ABRA and Pangasinan beat separate opponents in the opener of the North Division semifinal round on Tuesday in the 747.LIVE presents Manny Pacquiao MPBL 2025 Season at the people-packed Gov. Andres B. Bernos Memorial Gymnasium in Bangued, Abra.
The Abra Solid North Weavers clobbered Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, 80-54, while the Pangasinan Heatwaves stunned the San Juan Knights, 67-57, putting them within a win of advancing to the division finals.
Showing their depth and firepower, the Weavers led throughout and as far as 75-44 to extend their winning streak to a league-record 29, including 26 straight in the elimination phase and a 2-0 sweep of the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys in the quarterfinal playoffs.
Jason Brickman shone for Abra with 13 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds; Encho Serrano with 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals; Raven Gonzales with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks; Dave Ildefonso with 10 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals; and 6-foot-10 Geo Chiu with 10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.
With 6-foot-8 Raven Gonzales scoring five, the Weavers blitzed the Batang Kankaloo, 10-0, and never wavered as they ruled the boards, 58-43.
Powered by Jorey Napoles and Bong Galanza, the pump-up Heatwaves unleashed a closing 8-2 run to take the half, 36-31, from which the off-form Knights never recovered, endangering their bid for a fifth straight stint in the division finals.
With Ian Melencio and Alyn Bulanadi joining the scoring fray, the Heatwaves, who toppled the Nueva Ecija Giant Lanterns (2-1) in the quarterfinals, led by as many as 63-52, with 3 minutes and 28 seconds left.
Napoles posted 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists to clinch best player honors. Galanza supported with 10 points, Michael Mabulac with 8 points and 6 rebounds, Melencio with 6 points, and Vic Manuel with 5 points and 5 rebounds.
Only Niko Panganiban scored in twin digits for the Knights with 15, followed by Arvin Gamboa with 9. Top Gun Orlan Wamar was held to 4 points and gunner Dexter Maiquez went scoreless.
The Knights, the 2019 MPBL titlists, were hounded by their atrocious free throw shooting, converting only 6 of 18 tries for 33.3 percent.
Abra and Pangasinan will try to forge a best-of-five North Division finals on Friday, November 7, when they tackle Caloocan and San Juan again at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.s
The MPBL South Division semifinals start on Thursday, with games pitting Binan against Batangas at 4 p.m., and Quezon Province against Gensan at 6 p.m. at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.
The Quezon Huskers are favored over the Gensan Warriors, whom they bested 86-82, in the elimination phase. Batangas Tanduay Rum is also picked over Binan Tatak Gel, which it beat, 74-68, in their first encounter.
