Nueva Ecija keeps top spot
STREAKING Nueva Ecija kept the top spot while reigning champion Pampanga stayed nearby in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season on Wednesday at the Caloocan Sports Complex.
The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards dominated the Batang Kankaloo, 73-53, in the nightcap, while the Pampanga Giant Lanterns foiled the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys, 77-72, in the second game of a tripleheader.
Nueva Ecija pounced on misfiring Caloocan to lead by as far as 55-29 and cruise to its seventh straight win in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Flashing the form that made him the 2022 MVP, Jaycee Marcelino posted 16 points, 6 steals, 5 rebounds and 3 steals for the Rice Vanguards, who are bidding to regain the national crown they won in 2022.
Will McAloney provided support with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists, followed by Byron Villarias with 11 points plus 4 rebounds, and Jayvee Marcelino with 7 points and 8 assists.
The Rice Vanguards made 26 of 53 field goal attempts, while the Batang Kankaloo could only connect on 21 of 66 tries.
Caloocan tumbled to 4-2 as no Batang Kankaloo finished in twin digits, with Jeff Manday contributing 9 points and Jeramer Cabanag and Chris Bitoon 7 each.
Pampanga met stiff resistance from Ilagan Isabela since the start but got a lift from John Lloyd Clemente, Larry Muyang and Andre Armenion in the second half to tally its fifth win in six starts and catch up with Abra, Pangasinan, Rizal Xentromall, Zamboanga SiKat and Quezon Province.
Other unbeaten teams thus far are San Juan (4-0), Muntinlupa (3-0) and Paisdg (1-0).
Muyang notched 17 points and 11 rebounds to earn his second straight best player honors, followed by Clemente with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, Armenion with 8 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists, and Jeepy Faundo with 9 points plus 3 rebounds.
The Cowboys skidded to 3-4 despite Art Dela Cruz’s 18 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists, Allen Mina’s 13 points, and Joshua Guiab’s 11 points plus 9 rebounds.
The Valenzuela Classics leaned on Jan Formento and Kobe Monje to subdue the Gensan Warriors, 96-91, in the opener.
Formento and Monje fired six points each to negate the eight-point outburst of Gensan’s Larry Rodriguez in the extension period and lift the Classics to a 3-3 slate.
Gensan threatened at 89-90 following a triple by Rodriguez, but Louie Vigil canned a jumper, Monje got free underneath, and JR Alabanza made his second free throw to ensure Valenzuela’s victory, 95-89, with 31 seconds left.
Formento topped the Warriors with 22 points plus 5 rebounds and 5 assists, but Alabanza was chosen best player with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks and 4 assists. Monje posted 16 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, while Ongteco pooled 12 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists.
Gensan absorbed its fourth straight defeat after back-to-back wins despite Val Acuna’s 23-point, 18 in the second half, explosion.
The Warriors also got 14 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks from Rodriguez and 14 points plus 3 rebounds from Von Tambeling.
It was doubly stingy for the Warriors as they led, 81-74, following a triple by Mark Cruz with 3 minutes and 16 seconds to go.
Valenzuela sued for time and reaped dividends as Formento drilled in a triple, Alabanza drove in, and Ongteco scored inside to force an extension, 81-81.
The MPBL goes to the FilOil EcoOil Centre for the first time this year with a doubleheader pitting Imus against Bataan at 6 p.m. and Batangas against host San Juan at 8 p.m.
