NEWBIE Quezon Huskers overcome a sloppy start to pull off a heart-stopping 82-80 escape over the Negros Muscovados on Saturday in the opening day of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) fifth season at the packed Lucena Convention Center in Lucena City.

The partisan home crowd were ecstatic and cheers every time the Huskers caught up and tied the score after being outplayed and buried deep from as much as 17 points lead in the first period, but the newly assembled squad dropped a 10-0 run capped by Mark Joseph Pangilinan's three-pointer to grab a 79-78 advantage with over three minutes left.