MPBL: Pampanga, Gensan, Batangas power playoff push

MANILA, Philippines — Pampanga, Gensan and Batangas battered their opponents on Friday to rev up their playoff drive in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at the Paco Arena in Manila.

Powered by Larry Muyang and Jhaymo Eguilos, the Pampanga Giant Lanterns trounced the Quezon City Galeries Taipans, 90-73, in the nightcap to raise their record to 16-7 and share the fourth spot with Caloocan Batang Kankaloo in the North Division.

The 6-foot-6 Muyang posted 20 points, five rebounds and two assists to edge the 6-foot-6 Eguilos, who notched 12 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, for Best Player honors.

Archie Concepcion supported them with nine points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals; and Sonny Estil with eight points and three rebounds.

Quezon City, which slid to 6-17, drew 16 points, five rebounds and three steals from Jayson Puray and 11 points each from Nino Ibanez and Vincent Cunanan. 

Gensan, with six Warriors in double figures, routed the Bacolod Tubo Slashers, 104-71, in the second game and climbed to 14-9 behind the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters in the chase for South playoff spots in the 30-team, two-division tournament. 

Mark Cruz contributed to the Warriors' cause with 23 points and six rebounds, and so did Felix Apreku with 10 points, a night-high 24 rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Other Warriors who delivered were Nico Elorde with 13 points and seven assists; Jeemwell Cosip and Chris Masaglang with 12 points each; and Rene Pacquiao with 10 points.

Bacolod skidded to 3-20 as only Mart James Barrera and Mark Ray Dubouzet struck back with 21 and 20 points, respectively.

Batangas led from the start and dumped Marikina, 108-88, in the opener to grab the third spot with a 15-8 card, trailing only Quezon Province (17-4) and Zamboanga SiKat (16-7) in the chase for playoff berths in the South Division.

Powered by Dawn Ocea, John Ambulodto and Levi Hernandez, Batangas surged ahead, 24-16, after the first quarter and never wavered.

Ochea posted 16 points, eight rebounds and two steals to clinch Best Player honors over Hernandez, who wound up with 20 points, three rebounds and four assists.

Other Rum Masters who delivered were Jong Baloria with 14 points, four steals and three rebounds; Mark Niel Cruz with 10 points and 10 rebounds; and MJ Dela Virgen with nine points, 10 assists and three rebounds.

With Cruz and homegrown VJ Alarcon joining the scoring fray, Batangas moved beyond reach, 96-74, halfway through the fourth quarter and pulled down Marikina to 4-19.

Batangas Coach Cholo Villanueva fielded CJ Lane, who arrived last week, for 7:37, with the 6-foot-10 Filipino-American contributing three points, three rebounds and one assist.

Marikina got 13 points each from Jethro Escoto, Jacob Ubaldo and Deo Timajo, and 12 points from Jay Yutuc.

The MPBL returns to the Lucena City Convention Center on Saturday, with games pitting Cebu against Bulacan at 4 p.m., Abra against Ilagan at 6 p.m., and host Quezon Province against San Juan at 8 p.m.