Reigning titlist Pampanga foiled Marikina’s final rally and prevailed, 68-66, to join the leaders in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2025 Season at the Caloocan Sports Complex on Tuesday.

With the Shoemasters threatening, 63-65, following a 9-2 run, Chris Lalata split two free throws and Archie Concepcion converted both of his two to give the Giant Lanterns a breather with 17.8 seconds left.

Although Marikina’s Joshua Roque buried a triple with 12.2 seconds left, Pampanga was able to run out the clock and climb to 2-0 in the company of Abra, Pangasinan, General Santos City, Quezon Province, Rizal and Zamboanga SIKAT.

Jhaymo Eguilos led the Giant Lanterns with 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists to earn Best Player honors followed by John Lloyd Clemente with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Concepcion with 11 points and three rebounds.

Renz Palma tallied nine points plus four rebounds, Rence Alcoriza seven points plus three rebounds, and Lalata six points plus a game-high 14 rebounds that gave Pampanga a 51-38 edge off the boards and more points inside the paint, 40-30.

Marikina dropped to 0-3 in the round-robin elimination round of the 30-team tournament despite the 16-point, six-rebound effort of Johnnel Bauzon and the 15-point, four-rebound, three-assist output of Nem dela Cruz.

Caloocan banked on the clutch hits of Jeff Manday to turn back Mindoro, 80-67, in the nightcap and improve to 1-1.

A 10-point spurt on two triples by Joseph Sedurifa and two baskets by Axel Inigo pushed Mindoro to within, 64-68, with 4 minutes and 34 seconds to go.

Manday, a prized find from Bacolod, however, nailed back-to-back triples to quash the rally and pull down the Tamaraws to 1-2.

The 6-0 Manday went 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and tallied 17 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals for Best Player honors.