Voyagers pull away after halftime, rout Hacienderos in MPBL action

The Pasay Voyagers broke open a close game in the second half, cruising past the Negros Hacienderos, 118-85, on Wednesday in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2026 Season at the Malolos Convention Center in Bulacan.

Tied at 38-38 at halftime, Pasay exploded in the third quarter behind Rence Alcoriza before Gyle Montano delivered the finishing blow in the final period, allowing the Voyagers to build their biggest lead of the game at 118-77.

The win improved Pasay’s record to 11-9 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 27-team tournament.

Alcoriza, a former Arellano Chiefs standout, sparked the turnaround by scoring 12 of his 20 points in the third quarter as the Voyagers turned the halftime stalemate into a 75-55 advantage that Negros failed to overcome.

Montano then took control in the fourth quarter, scoring 17 of his 21 points to shut down any possibility of a Hacienderos comeback. The defeat dropped Negros to 1-15, the worst record in the South Division.

Alcoriza, who also collected five rebounds, was named Best Player of the Game, edging Montano, who finished with five rebounds and two steals.

“We’re taking it one game at a time,” said Alcoriza. “This (victory) serves as our preparation for the strong teams we still have to face.”

Pasay also received key contributions from Cyril Gonzales, who stepped up in the absence of leading scorer Christian Fajarito with 12 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two assists.

Mark Parks added 11 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals, while Brian Hilario contributed 10 points and three rebounds.

The Voyagers remained fifth in the North Division standings behind Caloocan (17-2), San Juan (14-1), Abra (15-1), and Ilagan Isabela (12-6).

Negros was led by Wilson Baltazar, who scored 21 points on five three-pointers, along with two rebounds and two assists. Michael Alvarez added 18 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, while Peter Marc Manalang chipped in 10 points, four assists, and three rebounds.

The MPBL resumes on Thursday at Paco Arena, with Mindoro facing Abra at 4 p.m., Valenzuela meeting San Juan at 6 p.m., and Quezon City taking on Zamboanga at 8 p.m.