San Juan, Rizal, Davao finish strong in MPBL elims
MANILA, Philippines — Playoff qualifiers San Juan and Rizal Province closed their elimination round campaign with victories over also-ran Marikina and Bacolod on Monday in the Manny Pacquiao Presents MPBL 2025 Season at the Marikina Sports Center.
The San Juan Knights trounced the Marikina Shoemasters, 78-61, in the second game to improve to 26-3 and finish No. 3 in the North Division behind the Abra Weavers (27-1) and the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards (27-2) in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team, two-division tournament.
The Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers subdued the Bacolod Tubo Slashers, 78-72, in the nightcap to climb to 19-10 and retain the third spot in the South Division led by the Quezon Huskers (25-4) and the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters (19-10).
San Juan got 18 points and eight rebounds from former Mapua Cardinal Arvin Gamboa; 10 points and nine assists from Orlan Wamar; nine points from AC Soberano; and eight points from Raul Soyud.
Marikina, which exited with a 4-25 record, drew 12 points and eight rebounds each from Karl Penano and Jay Yutuc.
Rizal was powered by Michael Canete with 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals; Alwyn Alday with 11 points; Neil Tolentino with eight points, seven rebounds and four steals; and John Apacible with eight points and seven rebounds.
Bacolod bowed out with a 7-22 slate despite John Lemuel Pastias' 15 points, Jan Gabriel Sobrenega's 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists; and Aldave Canoy's 12 points plus four rebounds.
The Davao Occidental Tigers weathered the Quezon City Galeries Taipans' final assault and prevailed, 97-91, in the opener.
Ahead, 75-63, in the fourth quarter, the Tigers watched as the Taipans bunched 13 points, capped by Nino Ibanez's triple, to seize control with 7:05 left.
Wowie Escosio, however, countered with back-to-back baskets to push Davao back on top en route to a 12-17 mark.
The Tigers stayed at No. 9 in the South and will tangle with No. 10 Cebu Classic (11-18) in the play-in for the playoffs.
Joseph Terso shone for the Tigers with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals; followed by Escosio with 17 points and 10 rebounds; Harold Arboleda with 15 points, four assists and three rebounds; and Jeff Comia with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Also-ran Quezon City dropped to 7-22 despite 17 points and seven rebounds from Jeff Javillonar; 13 points from Jayson Puray, 12 points and seven rebounds from Sidney Mosqueda; and 10 points each from Regie Tauto-An and 10 points plus six rebounds from Ibanez.
The league concludes the elimination round at the Robert Estrella Memorial Gymnasium on Tuesday, featuring games between Mindoro and Abra at 4 p.m., and host Pangasinan against Caloocan at 6 p.m.
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