Quezon Province trounced Zamboanga SiKat, 72-63, on Saturday to clinch a playoff slot in the 2026 MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Preseason Invitational at the Paco Arena in Manila.
The Quezon Huskers, the reigning back-to-back South Division champions, climbed to a 6-1 record and assured themselves of at least a third-place finish in the nine-team Group B round-robin elimination phase.
Cyrus Tabi, Jolo Manansala and Mon Abundo combined for 16 points in the fourth quarter to sustain the effort of Judel Fuentes, who pumped in 14 points in the first three quarters to push the Huskers ahead, 60-55, and clinch best player honors.
Tabi finished with 13 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals, while Manansala tallied 11 points and 8 rebounds.
Zamboanga tumbled to 2-4 despite Inand Val Fomilos’ 19 points, John Arthur Calisay’s 18, Paeng Are’s 12 plus 10 rebounds, and Michael Are’s 10 points.
Mindoro rode the putback of JC Recto with 9.6 seconds left to nip Quezon City, 69-67, in the second game, while Gensan trounced Sarangani 10ACT, 113-81, in the opener to gain ground in Group A.
The Mindoro Tamaraws improved to 4-3 and remained in playoff contention with the Gensan Warriors, who cruised to their fourth straight win after dropping their first two.
Quezon City had two chances to reverse the outcome, but Pat Buena’s triple went out, and Aaron Baguno overshot a buzzer-beater from inside, pulling down the Black Bulls to 4-3.
Homegrown Jayjay Caspe shone for Mindoro with 23 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, and so did Recto with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists, Jayvee Dela Cruz with 11 points and 4 rebounds, and Jonas Tibayan with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Quezon City drew 15 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 blocks and 2 assists from MJ Joson and 13 points plus 6 rebounds from Clark Derige.
Powered by Fil-Canadian Anton Eusebio and Mark Cruz, the Warriors led from the start and stormed ahead, 100-64, before cruising home.
The 6-foot-5 Eusebio, former star of the St. Benilde Blazers, posted 19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists to clinch his second straight best player honors over Cruz, who notched 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
Marwin Dionisio matched Eusebio’s double-double 10 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists, while Kyle Tolentino and Joshua Fontanilla contributed 9 points each for the Warriors, who ruled the boards, 64-48.
Sarangani, which skidded to its seventh straight defeat, got 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists from Alex Desoyo, 14 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists from Larce Sunga, and 11 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds from Carl Bryan Lacap.
The Preseason returns to the Caloocan Sports Complex on Monday, with games featuring Marikina against Pasay at 3 p.m., Junior MPBL D-League Selection at 5 p.m., and San Juan against Quezon Province at 7 p.m.
