Nueva Ecija extended its hot streak with an 88-52 drubbing of Marikina in Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2025 Season on Saturday at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.

Led by Robby Celiz and Will McAloney, all but one of the 15 players fielded by Coach Don Dulay scored as the Rice Vanguards cruised to win No. 12 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.

Nueva Ecija is ahead of Abra (11-1), San Juan (10-1), and second and fellow winners Quezon Province (10-2) and Muntinlupa (10-2) in the race for playoff berths.

The Huskers battered the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys from the start before coasting to a 96-78 victory in the nightcap while the Muntinlupa Cagers subdued the Quezon City Galeries Taipan, 75-68, in the second game.

Way ahead, 68-40, the Huskers sealed the Cowboys' seventh loss in 13 starts with four straight triples, the first by local idol Topeng Lagrama, second and third by Emman Tagle and the last by Jason Opiso, against a triple by Ilagan's Allen Mina, and an 80-43 buffer after three quarters.

Judel Fuentes, despite getting ejected with Ilagan's Allan Santos following a double disqualifying foul midway through the second quarter, scored 17 and handed two assists for Quezon, which got 15 points, five rebounds and four assists from JP Sarao and 11 points plus four rebounds from Ximone Sandagon.

Opiso posed nine points and six rebounds while Tagle, also a homegrown talent, added nine points and two assists.

The Cowboys, missing the services of injured top gunner Arth dela Cruz, drew 12 points, nine assists, four steals and three rebounds from Philip Manalang, 11 points from Mina, and 10 points, six rebounds and five assists from Joshua Guiab.