Brandon Wilson powered Zamboanga SiKat past Valenzuela City, 76-73, while Gensan Warriors survived Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, 85-82, as both teams strengthened their playoff bids in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season on Tuesday.
Wilson tallied 25 points, nine rebounds, and two assists as Zamboanga improved to 8-12 and kept its playoff hopes alive. Paeng Are added 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while Jayson Puray chipped in 10 points and three rebounds.
Zamboanga exploited its 59-45 rebounding advantage to build a 44-27 lead and withstand Valenzuela’s repeated rallies.
The Valenzuela Darkhorse fell to 9-13 despite a game-high 32 points from Shaq Alanes, who also had five rebounds and two assists. Jay Collado added 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Nico Mamaradlo contributed 14 points and three rebounds.
Gensan, meanwhile, overcame an 81-75 deficit to edge Caloocan in a thrilling finish.
After leading 73-68 early in the fourth quarter, the Warriors tightened their defense and scored six straight points to tie the game at 81 with 45.1 seconds remaining.
Joshua Fontanilla then sank two free throws before Larry Rodriguez scored on a fastbreak to give Gensan the lead for good. Caloocan’s Jeff Manday missed a hurried three-pointer with 6.7 seconds left.
The victory raised Gensan’s record to 15-4, keeping the Warriors fourth in the South Division behind Batangas City (15-3), Quezon Province (13-3), and Biñan (17-4).
Fontanilla, a former St. Clare College of Caloocan star, led Gensan with 20 points, five assists, and three rebounds.
“We just did our best as we have only one goal (winning),” said Fontanilla.
Rodriguez added 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists, while Hesed Gabo had eight points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Kris Porter contributed nine points.
Caloocan dropped to 17-3 but remained third in the North Division.
Kean Baclaan led the Batang Kankaloo with 19 points, nine assists, two rebounds, and two steals. Manday had 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Kymani Ladi posted 14 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Jeramer Cabanag added 11 points.
In the opening game, the Bataan Risers trounced the Sarangani 10ACT Marlins, 90-73, to remain in playoff contention.
Homegrown standouts Yves Sazon and Lerwin Flores provided the firepower as Bataan led by as many as 79-53 early in the fourth quarter before cruising to its ninth win against 12 losses.
Sazon posted 23 points, two rebounds, and two assists, while Flores added 14 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Jamil Gabawan contributed eight points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, while Joey Barcuma finished with nine points and two rebounds.
Sarangani trimmed the deficit to 70-86 behind three-pointers from Leland Estacio and Carl Bryan Lacap, but Bataan held on comfortably.
Lacap finished with 18 points and four rebounds, Estacio had 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Ralph Tansingco added 12 points and three rebounds.
Sarangani dropped to 3-22.
The tournament returns to the Batangas City Coliseum on Wednesday, with Bulacan facing Abra at 3 p.m., Ilagan Isabela taking on Cebu at 5 p.m., and Batangas City battling Imus at 7 p.m.
