Cedric Manzano and Judel Fuentes powered Quezon Province past Pasay, 67-59, on Tuesday to move closer to South Division pacesetter Batangas City in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season at the Pasay Astrodome.
Fuentes erupted for 25 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, while Manzano anchored the Huskers with 10 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and two blocks as Quezon improved to 15-3 in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 26-team tournament.
The Huskers, sparked by Fuentes’ three straight triples, surged ahead, 62-51, in the fourth quarter. Pasay’s Rence Alcoriza answered with three free throws, but Fuentes finished the job by scoring Quezon’s final five points, countering a fallaway jumper by Cyril Gonzales and a triple by Mark Parks.
Fuentes also grabbed four rebounds and dished out two assists to earn best player honors over Manzano.
“Finally, after two years, we won over them (Voyagers),” said Fuentes, who will represent the South in the league’s All-Star Game on Saturday at the Ynares Center Montalban in Rizal Province.
Clint Escamis, a prized acquisition from the Mapua Cardinals, contributed eight points, four rebounds and two steals for the Huskers, the reigning back-to-back South Division champions.
Pasay fell to 12-11 in the North Division as only Alcoriza found his range with 18 points and seven rebounds. Steve Nash Enriquez added nine points and two rebounds, while Christian Fajarito, the Voyagers’ Top Gun, was held to four points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Pasig City hit full throttle in the fourth quarter and subdued Manila Batang Quiapo, 108-99, in the opener to remain in contention for an outright playoff spot.
Ahead, 77-70, after three quarters, Pasig banked on Warlo Batac and Jerome Garcia to pull away, 97-75, midway through the final frame before coasting to its 10th win in 20 starts.
Pasig sits in seventh place in the North Division and could still overtake Pasay and Meycauayan Marilao, which is 12-10, for sixth place and an outright berth in the quarterfinal playoffs.
Teams ranked seventh to 10th will have to go through the play-in, with the top two finishers completing the playoff cast in each division.
Garcia, a homegrown icon, posted 28 points, six rebounds and two assists to edge Batac, who had 26 points, 11 rebounds and three assists, for best player honors.
Jerald Bautista added 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals, while Jacob Galicia contributed nine points, 10 rebounds and two assists. John Felix Corpuz chipped in 10 points and two rebounds.
Manila fell to a league-worst 1-22 record despite 22 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals from Joe Gomez De Liano; 22 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals from John Ashley Faa; 16 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals from Alfred Sedillo; and 10 points, nine rebounds and nine assists from Mark Doligon.
The tournament returns to the Batangas City Coliseum on Wednesday, featuring Valenzuela against Rizal Province at 5 p.m. and San Juan against Batangas City at 7 p.m.
