Wilson's 33 Points Propel Steel Past Greats in 80-75 Victory

John Wilson caught fire for Basilan Steel, scoring 33 points to lead his team to an 80-75 win over Cebu on Monday, keeping them in the hunt during the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2026 Season at the San Jose del Monte Sports Complex in Bulacan.

Reverting to the dominant form that earned him the 2019 MVP, Wilson also contributed nine rebounds and two steals, earning Best Player honors. His stellar performance helped Basilan improve to 3-1 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 28-team, two-division tournament.

Wilson’s sharpshooting set the tone for his teammates, as the Steel connected on 15 of 31 three-pointers, a blistering 48.4 percent. In contrast, the Cebu Greats struggled from deep, hitting just 4 of 31 attempts (12.9%). Cebu had led 50-40 before Basilan went on a 16-4 run, sparked by 11 points from Wilson, to take a 56-54 lead. Brian Heruela briefly tied the game for Cebu, but Gelo Loristo answered with four consecutive points, closing out the third quarter.

Basilan sealed the win with five straight three-pointers to extend their lead to 74-66, a margin the Greats could not overcome. Cebu now sits at 2-2.

Wilson credited his strong performance to extra practice sessions he had been putting in ahead of the season.

Gab Cometa added nine points for Basilan, while Casio contributed eight, including two triples.

Mark Meneses led Cebu with 18 points and six rebounds. Dhon Reverente had a well-rounded game with 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals, while Brian Heruela posted nine points, nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

Cebu held a 39-34 lead at halftime, thanks to Meneses' 11 points and Wowie Escosio’s six.

The MPBL continues on Tuesday at the Pasay Astrodome, with Marikina facing Quezon City at 4 p.m., Bacolod taking on GenSan at 6 p.m., and Bataan clashing with Pasay at 8 p.m.