Reigning back-to-back champion Pampanga and Caloocan notched contrasting wins in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2025 Season on Thursday at the San Andres Sports Complex.

The Giant Lanterns led throughout and routed Manila Batang Quiapo, 127-95, in the nightcap, while the Batang Kankaloo came from behind to nip the Gensan Warriors, 75-72, earlier.

Pampanga and Caloocan raised their records to 4-1, keeping close to pacesetters Nueva Ecija and Rizal, both 5-0, and San Juan (3-0) in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.

Powered by Larry Muyang and four others, the Giant Lanterns pulled away at 66-38 behind a 14-point run and led by as far as 83-47 in the freewheeling encounter.

Muyang, from Santa Ana, Pampanga, poured 35 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and issued two assists followed by Archie Concepcion with 19 points, spiked by three triples, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Other Giant Lanterns who shone were Raymond Binuya with 13 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and two steals, John Lloyd Clemente with 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals, and Chris Lalata with 12 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.

Manila, which fell to 1-5, got 19 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals from homegrown Ashley Faa, 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists from Richard Albo, Jan Baltazar with 14 points, Yvan Ludovice 13 points and Achie Inigo 10 points.

Caloocan erased an eight-point deficit with 1:24 left to climb to joint fourth with Pampanga, Pangasinan, Abra, Quezon and Zamboanga.

With Chris Bitoon pouring nine of his game-high 24 points in that span, the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo dropped 13 while holding Gensan to just two to notch their fourth straight win after an initial loss. Jeff Manday and Joshua Flores supported Bitoon with nine and eight points.

The Pasay Voyagers returned to orbit with an 83-81 stunner over the Quezon Huskers in the opener.

Laurenz Victoria and Cyrus Tabi canned back-to-back triples that lifted the Voyagers’ card to 4-2.

Quezon Province had a chance to reverse the outcome, but Judel Fuentes missed a three-point jumper and Voyager Warren Bonifacio snagged the defensive rebound to hand the Huskers their first loss in five starts.

Tabi led the Voyagers with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, followed by Victoria with 14 points, eight assists and seven rebounds and Felipe Chavez with 13 points.