SAN JUAN weathered Rizal Xentromall’s fourth quarter surge, then leaned on Michael Calisaan and Dexter Maiquez to prevail, 79-78, on Thursday and stretch its unbeaten run in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at Ynares Arena 2 Montalban in Rizal Province.

Calisaan drilled in a side jumper while Maiquez scored from under after grabbing the ball from the hands of Eric Camson with 20.1 seconds left to lift the San Juan Knights to their sixth straight win in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.

Rizal then missed twice, on a Camson jumper with 9.6 seconds to go and an alley-oop by Alwyn Alday with 1.1 ticks left, to absorb its third straight defeat after winning its first four.

Ahead after three quarters, 63-54, the Knights fell behind 69-74 after the Golden Coolers greeted the fourth quarter with a 20-6 spurt capped by a Keanu Caballero triple.

The Golden Coolers were still up, 78-75, following two charities by Mike Canete with 1 minute and 7 seconds remaining, but went silent after that.

Maiquez posted 21 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, while Calisaan wound up with 19 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals for the Knights, who drew 8 points and 4 rebounds each from Arvin Gamboa and Nikko Panganiban.

.Rizal got 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals from Canete, 12 points from Alday, 11 points and 4 rebounds from Samboy De Leon, and 10 points, 8 rebounds from Camson.

The Knights trail only the Nueva Ecija Vanguards (7-0) and are ahead of the Abra Weavers (6-1), the Pampanga Giant Lanterns (6-1) and the Quezon Huskers (6-1) in the chase for playoff spots.
Zamboanga SiKat struck from afar and trounced poor-shooting Bacolod, 87-63, in the opener of the triple-bill.

The Zamboanguenos hit 15 triples, which spelled the difference as the Tubo Slashers could only convert 3 of 22 attempts.

Roi Sumang shone for Zamboanga with 21 points, spiked by 5 triples, 3 assists and 2 steals, followed by homegrown Jul-Ashri Ignacio with 15 points, all from rainbow territory, 6 rebounds and 3 assists.

James Paul Una contributed nine points and John Paul Cauilan eight as Zamboanga led by as far as 83-57 late in the fourth quarter.

Bacolod, which tumbled to 1-3, got 17 points and 4 rebounds from Mark Ray Dobouzet, 14 points and 6 rebounds from Aldave Canoy and 8 points each from Jaycee Sam Adjei and PJ Intia.

Marikina thwarted Quezon City’s final assault and won, 70-67, in the second game to break an 8-game skid.

Nem Dela Cruz powered the Shoemasters with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals; Michael Angelo Macion 10 points and 6 rebounds, and Julius Tiburcio 10 points and 7 rebounds.

Quezon City Galeria Taipan dropped to 2-6 as only Ry De La Rosa and Jerom Santos found their mark with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

The MPBL visits the Calasiao Sports Complex with games pitting Davao against Pasig at 4 p.m., Abra against Cebu at 6 p.m., and Nueva Ecija against host Pangasinan at 8 p.m.

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