Ilagan Isabela Five Star Cowboys may no longer be in the running for a playoff berth, but they continued to show resilience after defeating Zamboanga SiKat Family’s Brand Sardines, 78-63, on Monday in the 2026 MPBL Preseason Invitational at the Marikina Sports Center.
The Cowboys leaned on a balanced offensive effort to seize control early and build a commanding 22-point advantage, 70-48, before cruising to their third win in seven games in Group B of the 18-team tournament.
JL Delos Santos led the attack with 13 points and two rebounds, while Arth Dela Cruz recorded a double-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. JP Cauilan added 12 points and five rebounds, and Jayboy Solis contributed 11 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Dom Gumaru chipped in nine points and two rebounds but exited in the fourth quarter after sustaining an injury following an inadvertent elbow from Zamboanga’s Reggz Gabat.
Ilagan Isabela dominated the rebounding battle, 46-28, and shot efficiently from the field, converting 30 of 58 attempts for 51.7 percent. In contrast, Zamboanga struggled offensively, making only 19 of 60 shots for a 31.7 percent clip.
Zamboanga fell to 1-3, with brothers Paeng and Michael Are providing most of the offense with 16 and 10 points, respectively. (AC)
