The Nueva Ecija snipers struck when needed as the Rice Vanguards bested the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, 67-60, in the OKBet-MPBL Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Fifth Season late Monday at the Caloocan Sports Complex.

Jonathan Uyloan drilled in two triples and John Bryon Villarias added one in a nine-point cluster that swayed the balance Nueva Ecija's way, 59-51, with 3:08 left in an elimination round thriller.

It was actually a four-triple salvo as Jay Collado earlier fired from the corner to push defending national champion Nueva Ecija on top, 50-49, before Joco Tayongtong gave Caloocan its last taste of the lead with two charities at the six-minute mark.

Nueva Ecija, which drew game-highs 15 points and 14 rebounds from Will McAloney, thus raised its record to 18-2, trailing only Pampanga (19-1) in the 29-team tournament.

Uyloan wound up with 10 points and so did Villarias for the Rice Vanguards, who were cheered on by hundreds of supporters brought along in over 20 vans.

Caloocan, which fell to 14-7, got 12 points plus 6 rebounds from Gabby Espinas, 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists, plus two blocks from Ronnie Matias and 10 points, five rebounds plus four assists from Reil Cervantes.

Unlike Nueva Ecija, Zamboanga and Marikina handily won their earlier games.

Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines banked on a 14-point salvo to thrash Muntinlupa, 89-67, while the Marikina Semesters led from the start en route to a 90-70 rout of the Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers.

Jaycee Marcelino, the league's reigning MVP, posted 17 points, five assists and four rebounds for Zamboanga, which also got 15 points from Judel Fuentes, 10 points from homegrown John Mahari and eight points plus 12 rebounds from Joseph Gabayni.

Zamboanga climbed to 15-5 while relegating Muntinlupa, which got 11 points each from Manuel Mosqueda and Val Acuna, to 12-8.

Powered by Joe Gomez De Liaño's 19 points and five rebounds and Marwin Dionisio's 18 points, four rebounds, three steals and three assists, Marikina rose to 11-10.

Rizal fell to 9-13 as only Jeric James Pido fought back with 27 points, four assists and three rebounds.