Warriors Hold Off SiKat Comeback to Solidify No. 2 Spot

The Gensan Warriors survived a furious late rally from Zamboanga SiKat, escaping with a hard-fought 75-70 victory on Saturday at the packed Pola Gymnasium in Oriental Mindoro. The win strengthened Gensan’s hold on second place in the MPBL South Division.

Zamboanga erased a 16-point deficit and narrowed the gap to 65-70 in the closing minutes, but the Warriors stayed composed, sealing the victory with seven straight free throws in the final minute. The win improved Gensan’s record to 13-2 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 28-team, two-division league. They remain second only to the unbeaten Quezon Province.

Anton Eusebio ignited Gensan’s decisive stretch, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers to push the lead to 54-37 late in the third quarter. The 6-foot-5 former College of St. Benilde standout finished with a game-high 22 points, including six triples, plus three rebounds and two assists. Hesed Gabo added 17 points, while Mark Cruz contributed eight points, four rebounds, two assists, and three steals.

Zamboanga fell to 4-9 despite a strong effort from Brandon Wilson, who scored 20 points. Joseph Gabayni posted 11 points and nine rebounds, while Paeng Are, Levi Hernandez, and Reggz Gabat each scored 10. Gabat had earlier tied the game at 32-all with a buzzer-beating triple at halftime.

In the nightcap, the Mindoro Tamaraws edged the Valenzuela Darkhorse, 93-91, behind clutch plays from JC Recto. The 6-foot-4 local favorite scored six key points in the final moments, including two pressure free throws with 4.3 seconds left to secure Mindoro’s sixth win in 12 games (6-6).

Valenzuela had a final chance when Angelo Obuyes hit a triple with 2.9 seconds remaining, but Brian Heruela split his free throws after a foul to preserve the victory. Valenzuela dropped to 7-7.

Pola Mayor and Mindoro Tamaraws owner Jennifer “Ina Alegre” Cruz performed the ceremonial toss, while MPBL Commissioner Emmerson Oreta and Operations Head Zaldy Realubit were present before a capacity crowd that included fans from Calapan City and Occidental Mindoro.

The MPBL continues on Monday at the Ynares Center in Pasig with the following games:

- Imus vs Basilan at 4 p.m.

- Pasay vs Bacolod at 6 p.m.

- Quezon Province vs Abra at 8 p.m.