THE Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards banked on Jaycee Marcelino's explosion to subdue the Pasay Voyagers, 84-72, on Monday in the MPBL 2025 Season at the Robert Estrella Sr. Memorial Memorial Gym in Rosales, Pangasinan.
After the Voyagers tied the count at 70, Marcelino flashed the form that made him the 2022 league MVP, bunching eight points in a 14-point run that sealed the win for the 2022 champions, 84-70, with 1 minute and 10 seconds to go.
READ Imus rides Caspe's hot hands to tame Mindoro Tamaraws
Marcelino wound up with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block but yielded Best Player honors to Ralph Tansingco, who posted 18 points, 7 rebounds and 1 steal in Nueva Ecija's first game of the MPBL's seventh season.
Jammer Jamito provided support with 13 points, 3 steals and 2 rebounds, and so did Billy Robles with 8 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals, and John Byron Villarias with 8 points and 2 rebounds.
The Voyagers drew 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal from Cyrus Tabi, 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 steal from Warren Bonifacio, 10 points and 10 rebounds from AJ Coronel, and 10 points from homegrown Brian Wendel Hilario.
The Pangasinan Heatwaves shut down the Bataan Risers in the last two minutes to prevail, 95-86, in the nightcap.
Trailing the Risers, 84-86, the Heatwaves turned hot through Michael Mabulac, Vic Manuel, Lervin Flores and Michael DiGregorio to win their first assignment at home.
Manuel lived up to the hype in his MPBL debut, coming through with 23 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block and clinching Best Player honors over Jorey Napoles, who tallied 20 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal.
Mabulac chalked 10 points, 13 rebounds and 3 assists. DiGregorio notched 11 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, and Ralph Robin 11 points plus 2 rebounds.
Bataan, which led for nearly 26 minutes, drew 12 points each from Jeff Santos and Yves Sazon and 11 from Chris Javier and Robbi Darang.
Imus Braderhood rode the hot hands of Jhon Jerrick Caspe in the fourth quarter to stun the Mindoro Tamaraws, 83-75, in the opener.
The MPBL visits the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Tuesday with games pitting Manila Batang Quiapo against Marikina at 4 p.m., Bulacan against Quezon TODA Aksyon at 6 p.m., and Rizal Xentromall against Basilan Viva at 8 p.m.
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