Abra bests Quezon to win MPBL preseason title
MANILA, Philippines — The Abra Solid North Weavers extended their dominant run in the 2026 MPBL Preseason Invitational with a 67-47 rout of the Quezon Huskers on Saturday to clinch the championship at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Going full throttle in the fourth quarter, the Weavers unloaded 15 points and held the Huskers to just five to rip the game apart and affirm their title-retention bid in the coming MPBL Eighth Season.
Raven Gonzales posted 14 points, nine rebounds, two steals and one block to earn the SportsPlus Best Player award over preseason MVP Dave Ildefonso, who notched 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and one block.
Other Weavers who delivered were Tucker Molina with nine points, Mike Ayonayon and John Uduba with eight each, and Encho Serrano with six.
Ahead, 53-45, the Weavers clustered eight points, capped by a breakaway one-handed dunk by Ildefonso, to pull away with 4:45 left.
The Huskers drew 12 points and 16 rebounds from Cedrick Manzano; 12 points and 4 rebounds from Michael Canete; and nine points plus three rebounds from Will McAloney.
Abra bunched seven points, four by Uduba and a triple by Encho Serrano, to move ahead, 28-24, before Quezon's Michael Canete canned a bank shot for the halftime count.
MPBL Commissioner Emmer Oreta awarded the championship trophy to the Weavers, headed by team owner Representatives JB and Ching Bernos and head coach Yong Garcia.
Earlier, Oreta handed the championship rings of the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, winners of the 2024 National Finals, headed by the only two-time MPBL MVP Justine Baltazar. Also given rings were coach Vice Gov. Dennis "Delta" Pineda and team owner AG Gonzales III.
The Weavers streaked to their record 46th win, including an eight-game sweep of the Group A round-robin elimination phase and a 76-72 victory over the San Juan Knights in the knockout semifinal on Thursday.
The Weavers last lost to the Pasay Voyagers, 70-60, on March 19, 2025.
The regular MPBL Eighth Season will begin on April 10, to be held simultaneously at the Caloocan Sports Complex for the North Division and the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna, for the South Division. (Pool story)
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