Valenzuela Dominates Batang Quiapo, Extends Winning Streak to Three

Valenzuela City overpowered Manila, 108-98, in a commanding wire-to-wire performance on Tuesday at Paco Arena, continuing its resurgence in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2026 Season.

Six Valenzuela players reached double figures, helping the Darkhorses race to a 34-13 lead and maintain control throughout the game. The victory marked their third straight win after dropping their first two contests in the 28-team round-robin elimination.

Shaquille Alanes, a former Lyceum Pirates standout, led the charge with 29 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals, earning Best Player honors and joining the MPBL 1,000-point club. Veteran Jay Collado added 14 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists, while Lester Reyes contributed 14 points, seven boards, and two blocks. Geremy Robinson posted 11 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, and Nico Mamaradlo and JR Olegario combined for 22 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists.

Valenzuela dominated the paint, 65-47, and broke the game open with a 15-2 run early in the fourth quarter to take a 96-76 lead, handing Manila its fourth loss in five games.

For Manila, Joe Gomez De Liano scored 27 points with five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. John Ashley Faa added 17 points, six boards, six assists, and two steals, while Redgimir Eusebio had 14 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

Earlier, Ilagan Isabela held off Zamboanga Sikat’s late rallies to claim an 81-77 victory, improving to 4-1 in the standings—just behind unbeaten Caloocan and Gensan (5-0) and Quezon Province (3-0).

Arth Dela Cruz led the Cowboys with 20 points, including 12 in the first half, along with eight rebounds, earning Best Player honors. Zamboanga closed the gap to 77-75 with 15.3 seconds left after consecutive baskets by Paeng Are, but Joshua Guiab remained calm under pressure, sinking four free throws in the final 7.5 seconds to secure the win despite a late layup by John Mahari.