THE Muntinlupa Cagers clobbered Manila Batang Quiapo, 112-89, on Thursday to sustain their recovery in Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at the Olivarez College Gym in Parañaque.
Spearheaded by JR Raflores, the Cagers were in control throughout, leading by as far as 82-43 in posting their sixth win against one loss in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Raflores, a former Mapua Cardinal, posted 23 points and 3 rebounds to earn best player honors over Marj De Leon, who notched 14 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists for Muntinlupa, which yielded to Bataan, 77-76, on April 23 but rebounded against Valenzuela, 72-63, on April 28.
John Winfred Gob supported them with 12 points, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 12 rebounds that gave the Cagers a 58-44 edge underneath; followed by Kurt Lojera with 13 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists, and Patrick Ramos and Dom Matillano with 10 points each.
Manila tasted its eighth straight defeat after an initial win despite John Ashley Faa’s 23 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 5 steals, and Algin Anfaya’s 22 points, 13 rebounds and 2 assists.
The Parañaque Patriots finally snapped their three-game slide with a 69-54 conquest of Cebu Classic in the nightcap.
With Jayboy Solis chalking 21 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists and Lander Canon contributing 14 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks, Paranaque decided the outcome halfway through the fourth quarter, 65-44.
Parañaque prevailed underneath, 58-45, and converted this edge to more second chance points, 20-9.
Cebu stumbled to 3-6 as no Classic finished in twin digits, with homegrown John Jabonete’s 9 points as the highest score. Dennis Santos followed with 8 points, and Ken Holmqvist and Limuel Tampus with six each.
The Mindoro Tamaraws overpowered the Marikina Shoemasters, 101-80, in the opener to regain their footing in the chase for playoff spots.
Hitting more than half of their field goal attempts (35 of 68), the Tamaraws had six double-digit players and paced the Shoemasters, 98-67, en route to a 4-6 record.
Brandrey Bienes struck for the Tamaraws, who have won three of their last four games, with 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists, but Bambam Gamalinda clinched best player honors with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
Smarting from the 94-90 beating they absorbed from the Pampanga Giant Lanterns on April 23, the Tamaraws took control at the half, 45-36, pulled away after three quarters, 77-56, and preserved the margin at the final buzzer.
Other major contributors for Mindoro, which converted 21 of 25 charities, were Wendelino Comboy with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists; RJ Ramirez with 12 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals; Axel Inigo with 11 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists; and Joseph Sedurifa with 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
Marikina fell to 1-9 as only Rafael Go and Jethro Escoto found their mark with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
The MPBL goes to the Robert Estrella Sr. Memorial Gymnasium in Rosales, Pangasinan, on Friday with a triple-bill pitting Bacolod against Davao at 4 p.m., Abra against Bataan at 6 p.m., and Pangasinan against Quezon Province at 8 p.m.
