ABRA and San Juan moved closer to a title clash in the North Division with divergent wins in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season semifinal round at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
The defending champion Abra Solid North Weavers cruised past the Pasay Voyagers, 81-71, while the second-seeded San Juan Knights nipped the third-seeded Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, 73-71, in overtime, kicking off the best-of-three playoffs.
Abra surged ahead, 67-47, then thwarted Pasay's final assault to live up to its favorite's role in the two-division, 26-team tournament.
Trailing 60-77, with 4 minutes and 35 seconds left, the Voyagers, behind Cyril Gonzales' back-to-back triples, detonated an 11-2 bomb to narrow the gap, 71-79.
Abra's Raven Gonzales, however, struck from inside off a feed by Dave Ildefonso for the final tally as neither team could score in the last 1 minute and 53 seconds.
Ildefonso, the reigning MVP, posted 14 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steaks to capture the SportsPlus best player honors over Drex Delos Reyes, who notched 12 points, eight in the fourth quarter, 5 rebounds and 2 assists; and 2025 Rookie of the Year Raven Gonzales, with 12 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks.
Jake Figueroa also delivered for Abra, the country's lone representative in the EASL (East Asia Super League) 2026-27 Season, with 11 points and 3 rebounds.
Pasay drew 15 points from Brian Hilario, highlighted by three triples in the fourth quarter, and 2 rebounds; 14 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals from Christian Fajarito; and 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals from Cyril Gonzales.
"We'll try to be better (in Game 2), with better shots and win by a bigger margin," said Ildefonso.
Abra and San Juan will shoot for 2-0 sweeps on Wednesday at the Ynares Sports Center in Montalban, Rizal. TMT
