MPBL: GenSan grabs share of lead; Pasay, Quezon City win

MANILA, Philippines, May 5 ------ The Gensan Warriors blitzed the Iloilo United Royals in the third quarter and went on to tally a runaway 120-68 victory sharing the lead in the SportsPlus (MPBL) Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season at the Pasay Astrodome.

Barely ahead, 47-42, the Warriors clustered 20 points — seven by Joshua Fontanilla — to pull away and climb to 5-0, the same as the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo in the round-robin elimination phase of the 28-team tournament. Hesed Gabo posted the tournament's first triple-double (17 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) and added two steals to earn Best Player honors over Mark Cruz, who top-scored with 23 points — 19 in the fourth quarter — plus two rebounds and two assists.

Fontanilla finished with 13 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals, followed by Eloie Tan with 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals; JM Versoza with 10 points and eight rebounds; and Anton Eusebio with 10 points and five rebounds. Iloilo, which absorbed its fourth loss in five starts, drew 15 points from Levi Hernandez, 13 from Jasper Longalong, and 10 from Art Aquino.

Mark Parks opened the floodgate as the Pasay Voyagers dumped the Imus Yangkee, 109-70, in the nightcap. The 6-foot-5 Parks, son of the late legendary import Bobby and younger brother of Bobby Ray, the reigning Japan B. League Asian best import, sparked a 21-point opening barrage by the Voyagers that led to their third win in five outings. Parks, former star of the National University Bulldogs, wound up with 21 points and two assists in just 13 minutes and 50 seconds of play to clinch the Best Player award.

Christian Fajarito supported with 11 points, three rebounds and two assists, followed by Cyril Gonzales with 10 points, three rebounds and two assists; and Steve Nash Enriquez with eight points, 14 assists, three rebounds and three steals. Pasay stormed to an 84-41 spread early in the fourth quarter, sealing the Yangkee's third loss in five games despite Jaypee Belencion's 25 points, five rebounds and three assists; and Ralph Robin's 19 points, three rebounds and two steals.

The Quezon City Black Bulls sustained their climb with a 93-83 victory over the Bacolod Masskaras in the opener. Powered by Ryan Cosetelo and Kobe Monje, the Black Bulls led by as many as 79-68, before the Masskaras clawed to within 74-79 with 3:38 left. That proved to be Bacolod's last stand, however, as Costelo, Monje and CJ Agoncillo put up the finishing touches in their third straight win after dropping the first two.

MJ Joson, a prized find from Manila Central University, was chosen the Best Player following an all-around effort of six points, 14 rebounds, 14 assists and three rebounds for Quezon City. Monje posted 18 points and five rebounds; Costelo 17 points, six rebounds and four assists; Aeron Baguno 10 points, four rebounds and two assists; and Rey Publico 10 points plus three rebounds. Bacolod tumbled to its fourth straight defeat after an initial win despite the 23-point, eight-rebound, eight-assist effort of Emman Galman; John Kobe Dalisay's 19 points, five assists, two rebounds and two assists; and Marjun Wahing's 19 points and two assists.

The MPBL returns to the Paco Arena on Tuesday, featuring games between Sarangani and Bulacan at 4 p.m.; Zamboanga against Ilagan Isabela at 6 p.m.; and host Manila against Valenzuela at 8 p.m.

Source: philstar.com