THE Cebu Greats needed just one scoring spurt to rip Zamboanga Sikat apart, 96-77, on Tuesday and continue their rise in the 2026 MPBL Season at the Caloocan Sports Complex.
Zamboanga was up, 27-24, until Cebuano legend Dondon Hontiveros drilled in two triples, sparking and capping off a 14-point blitz that put the Greats ahead for good, 38-27, with three minutes and six seconds left in the second quarter.
In between Hontiveros' snap jumpers, Ron Dennison drove in and Jonathan Ralf Gesalem canned back-to-back triples that shoved the Greats to their fourth straight win and a 6-2 record in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Cebu's Mark Meneses posted 19 points, highlighted by a one-handed slam, 11 rebounds and two steals, followed by Wowie Escosio with 15 points and five rebounds, Paul Desiderio with 13 points and two rebounds, and Simon Camacho with 10 points, six rebounds rebounds, three blocks and two assists.
It was Brian Heruela, however, who emerged as the best player after dishing 15 assists to go along his four points, seven rebounds and two steals.
The 48-year-old Hontiveros finished with 7 points, three rebounds and three assists, while his 23-year-old son, Ice, chipped in seven points and two rebounds.
Zamboanga absorbed its fourth straight loss and dropped to 1-6 despite Paeng Are's 21-point night.
The tournament returns to the Ynares Center Montalban on Wednesday, featuring games between Manila and Pasay at 4 p.m., Gensan and Negros at 6 p.m., and host Rizal Xentromall and Basilan at 8 p.m.
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