San Juan, Rizal end elims bid on high note

Playoff qualifiers San Juan and Rizal Province closed their elimination round campaign with victories over also-ran Marikina and Bacolod in the Manny Pacquiao Presents Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2025 Season at the Marikina Sports Center on Monday.

The Knights trounced the Marikina Shoemasters, 78-61, in the second game to improve to 26-3 and finish No. 3 in the North Division behind the Abra Weavers (27-1) and the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards (27-2) in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team, two-division tournament.

Meanwhile, the XentroMall Golden Coolers subdued the Bacolod Tubo Slashers, 78-72, in the nightcap to climb to 19-10 and retain the third spot in the South Division led by the Quezon Huskers (25-4) and the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters (19-10).

San Juan got 18 points and eight rebounds from former Mapua Cardinal Arvin Gamboa, 10 points and nine assists from Orlan Wamar, nine points from AC Soberano and eight points from Raul Soyud.

Marikina, which exited with a 4-25 record, drew 12 points and eight rebounds each from Karl Penano and Jay Yutuc.

Rizal was powered by Michael Canete with 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals, Alwyn Alday with 11 points, Neil Tolentino with eight points, seven rebounds and four steals, and John Apacible with eight points and seven rebounds.

Bacolod bowed out with a 7-22 slate despite John Lemuel Pastias’ 15 points, Jan Gabriel Sobrenega’s 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Aldave Canoy’s 12 points plus four rebounds.

The Davao Occidental Tigers weathered the Quezon City Galeries Taipans’ final assault and prevailed, 97-91, in the opener.

Ahead, 75-63, in the fourth quarter, the Tigers watched as the Taipans bunched 13 points, capped by Nino Ibanez’s triple, to seize control with 7:05 left.