Nueva Ecija and Rizal Xentromall notched contrasting wins on Saturday to join the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season pacesetters at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.
The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards held the Basilan Viva Portmasters without a field goal in the last 6 minutes and 57 seconds to prevail, 71-66, in the nightcap and climb to 2-0 in the round-robin elimination round of the 30-team tournament.
The Rizal Golden Coolers toted the same card following an impressive 111-81 pounding of Manila Batang Quiapo, 111-81, earlier.
Also at 2-0 are the Pangasinan Heatwaves and the Abra Weavers.
Rob Celiz led Nueva Ecija, the 2022 MPBL champion, with 18 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, clinching best player honors over Jaycee Marcelino, who posted 18 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals.
Will McAloney backed them with 7 points and 9 rebounds, and so did John Wilson and Jayvee Marcelino with 7 points each.
Basilan, which fell to 0-2, led for the last time at 62-61, following two free throws by Sherwin Concepcion with 5 minutes and 28 seconds to go.
The Portmasters, however, couldn’t buy a bucket after that, settling for two charities each by Jeff Viernes and Emman Calo against the 10 points pooled by McAloney, the Marcelino twins, John Byron Villarias and Billy Robles.
Basilan got 19 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists from Alex Cabagnot, 11 points plus 4 rebounds from Concepcion, and 10 points plus 2 rebounds from Rabeh Al-Hussaini. Arwind Santos settled for 4 points plus 11 rebounds.
Alday sparkled for Rizal with 27 points, from 7 triples and 6 charities, 4 rebounds and 2 assists to edge Michael Canete, who tallied 16 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists, for best player honors.
Rizal Coach Ralph Rivera also drew 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals from Marco Balagtas and 10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals from Eric Camson.
Manila skidded to 1-1 despite the 23-point, 8-rebound, 2-steal effort of Richard Albo and the 11-point, 7-rebound, 2-assist output of Algin Andaya.
The Valenzuela Classics recovered from a meltdown to subdue Quezon City Galeries Taipan, 74-66, on Saturday and rebounded in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1XBet-MPBL 2025 Season at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.
Riding a 16-point binge, Valenzuela led by as far as 41-26 only to allow Quezon City to equalize after three quarters, 54-54.
Kobe Monje, however, came to the Classics’ rescue, sparking an 8-point flurry that put the count at 64-57, before bunching five points to tilt the balance and lift Valenzuela’s slate to 1-1 in the round-robin elimination round of the 30-team tournament.
The 6-foot-4 Monje, a former Letran Knight, posted 19 points, including 9 in the fourth quarter, and 9 rebounds to earn best players. Jan Fomento provided support with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals, followed by JR Alabanza with 9 points and 9 rebounds, and Jonathan Ralf Gesalem with 9 points and 5 assists.
The combined efforts of Monje, Alabanza and Kyle Drexler Neypes and John Anthony Umali, who snagged 8 rebounds each, enabled Valenzuela to control the boards, 50-33, and outscore Quezon City, 20-4, on second chance points.
Quezon City dropped to 1-1 as only Nino Ibanez, with 18 points and 3 steals, and Jayson Punay with 11 points and 6 rebounds struck back.
MPBL Founder and Chairman Manny Pacquiao motored to the venue from Manila to watch the games. Pacquiao, assisted by Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes and MPBL staff, gave away T-shirts to the full house crowd at the break of the Nueva Ecija-Basilan encounter.
The MPBL goes to the Bataan People’s Center in Balanga on Monday with games pitting Zamboanga against Sarangani at 4 p.m., Quezon Province against Cebu at 6 p.m., and Bataan against General Santos City at 8 p.m.