MPBL: Mindoro books playoff berth; Zamboanga stays alive
MANILA, Philippines — The Mindoro Tamaraws showed composure under pressure to thwart the Basilan Steel, 77-72, on Monday and barge into the South Division playoffs of the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the jam-packed Calapan City Coliseum in Oriental Mindoro.
Ahead by 16 points, the Tamaraws ground to a halt as the Steel warmed up and bundled 18 points to seize control at 72-70, with 1:58 left.
The Tamaraws, however, refused to get rattled and scored the game's last seven points, four by veteran Bambam Gamalinda, to clinch the seventh seed in the South.
They will tackle the second-ranked Binan Tatak Gel in a best-of-three quarterfinal showdown of the two-division, 26-team tournament.
Homegrown Jayjay Caspe tallied 23 points, highlighted by five triples, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals to clinch Best Player honors.
The 6-foot Caspe, from Puerto Galera town, got support from Gamalinda, with 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists; RJ Ramirez, with nine points, four rebounds and two assists; Joseph Sedurifa, with eight points, six rebounds and three assists; and JC Recto, from Pinamalayan town, with five points and seven rebounds.
The Tamaraws are now mentored by four-time NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) champion coach Frankie Lim of San Beda.
Basilan drew 17 points and seven rebounds from Byron Villarias; 13 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals from Gab Cometa; 11 points and five assists from John Wilson; and 10 points and five assists from Neil Owens.
Zamboanga SiKat asserted its superiority over Imus Yangkee, 86-61, in the first game to forge a knockout game with Basilan for the eighth and last quarterfinal slot in the South,
Improving on their 102-82 thumping of the Yangkees in their first encounter, the Zamboanguenos led by as many as 31 points (62-31) in a display of firepower.
All 15 Zamboanga players scored, led by Brandon Wilson with 12 points plus rebounds; Levi Hernandez, with 10 points plus six rebounds; Joseph Gabayni, with seven points, eight rebounds and two assists; John Arthur Calisay, with seven points and four rebounds; and Robin Rono, with seven points and four assists.
Paeng Are, the MPBL's first One Versus One champion, was named Best Player with 12 assists, three steals, two points and two rebounds.
Zamboanga, with Calisay and Jayson Puray outscoring the entire Imus crew, 13-11 stormed ahead at halftime, 56-31, and never looked back
Imus bowed out of this year's competition, putting to waste Dylan Darbin's 17 points and Ian Pardo's 16.
Pola Mayor Jennifer "Ina Alegre" Cruz, team owner of the Mindoro Tamaraws, and Calapan City Mayor Doy Leachon did the ceremonial toss before the Mindoro-Basilan tussle that lured thousands of spectators in the coliseum inaugurated on September 9. (Pool story)
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