MPBL Preseason: Quezon, San Juan post wins
MANILA, Philippines — Quezon Province and San Juan took different victory routes in the 2026 MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Preseason Invitational on Tuesday at the Caloocan Sports Complex.
The new-look Quezon Huskers cruised past the Junior MPBL D-League Selection, 116-80, while the San Juan Knights rode bumpy roads before sprinting past the Marikina Shoemasters, 86-75, in the elimination round of the 18-team event.
Barely ahead, 57-55, after three quarters, the Knights turned hot early in the fourth and broke away at 71-59 to stay.
Mainstays Michael Calisaan and Orlan Wamar, and coveted University of the Philippines recruits Terrence Fortea and Reyland Torres shone for the Knights, who are seeking cohesion and precision to regain the MPBL crown they won in 2019.
Calisaan wound up with 15 points and five rebounds; Fortea 13 points, four assists and three rebounds; Wamar 11 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals; and Torres 10 points and two rebounds.
Veteran Reynel Hugnatan and acquisition Harold Alarcon, also from UP, contributed eight and seven points, respectively, for San Juan, which joined inaugural winners Abra Solid North, Batangas City Tanduay and Caloocan, and Quezon at the top.
Marikina, which led at 44-35, got 18 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals from Deo Timajo; 12 points, six rebounds and five assists from Lander Canon; and 10 points, five assists and three steals from Jethro Escoto.
Powered by prized rookies Cedrick Manzano, Jolo Manansala and John Abate, the Huskers surged ahead, 87-60, after three quarters and never let-up.
The 6-foot-5 Manzano, a former Adamson standout and member of the Gilas Pilipinas champion team to the Bangkok Southeast Asian Games, posted 16 points, seven rebounds and two steals in 13 minutes and 38 seconds of play to earn Best Player honors.
The 6-foot-4 Manansala, a former National University star, also shone with 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists, followed by former University of the East skipper John Abate with 13 points, spiked by three triples, two rebounds and two assists.
Recruits Chris Lalata, Joseph Penaredondo and Michael Canete, and mainstay RJ Minerva also delivered for the Huskers gearing up for their third straight South Division title in the coming MPBL Eighth Season.
Lalata contributed 11 points, two rebounds and two assists; Minerva 10 points, four rebounds and two assists; Penaredondo nine points and two assists; and Canete eight points and two rebounds.
The Huskers did not field prized acquisition Will McAloney, chief gunner Judel Fuentes and veteran Gab Banal.
The D League selection, all under 21 years old, drew 23 points, five rebounds and two assists from Jaymark Lloren, a 6-foot-2 find from Pasig; and 12 points each from Matthew Jucom and Axel Rosales; and nine points from Russel Bayani.
The Huskers clustered 12 points, including back-to-back triples by Abate, capped by a buzzer-beating drive by Lalata to pull away, 55-35, at the half.
Back-to-back triples by Penaredondo and Rodel Gravera gave the Huskers their biggest spread at the final buzzer. (Pool story)
Wednesday's games at the same venue pit Bataan against Abra Solid North at 3 p.m.; Quezon City against Sarangani at 5 p.m.; and Binan Tatak Gel against Mindoro at 7 p.m.
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