ABRA BEATS CALOOCAN ANEW, ADVANCES TO NORTH FINALS

MANILA, Philippines — The Abra Solid North Weavers repeated over the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, 80-54, on Friday and advanced to the North Division finals of the 747. LIVE Manny Pacquiao presents MPBL 2025 Season at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Unlike their 80-54 blowout victory in Game One, the Weavers have to exert effort in warding off the challenge of Batang Kankaloo and extending their league record to 30 straight victories.

Fil-Am Jason Brickman, showing why he was a two-time US NCAA Division I assists leader, posted 18 points, spiked by four triples, 5 assists and 3 rebounds to clinch best player honors over Danny Ildefonso, who notched 14 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals, and Encho Serrano with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.

Other Weavers who delivered were Alfred Batino with 11 points and 6 rebounds, and 6-foot-10 Geo Chiu with 7 points and a game-high 12 rebounds that contributed to Abra's 53-40 edge off the boards.

Serrano pumped in six points in a 16-1 run that pushed Abra to its biggest spread, 59-43, with 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the third quarter.

Abra would face the winner of the other semifinal series between Pangasinan and San Juan in the best-of-five North Division finals.

Caloocan closed in, 34-38, on a drive by Jeff Manday with 43.9 seconds left, but Brickman canned a triple and Chiu scored from under in a buzzer-beater to push Abra ahead, 43-34, at the half.

The Batang Kankaloo, who missed the services of the suspended Reil Cervantes and the injured Paul Sanga, drew 9 points each from Jeramer Cabanag, Jeff Manday and Leo James Ingles.

The South Division semifinals continue on Monday at the Batangas Province Events Center with games pitting Gensan against Quezon Province at 6 p.m. and Batangas against Binan at 8 p.m.

Having won the best-of-three series openers, Quezon and Binan will try to sweep their opponents and advance to the best-of-five division finals. TMT

2025-11-07T13:59:43Z