Zamboanga and Pampanga overpowered their respective foe to rev up their drives in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2025 Season at the Cuneta Astrodome on Thursday.

Zamboanga banked on its balanced scoring to beat Davao Occidental, 88-66, while the Giant Lanterns posted an 86-78 win over Pasay in the nightcap of this explosive triple header.

With 13 of its 15 players scoring, Zamboanga quelled Davao’s final rally at 57-63 by pounding the boards and posting its biggest spread at the final buzzer.

Zamboanga notched its seventh straight win and climbed to 12-2 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.

Nueva Ecija paces the chase for playoff berths with a 12-0 slate followed by Abra (11-1) and San Juan (11-1).

Meanwhile, reigning back-to-back titlist Pampanga halted its slide after pulling away at 73-53 to fend off the Voyagers’ late rally and recover from back-to-back losses to improve to 9-3.

Top gun Archie Concepcion posted 18 points, eight assists and five rebounds while big man Larry Muyang tallied 17 points and six rebounds for Pampanga.

Other Giant Lanterns who shone were Raymond Binuya with 12 points, two rebounds and two assists, Chris Lalata with nine points and three rebounds, John Lloyd Clemente with six points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Jhaymo Eguilos with six points and eight rebounds.

Pasay fell to 8-6 despite Laurenz Victoria’s 24 points, seven assists and six rebounds, Warren Bonifacio’s 12 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Cyrus Tabi’s 11 points, four rebounds and three assists.

John Arthur Calisay led Zamboanga with 15 points, spiked by four triples, five rebounds and three assists; followed by Reggz Gabat with 13 points, including three triples, three rebounds and three assists; JP Cauilan with 12 points, all from triples, and 8 rebounds; and James Paul Una with 11 points and 8 rebounds.