Cebu Greats hosted Batangas City in the MPBL on 7 October 2026. The visitors took the lead early but the home side held on for a narrow 78-77 victory. It was one of those games where things came to a head right at the final buzzer.
Batangas City arrived as leaders of the league, sitting at the summit with 15 wins from 17 fixtures. They had only 2 defeats to their name, a record that suggests they do not travel to make up the numbers. To be fair, Cebu Greats had been steady in their own right, winning 4 of their 5 outings. The gap between them in the standings was wide, but the scoreboard showed a different story.
The hosts had shown resilience in recent weeks, closing out tight contests against Maykawayan and Abra Wavers. Their defence looked sharper against Mindoro Tamaraus, where they kept the scoreline at 70-69. That consistency was vital, especially after the heavy loss to Rizal Golden Coolers earlier in September. By then, they had seen it out against the visitors tonight.
Batangas City had mixed fortunes recently, dropping points to Batang Kanaklu and Bataan in back-to-back games. A convincing win over Quezon City lifted spirits, but the 126-point defeat to Rizal remained a blot on the copybook. Their performance against Cebu did not quite match their league-leading statistics. They were dominant in the air from set plays, yet the margin was razor-thin.
The 1-point difference leaves Batangas City still top, but the sting of the defeat is significant. Cebu Greats extended their unbeaten run to 5, building momentum for the stretch ahead. It is a result that keeps the title race interesting, even if the table hasn't shifted yet, and the captain dragged them through it.
