Zamboanga Master Sardines and Biñan Tatak Gel hurdled separate opponents and boosted their drives in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Sixth Season on Friday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

The Zamboanguenos banked on Jaycee Marcelino’s game-long brilliance to trounce the Iloilo United Royals, 81-68, while the Lagunenses led throughout in a 79-68 victory over the Bataan Risers in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

Marcelino, the 2022 MPBL Most Valuable Player, posted 30 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two assists to earn the Best Player honors and power Zamboanga to its 13th win in 16 starts.

Back-in-form Renzo Subido supported Marcelino with 17 points, two steals, two rebounds plus two assists, and so did Ady Santos with nine points and five rebounds.

Defying the United Royals’ defense, Marcelino pumped in 10 points in the fourth quarter and pulled Zamboanga away, 65-51.

Iloilo led at halftime, 39-36, behind CJ Catapusan’s 10 points and Omar Larupay’s eight, but the United Royals couldn’t sustain their fire and tumbled to a 7-10 card.

Homegrown Mark Nonoy chalked 18 points, Catapusan 12, while Larupay and Clint Doliguez had 10 points each for the United Royals.

Biñan, powered by Carlo Lastimosa and Jonathan Grey, surged ahead, 21-14, after the first quarter, padded it to 55-34 in the third quarter and climbed to 9-6.

Lastimosa wound up with 23 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals, followed by Nino Canaleta with 18 points plus nine rebounds, and Grey with 14 points plus five rebounds. Jaymar Gimpayan also shone with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Bataan suffered its fifth straight defeat and fell to 4-13 despite the 26-point, nine-rebound effort of Rhaffy Octobre and the 10-point, four-rebound, four-assist output of Robbi Darang.