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MPBL: Caloocan flexes depth in rout of Parañaque

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Pacesetter Caloocan Batang Kankaloo showcased its depth in a dominant 127-91 victory over Parañaque on Monday in the 2026 MPBL Season at the Paco Arena in Manila.

All 15 Batang Kankaloo players scored at least three points, led by Rommel Calahat, as Caloocan improved to 14-1 in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 27-team tournament. The league leader built a lead of as many as 36 points en route to the lopsided win.

Calahat finished with 16 points and four rebounds to earn Best Player of the Game honors, edging teammate Kean Baclaan, who contributed 15 points, three rebounds, and two assists.

Also delivering for Caloocan, which continues to lead the North Division ahead of Abra (12-1) and San Juan (10-1), were Eric Camson with 13 points and five rebounds, and homegrown Joseph Manlangit with 10 points and five boards.

Parañaque, which dropped to 1-16, was paced by Jomar Santos with 24 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Marlon Monte added 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while Jobert Medina chipped in 12 points and three assists. James Mangahas tallied 11 points, four assists, and two rebounds, while John Michael Cruz finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.

In the nightcap, the Cebu Greats turned back the Quezon City Black Bulls, 74-61, to improve to 12-3 and move into solo third place in the South Division, overtaking Biñan Tatak Gel (11-3). Gensan (13-2) and Batangas (11-2) remain the top two teams in the division.

Mark Meneses once again led Cebu with 15 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, and two assists. Alvin Baetiong added 10 points and eight rebounds, while Kint Ariar also scored 10 points to go along with three rebounds.

Quezon City threatened late after Joshua Roque sank two free throws to trim the deficit to 68-61 with 3:26 remaining, but the Black Bulls failed to score the rest of the way. Cebu sealed the victory by converting six free throws in the closing minutes.

The loss dropped Quezon City to 6-8 despite Val Chauca’s 14 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Jake Agoncillo added 13 points and six rebounds, while Kobe Monje contributed 12 points and five rebounds.

2026-MPBL-Pasay-def-Ilagan-Isabela-Steve-Nash-Enriquez MPBL: Caloocan flexes depth in rout of Parañaque Basketball MPBL News  - philippine sports news

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In the opening game, the Pasay Voyagers bounced back with a 75-68 victory over the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys.

Christian Fajarito and Steve Nash Enriquez combined to fend off the Cowboys’ fourth-quarter rally as Pasay recovered from its 77-74 loss to Biñan Tatak Gel last Friday.

Fajarito sparked the finishing kick with a two-handed slam and a driving layup that stretched the Voyagers’ lead to 72-61. Enriquez then buried a three-pointer with 1:14 remaining to secure Pasay’s ninth win in 16 games.

Enriquez earned Best Player of the Game honors after finishing with 16 points, including a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, along with eight assists. Fajarito nearly posted a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds, while also adding three assists and three steals.

Rence Alcoriza chipped in 12 points, including six straight during Pasay’s decisive 42-25 run, along with three steals and two rebounds. Homegrown Brian Hilario added nine points and five rebounds, while Edmund Dela Cruz contributed eight points and nine boards.

The Cowboys slipped to 9-6 despite 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals from Robby Celiz. Art Dela Cruz added 16 points and seven rebounds, while Alex Cabagnot finished with 14 points, four assists, three steals, and two rebounds.

The tournament resumes Tuesday at the Ynares Sports Arena, with Bulacan taking on Rizal at 4 p.m., San Juan facing Bataan at 6 p.m., and Quezon Province meeting host Pasig at 8 p.m.

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NLEX crushes Titan Ultra, stays unbeaten for solo PBA Group A lead

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ANTIPOLO — NLEX netted their third win in as many games after dealing Titan Ultra yet another disappointing loss, 135-100, to grab the solo lead in Group A of the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Tuesday at the Ynares Center here.

Not wanting a repeat of their near-collapse versus Terrafirma the last time out in Montalban, the Road Warriors played more consistently this time, building a big lead in the second chapter before breaking away for good in the fourth.

The crew actually lost in the third canto when they allowed the opposition to get as close as nine behind a 39-point production, but quickly restored order before the quarter ended, and then put it away not long after to keep their record intact.

Deschon Winston led NLEX with 30 points alongside nine rebounds and six assists, with Robert Bolick dropping 29 points and seven rebounds in easily his best game scoring-wise since Coach Jimmy Alapag took over.

