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| Judel Fuentes delivers for the Quezon Huskers. MPBL |
BATANGAS CITY--The Quezon Huskers thwarted the Gensan Warriors' repeated rallies and prevailed, 95-85, on Tuesday to advance to the South Division Finals of the 747. LIVE presents Manny Pacquiao 2025 Season at the people-packed, steamy Batangas City Coliseum.
LJay Gonzales, Gab Banal, and Alfrancis Tamsi provided the sustaining firepower for the Huskers, who swept the Warriors, 2-0, in the best-of-three semifinal series and would be defending their division crown.
Gonzales fired 8 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, where the Warriors moved to within 82-85 following back-to-back triples by Kyle Tolentino and Jack Corpuz.
Tamsi knocked in a triple, and homegrown Emman Tagle drove in, however, to quell Gensan's final assault.
Unlike in Game One, which Quezon handily won, 103-75, Gensan came up ready this time, even taking a 20-12 lead in the first quarter through the efforts of Corpuz, Tolentino, and Nico Elorde.
Quezon, however, tied the halftime count at 46 behind Will Gozum, Judel Fuentes, and RJ Minerva, to the delight of the thousands of fans who endured the heat as the air conditioning system broke down.
The cumulative effect of the warm bodies and the lack of ventilation made the playing court very slippery, prompting Biñan to request that its game against Batangas be postponed.
Binan was ahead, 13-7, when the game was halted.
MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes decided that the Biñan-Batangas tussle will be held on Friday at a venue yet to be announced.
Under FIBA rules, the game will start anew at 0-0.
Gonzales also finished with 5 rebounds and 5 assists to clinch best player honors over Banal, with 12 points, all from triples, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, and Judel Fuentes with 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Ximone Sandagon and Vince Magbuhos contributed nine points each for the Huskers, who were cheered on by Quezon Governor and Huskers co-owner Helen Tan.
Gensan got 14 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds from Corpuz, 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists from Tolentino, 12 points from Elorde, and 10 points each from Larry Rodriguez and Mark Cruz.
The MPBL divisional semifinal round continues on Thursday, with San Juan and Pangasinan disputing the second finals slot in the North Division at the Playtime FilOil Centre in San Juan City.
Pangasinan stunned San Juan, 67-57, in Game One, while San Juan won Game Two, 83-66, to force the sudden-death.
The winner advances to the best-of-five Finals against Abra Solid North.
