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| Quezon remains the top team in the South. LA Arcin |
BIÑAN—Quezon won its third consecutive MPBL South Division title after escaping a last-gasp from Biñan for a 69-68 win in Game 4 of the division finals on Friday night at the Alonte Sports Arena.
Just when the Huskers thought they would blow out the Tatak Gel after holding them to just four points in the third quarter to open a 54-35 lead, the road team still found itself in trouble.
Led by Nic Cabañero, Biñan fought back and cut the lead to just one 66-65 with 15.6 seconds left.
Judel Fuentes kept the opposing side's options open when he only made a split from the line that upped Quezon's lead to two with 10 seconds to go.
The Tatak Gel pinned their last hope on Cabañero, but he slipped during his drive and lost the ball to Jolo Manansala, and Cyrus Tabi made two free throws on the other end to ice the Huskers' win.
Chris Pagaran led Quezon, which will await the winner of the North Division Finals between Abra and San Juan in the national finals, with 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting, four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
Two nights after setting an MPBL playoff record with 18 assists, Tabi added 11 points, five rebounds, seven assists, and one steal off the bench.
In what could be his final game in the regional league, Cabañero, tipped as a possible early pick in the 2027 PBA Draft, fired 27 points on 10-for-19 field goals, including 4-for-7 on threes, 14 rebounds, three assists, and one steal, but he, too, committed four errors in total.
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