BASILAN Starhorse and Quezon Province both won in double overtime on Monday, a first in local basketball annals, in the MPBL 2025 Season playoff round at the Malolos Sports and Convention Center in Bulacan.
The Basilan Starhorse Portmasters wasted a 20-point spread in the homestretch of regulation play, but recovered their bearing to nip the Gensan Warriors, 116-114, and force a Game 3 decider in their South Division quarterfinal series.
Jervy Cruz drilled in a triple with 8.2 seconds left to lift the Portmasters past the Warriors, who topped Game One, 85-78, on October 13 at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.
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The Quezon Huskers banked on a drive by Judel Fuentes with 2.7 seconds left to extract a 104-102 victory over the Mindoro Tamaraws in the first game and advance to the semifinal round of the South Division.
Quezon also beat Mindoro, 83-74, on October 10 in Lucena City.
Sherwin Concepcion shone the most for Basilan with 26 points, laced by seven triples, and 14 rebounds, followed by veteran Alex Cabagnot with 22 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, Emman Calo with 17 points plus 12 rebounds, and Renzo Navarro with 11 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals.
Ahead by nine points, the Portmasters pulled away when Concepcion turned hot, pouring 14 points behind 4 triples, in a 17-6 tear that put the count at 94-74 with 4 minutes and 36 seconds left.
The Warriors, however, countered through Kyle Tolentino, Jack Corpuz and Nico Elorde to move within 86-96.
Still trailing, 90-99, with 36.7 seconds to go, the Warriors struck hard and bunched 9 points, 3 each by Tolentino, Corpuz and Marwin Dionisio, to force overtime.
A triple by Elorde put Gensan on top, 106-104, but Calo responded with two charities in the dying seconds to extend the game anew.
Gensan got 27 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals from Corpuz, who, however, committed a turnover with 4.1 seconds left to doom the Warriors, who drew 14 points and 11 rebounds from Dionisio, 14 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists from Tolentino, 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists from Elorde, and 11 points from Val Acuna.
Basilan and Gensan tangle for the right to challenge Quezon on Friday.
Mindoro had a chance to reverse the outcome, but Ino Comboy's buzzer-beating triple went airball.
RJ Ramirez completed a 3-point play to give the Tamaraws back the lead, 100-98, with 1 minute and 45 seconds left, but Ljay Gonzales canned two free throws and Vince Magbuhos struck from under to regain control for Quezon.
Mindoro Fil-Am Ashon Andrews tied the count at 102 on two charities with 21 seconds to go, but Fuentes capped his 21-point, 4-rebound, 4-assist performance with that lane incursion.
The MPBL North Division playoffs continue at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on Wednesday, with games pitting Pangasinan against Nueva Ecija at 6 p.m., and San Juan against Pasay at 8 p.m
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