The Iloilo United Royals secured their first MPBL victory by fending off a late-game surge from Manila Batang Quiapo at the Baliwag Star Arena.
The Iloilo United Royals finally broke into the win column after a grueling stretch, securing a nail-biting 101-96 victory against Manila Batang Quiapo on Wednesday. The match, held at the Baliwag Star Arena, saw Iloilo nearly squander a massive lead before finding their rhythm late in the game.
Leading by as much as 22 points, 72-50, Iloilo United Royals appeared to be cruising toward a comfortable victory.. However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the fourth quarter as the team went cold, allowing Manila to storm back and briefly take a 93-92 lead with just over two minutes remaining.. The sudden intensity of the match forced players to rely on their composure under pressure.
Resilience in the clutch
In the final two minutes, Kyt Jimenez and Levi Hernandez stepped up to stop the bleeding, combining for nine crucial points to seal the win.. Hernandez proved unstoppable, finishing with a game-high 36 points, four rebounds, and two assists, earning the SportsPlus player of the game honors.. Jimenez complemented this effort with a gritty performance of 17 points, eight rebounds, and three steals, showing defensive hustle that kept Manila’s offense in check.
Paul Sanga also played a vital role, chipping in 12 points and six rebounds before an unfortunate hand injury sidelined him during the game’s closing moments.. For Manila, John Ashley Faa and Mark Doligon fought hard to keep the team in the game, tallying 26 and 24 points respectively, but their late rally ultimately fell short against Iloilo’s desperate final stand.
The path forward for MPBL teams
This victory is a significant morale booster for the Iloilo camp, which had struggled through three consecutive losses to open the 2026 season.. The nature of the tournament, featuring a massive 28-team field across two divisions, means that every single win carries immense weight in the race for playoff seeding.. For Manila, the loss marks their third in four games, highlighting the inconsistency that has plagued their rotation during these early rounds.
Analytically, the game demonstrated how quickly leads evaporate when a team’s defensive intensity drops.. Iloilo’s ability to recover from a 22-point collapse is a rare trait in the high-stakes environment of the MPBL.. Most teams would have folded after conceding a late lead, but the poise shown by veterans like Hernandez prevented a total breakdown.. The challenge for Iloilo now is to maintain this momentum, as consistency remains the primary currency for any team hoping to survive the grueling, round-robin format of this league.
As the tournament moves to the Batangas City Coliseum this Thursday, the league continues to showcase the unpredictable nature of regional basketball.. With Valenzuela facing Negros and Marikina taking on Caloocan, the upcoming schedule offers another chance for teams to establish their identity early in the season.. Fans are expecting tighter defensive schemes as teams analyze the mistakes that allowed for high-scoring, back-and-forth finishes like Wednesday’s encounter.