THE Gensan Warriors routed the Muntinlupa Cagers, 90-72, on Monday to rev up their drive in Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Powered by Joel Lee Yu, Kyle Tolentino and Val Acuna, GenSan led throughout en route to its fourth straight win and a 9-6 record in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Yu finished with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals to clinch best player honors over Tolentino, who wound up with 12 points and 5 rebounds, and Acuna with 12 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
Muntinlupa, which trailed as far as 57-80, tasted its first back-to-back losses and tumbled to 10-4 despite John Cantimbuhan’s 20-point, 4-assist, 3-rebound effort and Marivin Hayes’ 13 points and 7 rebounds.
The Ilagan Isabela Cowboys followed suit with a wire-to-wire 123-87 drubbing of Manila Batang Quiapo that leveled their card to 7-7.
Dominant off both boards, 63-30, the Cowboys poured 64 points in the paint against the Manilenos’ 36, and had more second chance points, 23-5, and fastbreak points, 35-16.
With the game under wraps, Ilagan Isabela Coach Louie Gonzalez deployed 15 players, who all scored.
Mark Dyke led the Cowboys with 23 points and 13 rebounds, Joshua Guiab with 13 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals, Shan Bautista with 11 points, 2 assists and 2 steals, Allen Mina with 10 points and 5 rebounds, and Andre Duremdes, son of MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes, with 10 points and 2 rebounds.
Manila, which fell to 1-13, got 17 points and 7 assists from John Ashley Faa, 16 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists from Decoy Lopez, 14 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals from Achie Inigo, and 13 points from homegrown Redgimir Eusebio.
The Pangasinan Heatwaves turned hot in the second half and routed the Marikina Shoemasters, 103-79, in the opener.
Powered by homegrown Kriss Kelly Gurtiza, the Heatwaves pulled away in the third quarter, 70-51, and never looked back en route to their fourth straight win and a 9-4 record in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
The 6-foot-2 Gurtiza, former star of the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, posted 29 points, including three triples, 7 rebounds and 2 assists to clinch best player honors over Jorey Napoles with 14 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.
Other Heatwaves who delivered were Harvey Pagsanjan with 10 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, and Ralph Robin with 11 points.
The Shoemasters were still fighting, 41-33, after the first half, until Gurtiza poured 8 points and Hesed Gabo 5 points in the third quarter.
Marikina drew 19 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists from Nem Dela Cruz, 13 points and 7 rebounds from Karl Penano, 11 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals from homegrown Jomel Lantayan, and 10 points plus 3 rebounds from Jethro Escoto.
The MPBL goes to the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando City on Tuesday with games pitting Bulacan against Bacolod at 4 p.m., Pasay against Valenzuela at 6 p.m., and Rizal against host Pampanga at 8 p.m.
