MPBL: Binan rips Marikina; Zamboanga, Pasig win
MANILA, Philippines — Resurgent Binan Tatak Gel battered Marikina, 103-73, on Monday and sustained its climb in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the One Arena Cainta in Rizal Province.
Showing its firepower, Binan led as far as 96-56 before cruising to its sixth straight win and a 9-3 slate in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.
Carlo Lastimosa paced Binan with 21 points and two rebounds in just 12 minutes and 37 seconds of action to clinch Best Player honors over Nic Cabanero, who finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals; and Warren Bonifacio, who tallied 15 points, 11 rebounds and two assists.
With Lastimosa sinking three of four triple tries, Bam Lopez making one of one, Ronnie Alonte canning one of two, and Ryan Sual hitting one of two, Binan drilled in nine of 20 from long distance for a high 45% conversion that eclipsed Marikina's four of 20 for 20%.
The Marikina Shoemasters slid to 4-8 as only JR Alabanza, with 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists, and Ed Daquioag, with 13 points, eight rebounds and two steals, struck back.
Pasig subdues Bacolod
Pasig City hit its stride midway through the first quarter and kept the pace to beat Bacolod, 96-84, in the first game.
Held to a 58-58 count, Pasig drew back-to-back triples from John Felix Corpuz and Jerome Garcia and seven straight points from Michael Lambino to surge ahead, 71-64, after three quarters.
Warlo Batac then presided over an 11-2 run opening the fourth quarter to push Pasig farther away, 82-66, with 7:20 left.
Pasig halted a two-game skid and improved to 6-3.
Lambino, a prized find from the University of Luzon Golden Tigers, posted 13 points, on a perfect 4-of-4 field goals and 5-of-5 charities, to capture Best Player honors over Garcia, with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists; Jacob Galicia, with 17 points and six rebounds; and Batac, with 15 points and seven rebounds.
Galicia and Corpuz combined for 16 points in the first half as Pasig led, 47-43, despite Ram Mesqueriola's 12 points for Bacolod.
Bacolod tumbled to 3-10, despite Mesqueriola's 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists; Ian Melencio's 16 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds; Kurt Lactaotao's 11 points and six rebounds; and Khenth Guiab's 11 points and five rebounds.
Zamboanga thwarts Imus
Zamboanga SiKat continued its recovery with a 102-92 victory over Imus in the second game.
With Reggz Gabat pouring in 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, Zamboanga foiled Imus' final assault that saw the Yangkees narrow the gap, 92-99, with 1:14 left.
Imus couldn't score after that, however, and Zamboanga notched its third straight win for a 4-7 card.
Gabat also collected seven rebounds and two assists to edge Levi Hernandez, with 24 points and four rebounds; and Pamboy Raymundo, with 13 points, four rebounds and three steals, for the Best Player citation.
The Yangkees absorbed their seventh straight defeat and fell to 2-9, wasting Joseph Mark Marquez's 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, and Jordan Rios' 21 points plus nine rebounds.
The MPBL returns to the One Arena Cainta on Tuesday, featuring games between Gensan and Manila at 4 p.m., Bulacan and Negros at 6 p.m., and Ilagan Isabela and Mindoro.
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