THE Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards subdued the Mindoro Tamaraws, 104-72, on Monday to grab the solo lead in the MPBL 2025 Season at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
Gathering strength as the game wore on, the Rice Vanguards posted their biggest spread at the final buzzer for their fourth straight win in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Top recruit Christian Manaytay, veterans Robby Celiz and John Wilson and Mer Jesper Ayaay found their mark for Nueva Ecija, which outgunned Mindoro from long distance, 12 against six triples.
Manaytay, a 6-foot-5 former UST Growling Tiger, tallied 15 points, including two triples, five rebounds and 2 assists and was chosen Best Player over Celiz, with 13 points and five rebounds, John Wilson, with 13 points and four rebounds, and Ayaay, 12 points, highlighted by a perfect 3 of 3 on triples, and two assists.
Other Rice Vanguards who delivered were Byron Villarias with 8 points, former MVP Jaycee Marcelino, Will McAloney and Ralph Tansingco with 7 points each.
Trailing Nueva Ecija, the 2022 MPBL champion, is reigning back-to-back titlist Pampanga, last year's losing finalist Quezon Province, and Rizal Xentromall with 3-0 records.
Mindoro, which tumbled to 1-3, could only get 10 points each from Wendel Comboy, Axel Inigo and Bambam Gamalinda.
Debuting San Juan struggled past Cebu, 63-61, in the second game.
The Cebu Classic muffed two chances to force overtime, with Dennis Santos muffing a layup and Limuel Tampos missing the follow-up in the last 5.3 seconds.
Groping for form, the San Juan Knights trailed after three quarters, 43-49, before Dexter Maiquez poured 11 of his game-high 16 points in the fourth to emerge Best Player and bail out the 2019 national champions.
Maiquez, who also snatched 12 rebounds, got support from Michael Calisaan with 10 points and 7 rebounds, and Kenneth Neil Villapando and Jose Manuel Sabandal with 7 points each.
San Juan top gun Orlan Wamar was held to six points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals by the Classics, who drew 14 points and 6 rebounds from Santos, who could have passed the ball to the open Tampos instead of driving in.
Cebu, which tumbled to 1-3, also got 13 points and 6 rebounds from Tampus and 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists from Hiro.
The Abra Weavers regained form and clobbered the Bulacan Kuyas, 114-69, in the opener.
The MPBL returns to the Cuneta Astrodome on Tuesday, March 25, with games pitting Bataan against Caloocan at 4 p.m., Valenzuela against Marikina at 6 p.m., and Pasay against Manila at 8 p.m.
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