JAYVEE Marcelino won't stay under the shadows of his twin brother Jaycee forever.
Hours after Jaycee was named MVP of the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season Presented by Xtreme on Friday night, Jayvee led Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines past Nueva Ecija, 75-65, in Game 3.
Jayvee fired 22 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and handed 3 assists to earn Best Player honors and avert a Nueva Ecija sweep of the best-of-five championship series at the Mayor Vitaliano Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga City.
[READ: Abueva helps Magnolia put away tenacious Phoenix]
Game 4 will be held at the same venue on December 12 with Zamboanga seeking to equalize and Nueva Ecija aiming to seal the series.
Jaycee was held to 9 points but proved his all-around value again with 10 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals after being awarded the MVP trophy by Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes. He also received a Suzuki Avenis motorcycle.
The 5-foot-9 guard out of the Lyceum Pirates posted averages of 17 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.65 steals through Game 2.
Ralph Tansingco scored all his 15 from triples, while Chris Dumapig contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds for Zamboanga coach Vic Ycasiano.
Nueva Ecija, which won Game 1, 81-75, and Game 2, 75-74, got 15 points and 8 rebounds from Michael Mabulac and 14points and 5 rebounds from John Bryon Villarias. But Game 1 hero Hesed Gabo was held scoreless as no other Rice Vanguard drilled in double figures for Coach Jerson Cabiltes.
Zamboanga, starring Jayvee and Tansingco took a 38-28 lead at halftime and led by as far as 48-32 before Nueva Ecija struck back with a 9-point cluster.
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