Defending champion Abra Solid North Weavers and Batangas City Tanduay Rhum Masters routed their respective opponents to remain tied atop Group A of the 2026 MPBL Preseason Invitational on Thursday at the Marikina Sports Center.
The Weavers rolled past the Quezon City Black Bulls, 88-73, while the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters dismantled Bacolod Masskara, 106-49, to notch their fourth consecutive victory in the two-group, 18-team tournament.
Abra seized control early and never looked back, building a commanding 81-59 lead midway through the fourth quarter before emptying its bench to complete the wire-to-wire win.
Ryan Batino led the Weavers with 16 points and eight rebounds, Dave Ildefonso added 14 points, four rebounds, and three assists, while Tucker Molina and Encho Serrano finished with 12 points apiece.
Kenz Rei Diokno paced the Black Bulls with 16 points, while Pat Buena added 15. MJ Joson chipped in eight points, seven rebounds, and five assists, and Germy Mahinay had six points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Batangas was even more dominant, overwhelming Bacolod behind an explosive offensive and defensive performance. Jhan Nermal scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Abdul Sawat earned best player honors after tallying 17 points in just under 13 minutes of action.
Cedrick Ablaza added 13 points and eight rebounds, Ino Comboy had 12 points, seven assists, and two blocks, and Jeckster Apinan contributed nine points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals for the Rum Masters.
Bacolod suffered its second straight heavy defeat, with Reil Cervantes and Algin Andaya the only players in double figures with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
In the nightcap, Ilagan Isabela Five Star Cowboys snapped a two-game losing streak with a 99-95 overtime victory over Marikina Shoemasters.
Jayboy Solis and JP Cauilan powered the Five Star Cowboys, combining to lead a decisive 10-1 run in the final 2:22 of overtime to hand the Shoemasters their fourth straight loss.
Cauilan was named best player after posting 19 points and nine rebounds. Donald Gumaru also scored 19 points alongside seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. (AC)
