Quezon, Binan close in on MPBL South Finals berths
MANILA, Philippines — Quezon Province and Binan Tatak Gel won in contrasting fashion on Wednesday and are close to a South Division crown collision in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika PIlipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the packed Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.
Showing why they're the back-to-back reigning division champions, the Quezon Huskers trounced the Cebu Greats, 77-67, in the nightcap, while Binan banked on Nic Cabanero's buzzer-beater jumper to nip the Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers, 72-70, in the opener of the South semifinal playoffs.
Quezon and Binan seek a repeat and a sweep of the best-of-three semifinal series at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan on Tuesday, October 27.
With eight Huskers, led by Mon Abundo, scoring at least seven points, Quezon stormed ahead, 61-43, and never wavered, delighting over 11,000 spectators.
Abundo posted 11 points, laced with three triples, and four rebounds to capture Best Player honors over Christian Pagaran, who chalked up 11 points, including three triples, and two rebounds.
Other Huskers who delivered were Cyrus Tabi with nine points and nine rebounds; Jolo Manansala with nine points and four rebounds; Chris Lalata with nine points and four rebounds; Cholo Amonuevo with eight points and 10 rebounds; Judel Fuentes with eight points and three assists; and Diego Dario with seven points and three assists.
Cebu got 27 points and 10 rebounds from Mark Meneses; nine points, 10 rebounds and three assists from Simon Camacho; and nine points, nine rebounds and three assists from Dhon Reverente.
Missing centers Cedrick Manzano and Will McAloney, the Huskers were outrebounded, 34-45, but compensated with more cohesive play, 21-13 assists, and fewer turnovers, 11-19.
With the count tied at 70 and 8.2 seconds left, Cabanero took the inbound, dribbled, and flicked the ball over the outstretched arms of Philip Manalang as the game ended.
Veteran Michael Mabulac made Cabanero's heroics and Binan's squeaker possible with eight straight points in the last 4:26.
Rizal's Billy Robles scored on a suspended layup to knot the count for the fifth and final time, 70-70.
The 6-foot-2 Cabanero, former star of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, posted 20 points, eight rebounds and three steals to edge Carlo Lastimosa, with 19 points and three rebounds, for Best Player honors.
Mabulac, a former MPBL All-Star, tallied 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.
Rizal drew 18 points and three rebounds from Jolo Mendoza; 11 points, eight rebounds and two steals from Jake Gaspay; and 10 points, five rebounds and two steals from Robles.
Cabanero, the MVP race pacesetter, and Lastimosa combined in a 17-3 run to push Binan away, 24-7, before Rizal's Laurenz Victoria and Mark Yee bundled nine points to cut the gap.
Rizal clustered seven points to seize control at 31-29, but Binan countered with a similar seven-point salvo, the last four by Lastimosa, to regain the lead at the break, 36-31.
The North Division semifinal playoffs begin Saturday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig, featuring the San Juan-Caloocan encounter at 5 p.m., and the Abra-Solid North-Pasay tussle at 7 p.m. (Pool story)
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