10 points and six rebounds. Wamar added 10 points, seven assists, and two rebounds. James Kwekuteye and Reyland Torres chipped in nine points each, while Patrick Slat contributed seven points, six rebounds, and two assists.

Newly acquired Mike Phillips, a former Gilas Pilipinas player and UAAP Finals MVP with La Salle, was given a rest after arriving from the United States earlier in the week.

In Cebu’s victory, the Greats held a narrow 35-32 lead at halftime but pulled away in the second half, thanks to a hot shooting performance from Jun Manzo. Manzo scored 17 of his game-high 29 points in the second half, including five three-pointers, along with three rebounds and three assists, earning Best Player honors.

Paul Desiderio added 11 points, five assists, two rebounds, and two steals, while Wowie Escosio also contributed 11 points, four rebounds, and two steals. Rizal was led by Laurenz Victoria and JP Maguliano, who each scored 11 points, while Alwyn Alday added 10 points.

The MPBL season officially kicked off with ceremonies at the Caloocan Sports Complex, with league officials and team representatives also present for the parallel opening event at the Alonte Sports Arena.