ZAMBOANGA Master Sardines and Binan Tatak Gel hurdled separate opponents and boosted their drives in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season on Friday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
The Zamboanguenos leaned on Jaycee Marcelino's game-long brilliance to trounce Iloilo, 81-68, while the Lagunenses led throughout in a 79-68 victory over Bataan in the round-robin eliminations of the 29-team tournament.
Marcelino, the 2022 MPBL MVP, posted 30 points, 11 rebounds, two steals, and two assists to power Zamboanga to its 13th win in 16 starts.
Back-in-form Renzo Subido supported Marcelino with 17 points, two steals, two rebounds, plus two assists, and so did Ady Santos with nine points and five rebounds.
Defying the Royals' defense, Marcelino pumped in 10 points in the fourth quarter for Zamboanga to pull away, 65-51.
Iloilo led at halftime, 39-36, behind CJ Catapusan's 10 points and Omar Larupay's eight, but couldn't sustain their fire and tumbled to a 7-10 card.
Homegrown Mark Nonoy chalked 18 points, Catapusan 12, while Larupay and Clint Doliguez had 10 each for the Royals.
Binan, meanwhile, powered by Carlo Lastimosa and Jonathan Grey, surged ahead, 21-14, after the first quarter then padded it to 55-34 in the third quarter and climbed to 9-6.
Lastimosa wound up with 23 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals, followed by Nino Canaleta with 18 points plus nine rebounds, and Grey with 14 points plus five rebounds. Jaymar Gimpayan also shone with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Bataan suffered its fifth straight defeat and fell to 4-13 despite the 26-point, 9-rebound effort of Rhaffy Octobre and the 10-point, 4-rebound, 4-assist output of Robbi Darang.
Imus on the board, at long last
Imus finally notched its first victory after 17 losses at the expense of Bulacan, 94-88, in the opener.
Drawing double-doubles from Jameson Hiro, Nemesis Dela Cruz, and Kenneth Estabillo, the Agimat VA Drones took control, 79-77, halfway through the fourth quarter and never wavered to relegate the Kuyas to 2-16.
Hiro posted 24 points, 10 assists, plus five rebounds, Dela Cruz chalked 24 points, 10 rebounds, plus six assists, while Estabillo produced 14 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks. Carlo De Chavez also did his part with 16 points.
Bulacan got 17 points, 11 rebounds, plus two steals from Khen Osicos and 11 points plus 11 rebounds from Ralph Manzo, 15 points from Ken Bangeles, and 11 points from Jason Celis.
The MPBL returns to the FiloIL EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Saturday with games pitting Nueva Ecija against Negros at 4 p.m., Abra against Quezon Province at 6 p.m., and San Juan against Quezon City at 8 p.m.
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