NUEVA Ecija flaunted its firepower and smothered Sarangani, 115-67, on Thursday in the MPBL 2025 Season at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
The Rice Vanguards saw 14 of their 15 players scoring in the wire-to-wire win which gave them their 24th win against only two losses to stay hot on the tails of the league-leading Abra at 23-1.
They're also a full game ahead of San Juan which is toting a 22-2 record.
Jammer Jamito shone for the Rice Vanguards with 21 points and eight rebounds while Will McAloney added 16. JP Calvo chipped in 12 points, nine assists and three steals while former MPBL MVP Jaycee Marcelino added 11 points and three dimes.
Sarangani suffered its third straight defeat and slid to 9-16, jeopardizing its bid to make the play-in of the South Division, where it shares 12th spot with Imus.
Martin Gozum led the Grippers with 11 points while Kyt Jimenez added 10 points, six rebounds and five assists.
In the opening game, Bacolod rode the hot hands of John Lemuel Pastias to rout Manila Batang Quiapo, 102-58 in a battle of two eliminated teams.
Pastias dropped 37 big points on eight of 10 attempts from down to give the Tubo Slashers their fourth win in 25 tries.
The Batang Quiapo got 10 points from Alfred Sedillo as they dropped to 3-22.
The MPBL returns to the Caloocan Sports Complex on Thursday, with games pitting Quezon Province against Bataan at 4 p.m., Pampanga against San Juan at 6 p.m., and Caloocan against Muntinlupa 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.
