BINAN Tatak Gel bested Zamboanga Sikat, 60-56, on Tuesday to rev up its drive for an outright playoff slot in Manny Pacquiao Presents MPBL 2025 Season at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Spearheaded by Kenny Roger Rocacurva, Binan detonated an early 16-2 bomb to wrest control and keep it till the end for its 16th win against 11 losses, tying Basilan and Gensan from fifth to seventh in the South Division led by Quezon Province (23-4).
Rocacurva posted 20 points, 15 rebounds and 3 assists to earn best player honors. Carlo Lastimosa and Jaymar Gimpayan provided support with 8 points each.
Zamboanga skidded to 17-10 despite James Paul Una’s 17 points and 11 rebounds, and JP Cauilan’s 10 points and 4 rebounds.
The Zamboanguenos, who have tough assignments left in the pacesetting Abra Solid North Weavers (24-1) and the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo (18-7), were hampered by poor free-throw shooting, sinking only 10 of 26 attempts for 38.5 percent.
The Mindoro Tamaraws yielded a big lead, but kept their poise to subdue the Pangasinan Heatwaves, 89-79, in wire-to-wire fashion in the opener.
Powered by Jeco Bancale and Ino Comboy, the Tamaraws pulled away at 42-16 only for the Heatwaves to fight back and threaten at 72-77.
The Tamaraws, however, countered with a 9-1 run, four by Bancale, to improve to 15-12 and secure the eighth spot in the South.
Comboy posted 24 points plus 5 rebounds, but Bancale, a former Mapua Cardinal, clinched best player honors with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.
Bambam Gamalinda contributed 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists for Mindoro, which fielded Jonas Tibayan for the first time since the power forward got hit by a sucker punch to the face by Gensan’s Michole Sorela in their game on August 11. Wearing a protective mask, Tibayan played for 14 minutes and 40 seconds and tallied 4 rebounds and 2 steals.
Pangasinan fell to 18-8 and joint fifth with reigning back-to-back titlist Pampanga and Pasay City in the North Division.
The Heatwaves got 24 points and 8 rebounds from Jorey Napoles, 12 points and 7 rebounds from Vic Manuel, 11 points and 4 rebounds from Allyn Bulanadi, and 9 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists from Ian Melencio.
In the nightcap between also-ran teams, Valenzuela drubbed Manila Batang Quiapo, 122-104, to rise to 7-21 and pull down its victim to 3-24.
Kobe Monza shone for Valenzuela with 33 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks, followed by Jan Formento with 29 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, Nem Dela Cryz with 15 points plus 3 rebounds, Arvie Bringas with 12 points, Adven Jess Diputado with 11 points plus 4 rebounds, and Carl Bryan Lacap with 10 points plus 5 rebounds.
Alfred Sedillo was Manila’s lone bright spot with 28 points plus 13 rebounds.
The MPBL returns to the Cuneta Astrodome on Wednesday, with games pitting Sarangani against Paranaque at 4 p.m., Muntinlupa against Rizal at 6 p.m., and Pasay against Marikina at 8 p.m.
