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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Batangas, Rizal, Valenzuela breeze past MPBL rivals

Batangas, Rizal, Valenzuela breeze past MPBL rivals

Published May 1, 2026 11:24 am

At A Glance

  • Lopsided wins by Batangas, Rizal and Valenzuela marked the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season on Thursday, April 30, at the Batangas City Coliseum.
Ino Comboy delivers for the Batangas Tanduay Athletics. (MPBL Images)
Ino Comboy delivers for the Batangas Tanduay Athletics. (MPBL Images)
Lopsided wins by Batangas, Rizal and Valenzuela marked the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season on Thursday, April 30, at the Batangas City Coliseum.
The Batangas Tanduay Athletics rebounded with a 98-68 thrashing of Pasig in the nightcap to match Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers' 117-79 dumping of the Paranaque Patriots in the second game, and Valenzuela Darkhorse's 85-67 beating of the Negros Hacienderos in the opener.
Reeling from back-to-back stingy losses, Batangas pounded Pasig till the end and improved to 3-2 in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Ced Ablaza chalked up 13 points, sinking 6 of 7 field goal attempts, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals, and was chosen the SportsPlus best player over Ino Comboy, with 13 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals, and Abdul Sawat, with 13 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Other Athletics who delivered were Mark Niel Cruz, with 12 points and 7 rebounds, and Dawn Ochea, with 11 points and 4 rebounds.
Pasig fell to 1-1 as only Ahron Estacio, with 20 points, 4 steals and 2 assists, and Keith Pido, with 11 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, struck back.
Rizal, powered by Billy Robles, was even more imposing in improving to 2-2 and pulling Paranaque down to 0-5.
Robles posted 29 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, followed by Joel Lee Yu with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, Laurenz Victoria with 12 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds, Alwyn Alday with 12 points and 2 rebounds, and JP Sarao with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Paranaque, which trailed as far as 69-110, got 26 points and 8 rebounds from Jomar Santos, 16 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists from Marlon Monte, and 13 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists from Ryusei Koga.
Barely ahead, 39-37, at halftime, Valenzuela got the push from Shaq Alanes, Lester Reyes and Jay Collado to pull away, 67-48, after three quarters en route to its second straight win after back-to-back losses in the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Alanes tallied 14 points, laced by three triples, 5 rebounds and 3 assists to edge JR Olegario, with 14 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds, and Angelo Obuyes, with 14 points and 3 rebounds, for best player honors.
Geremy Robinson Jr. also shone for Valenzuela with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, and so did Lester Reyes with 8 points, highlighted by two triples.
Negros skidded to 0-3 as only Jan Formento, with 18 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals, and Carl Joshua Alattica, with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks, found their rhythm.
The MPBL returns to the Alonte Sports Arena on Friday, featuring games between Meycauayan Marilao and Quezon Province at 4 p.m., Marikina and Caloocan at 6 p.m., and host Binan against Basilan at 8 p.m.

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