MANILA, Philippines — Binan Tatak Gel and Basilan Viva took the same route to victories in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season on Wednesday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
The Lagunenses led throughout and by as many as 16 points in the nightcap before thwarting the Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers, 66-63, and duplicating the Portmasters’ wire-to-wire 75-72 triumph coming from a 16-point spread.
Marc Pingris bunched six points opening the fourth quarter to push Binan ahead, 60-46, but Rizal refused to give up and with Michael Canete at the firing end threatened at 61-64 with 2:15 to go.
Kenny Roger Rocacurva, however, scored on a breakaway drive with 1:09 left to seal Binan’s seventh straight win and an 8-3 slate in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Rocacurva tallied 16 points and three rebounds to clinch best player honors over Michael Maestre, who carded 11 points and five rebounds, and Pingris, who scored 10 plus seven rebounds.
Rizal skidded to 8-4 despite Canete’s 14 points and four rebounds; Samboy De Leon’s 12 and eight; and Joel Nayve’s 10 points plus two rebounds.
Basilan, powered by Adi Santos and Sherwin Concepcion, pulled away at 46-30, but needed to fend off a Val Acuna-sparked Gensan rally to rise to 4-7 and add fuel to its drive for a playoff spot.
Santos wound up with 20 points and three rebounds for Basilan, which got 12 points and four rebounds from Concepcion; and 10 points plus four rebounds from Jervy Cruz.
The Portmasters also drew eight points and six rebounds from Joseph Tempra; seven points plus nine rebounds from Gab Dagangon; and seven points plus six rebounds from Enzo Joson.
Gensan slipped to 6-6 despite Acuna’s 23 points, spiked by five triples, Marwin Dionisio’s 12 points, six rebounds and four assists; and Kyle Tolentino’s 10 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
Muntinlupa repelled Davao Occidental’s repeated rallies and prevailed, 89-80, in the opener.
The Davao Tigers moved to within three points four times, the last at 80-83 with 2:18 left, but the Muntinlupa Cagers held their ground through John Cantimbuhan’s drive and two free throws.
Kurt Lojera added two more free throws with 6.6 seconds left to seal the Cagers’ third straight win and 9-2 record.
Muntinlupa caught up with Pampanga and Quezon Province and trailed Zamboanga (10-2), San Juan (9-1), Abra (10-1) and pacesetter Nueva Ecija (11-0).
The 5-foot-10 Cantimbuhan, a former De La Salle University-Dasmarinas star, posted 26 points, eight rebounds and four assists to earn best player honors over JR Raflores, who tallied 17 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.
Other Cagers who delivered were Patrick Ramos with 14 points and two assists; and Lojera with 10 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.
With Cantimbuhan and Raflores at the firing end, Muntinlupa pulled away at 26-6 and kept control.
Davao absorbed its third straight loss and tumbled to 3-5 despite Terrence Tumalip’s 24 points, nine rebounds and two blocks; Jeff Comia’s 13 points, four rebounds and two assists; Justin Alano’s 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists; and Jon Lee Valin’s 10 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists.
The MPBL goes to the Cuneta Astrodome on Thursday with games pitting Mindoro against Manila at 4 p.m., San Juan against Bacolod at 6 p.m., and Pasay against Cebu at 8 p.m.
