Quezon leaned on Judel Fuentes to fend off Parañaque, 76-69, on Monday, advancing to the South Division finals of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season at the Batangas City Coliseum.
Fuentes scored 10 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter, propelling the Huskers to a two-game sweep of the Patriots in their semifinal series. Quezon had earlier secured a Game One victory, 75-62.
The Huskers now await the outcome of the other semifinal matchup between the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters and the South Cotabato Warriors. South Cotabato took Game One, 87-76, and is also eyeing a sweep of Batangas later in the evening.
Fuentes showcased his shooting prowess, going 10 of 18 from the field, including 5 of 11 from beyond the arc, and adding 3 rebounds to earn Daily Fantasy best player honors.
Fuentes was the only Husker to score in double figures, with Jason Opiso and team captain Gab Banal contributing 8 points each, and Alvin Abundo chipping in 7—all in the first half.
Banal also posted 7 rebounds and 3 assists, while Opiso pulled down 4 rebounds, helping the Huskers maintain control for 37 minutes and 27 seconds of the game.
At halftime, the Huskers held a 40-34 lead, powered by Fuentes’ 10 points, Abundo’s 7, and Banal’s 6, countering the 15-point surge by Patriot JP Sarao and 9 points from Jielo Razon.
Sarao finished with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals; Razon added 15 points and 4 rebounds; and John Uduba posted 9 points and 10 rebounds.
Despite Philip Manalang’s 10 rebounds and Kristan Hernandez’s 9, the Patriots were ultimately stymied by their poor shooting, hitting only 31.6% from the field (18 of 57) compared to the Huskers’ efficient 43.5% (27 of 62).
Quezon Coach Eric Gonzales credited the Huskers’ success to a “collective effort” from players, coaches, management, and team owners, led by Quezon Governor Helen Tan.
