THE Bataan Risers woke up in the third quarter and bested the Cebu Classic, 79-69, on Thursday in the MPBL 2025 Season at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
Powered by Jeff Santos and Yves Sazon, the Risers erupted for 28 points in that period, matching their entire first-half output, to seize control, 56-50, and keep it till the end to tally its first victory after back-to-back losses.
Sazon takes honors
Sazon wound up with 12 points and 2 assists and was chosen Best Player over Santos, who posted 12 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal.
They were backed by Robbi Darang with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, and Jamil Gabawan with 9 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.
Ahead by six after three quarters, the Risers clustered 11 points, six by Darang, greeting the fourth to pull away, 67-50, with 8 minutes and 6 seconds to go.
Cebu, which fell to 1-2, drew 12 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists from Jeco Bancale, 11 points and 5 rebounds from Dennis Santos and 10 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals from homegrown Mark Meneses.
With Bancale firing nine points, Cebu led at the half, 31-28.
The MPBL returns to the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Friday with games pitting Sarangani against Quezon City at 4 p.m., General Santos City against Pampanga at 6 p.m., and Rizal Xentromall against Batangas City Tanduay at 8 p.m.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
