MANILA, Philippines — Paul Sanga pumped in a season-high 38 points to lift the Iloilo United Royals past the Paranaque Patriots, 81-75, on Wednesday in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the One Arena Cainta in Rizal Province.
The lean veteran from Far Eastern University was deadly in the third quarter, drilling in six triples, four in rapid succession, as he outscored the entire Paranaque bench, 23-15, and gave Iloilo a 63-52 spread heading to the last 10 minutes.
Trailing as far as 67-52, early in the fourth quarter, the Patriots tightened their defenses and held Iloilo to just two points, while scoring 16 in a 6-minute, 7-second span, to briefly seize control at 70-69.
The United Royals won't budge, and with Sanga and Richard Velchez at the helm, dropped a closing 12-5 run to end a 5-game slide and notch their second win in 10 starts in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Sanga canned a total of 8 triples and had 6 rebounds and 3 assists to run away with the SportsPlus best player honors over Velchez, who had 8 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists.
Sanga said all he wanted was to make an impact on his return after sustaining a hand injury in Iloilo's 101-96 victory over Manila on April 29 at the Baliwag Star Arena.
James Sena also delivered for Iloilo, now being mentored by Bonnie Garcia, with 7 points and 11 rebounds. Carl Sumalacay contributed 7 points and 6 rebounds, Jasper Longalong added 7 points and 2 rebounds, and Alexis Himan chipped in 7 points.
Paranaque, which led 24-19, absorbed its tenth straight defeat as only Domark Matillano, with 19 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, and Joseph Terso, with 15 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds, struck back.
The MPBL visits the Malolos Convention Center on Thursday, featuring games between Zamboanga and Pasig at 4 p.m., Ilagan Isabela and Quezon Province at 6 p.m., and host Bulacan and Caloocan at 8 p.m. TMT