Import DeQuan Jones finished with 22 points and six rebounds, while Kevin Alas tallid a 14-5-4 stat line to lead the bench mob in the victory.

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NBBF Will Continue To Lubricate Fan Belts Of Talent Production In Nigeria – Musa Kida

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The president of Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF), Engineer Ahmad Kusa Kida has come out with a bold pledge that the governing body for the giants’ sport will continue ‘lubricating the fan belts of talent production’ to ensure that more players are produced for the future.

Sports247 reports that Engineer Kida gave the assurance while commenting on the recent feat of the country’s cadet men’s national team in winning the FIBA Africa Zone 3 U18 Championship in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Read Also: Engineer Ahmad Musa Kida Gets Excited With Array Of Basketball Talents Emerging Across Nigeria | Sports247 Nigeria

Kida was beaming with delight, after seeing the team win all four of their matches to top Zone 3 and secure automatic qualification for the finals, scheduled for August 3rd to 6th in Côte d’Ivoire, where they will play along with the country’s females, who earlier secured automatic qualification.

The U18 Tigers pulled off a perfect 4-0 record by defeating Benin Republic 96-35 and 101-43 as well as trouncing Burkina Faso 98-54 and 100-54 in their double-layered games to emerge champions of the sub-region and qualified for the Africa FIBA U18 Championship.

With attention now shifting to the continental assault, Kida revealed that the NBBF is already working hard to consolidate the results ahead of the 2026 U18 AfroBasket and gave credit to collective effort from every member of the federation’s board for the conquest in Ouagadougou.

“The NBBF shall continue to lubricate the fan belts of the talent production factories of the game in Nigeria,” Kida submitted, while pointing out that the current leadership of basketball in the country is prioritising efforts in grassroots development, without neglecting other aspects of the game.

The post NBBF Will Continue To Lubricate Fan Belts Of Talent Production In Nigeria – Musa Kida appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

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Joaquin Tovera finds home at La Salle, puts family above all

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Joaquin Tovera has found his new collegiate home.

Days after announcing his decommitment from the University of the Philippines, the reigning FIBA U18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers Most Valuable Player has committed to De La Salle University, being eligible starting UAAP Season 89.

For the 18-year-old guard, the decision went beyond basketball.

“At the end of the day, family was the biggest reason behind my decision,” Tovera said.

“I’ve always been closest to the people who have supported me since day one, and knowing I’ll be in an environment where I can be near them gives me a lot of peace and confidence. That support system means everything to me, and I believe it will help me become a better player and an even better person.”

Tovera has deep connections with the Cortez family, having previously played alongside Mikey Cortez during their time with Tumakbo Basketball.

UAAP-89-Jacob-Cortez-x-Gregg-Rivera-x-Joaquin-Tovera-x-Mike-Cortez-x-Mikey-Cortez Joaquin Tovera finds home at La Salle, puts family above all Basketball DLSU News UAAP  - philippine sports news

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The relationship extends beyond the court, with La Salle legend Mike Cortez being the cousin of Gregg Rivera, Tovera’s uncle, making the Green Archers a familiar environment for the young playmaker.

His commitment comes just days after he revealed that he was reopening his recruitment despite seeing action for the Fighting Maroons during the 2026 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.

During his brief stint with UP, Tovera contributed across three games, tallying six points, five assists, and two steals against De La Salle. He followed with seven points and three assists versus Far Eastern University, before making his first start against Mapua in the quarterfinals.

He also suited up for Gilas Pilipinas Boys in the same tournament, averaging 18.5 points and 7.0 assists per contest.

Now set to wear the green and white, Tovera is eager to begin the next chapter of his basketball journey.

“I’m really excited to join De La Salle University and become part of such a proud basketball program,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to learning from the coaches, competing with my new teammates, and doing everything I can to help us succeed. I can’t wait to get to work.”

Despite his move, Tovera stressed that he leaves UP with nothing but appreciation for the Fighting Maroons.

“I’ll always be grateful to UP for welcoming me into the program and believing in me,” he said.

“The coaches, my teammates, and everyone behind the team treated me with so much respect, and I’ll always appreciate the opportunity they gave me. I have nothing but gratitude for my time there and wish UP nothing but success moving forward.”

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