Weavers Heat Up in Second Half to Top Warriors

The Abra Solid North Weavers came alive in the second half to defeat the Gensan Warriors, 107-94, on Wednesday at the San Jose del Monte Sports Complex in Bulacan, maintaining their strong momentum in the 2026 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL)

Proving why they are the defending champions, the Weavers pulled away to a 107-84 lead before cruising to their sixth consecutive victory, improving to an 8-1 record in the round-robin elimination phase of the 28-team, two-division tournament.

DJ Fenner and Jake Figueroa ignited Abra’s comeback from a 45-46 halftime deficit, combining for 16 points as the Weavers surged to an 81-65 lead after three quarters.

Gensan, whose 10-game winning streak was snapped, briefly closed the gap to 76-86 behind JM Versoza and Hesed Gabo, but Abra responded with a decisive 21-8 run led by Figueroa, Shaun Ildefonso, and Raven Gonzales to seal the win.

The Warriors managed a late rally, scoring the final 10 points on a three-pointer by Kris Porter and seven straight points from Mark Cruz.

Fenner, the 6-foot-6 former UNLV standout, finished with 21 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Figueroa, a former National University Bulldog with KBL experience, earned Best Player honors after posting 19 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals.

Ildefonso contributed 15 points—10 of them in the fourth quarter—along with 4 rebounds and 4 assists, while Gonzales added 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists. Encho Serrano also chipped in 11 points and 2 assists.

For Gensan, now in third place behind unbeaten Caloocan (10-0) and Quezon Province (8-0), Gabo led the team with 18 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Eusebio and Cruz scored 14 points each, with Cruz also recording 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 rebounds. Versoza added 14 points and 2 rebounds, while Joshua Fontanilla had 11 points and 3 rebounds.

In the nightcap, the Negros Hacienderos finally secured their first win in eight games, edging Manila Batang Quiapo, 109-103.

Carl Joshua Alattica led Negros with 24 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Wilson Baltazar contributed 19 points and 5 rebounds. Reymar Caduyac added 16 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks. For Manila, DJ Howe had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals; Yuan Pasumbal scored 11 points, and Michael Alvarez added 10 points.