Heatwaves torch Cowboys, advance

Pangasinan leaned on Hesed Gabo and Pedrito Galanza to beat Ilagan Isabela, 98-91, and advance to the playoffs in the Manny Pacquiao Presents Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2025 Season at the Robert Estrella Sr. Memorial Gymnasium in Rosales, Pangasinan on Thursday.

Gabo pumped in eight points, spiked by two triples, while Galanza added five in the extra period as the Heatwaves repeated their 96-94 victory over the Cowboys in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team, two-division tournament.

More importantly, the Heatwaves clinched the seventh playoff slot in the North Division, putting them on a collision course with the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, the No. 2 qualifier, in the best-of-three playoffs.

Gabo wound up with 14 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, atoning for his missed short jumper in the last two seconds, keeping the count tied at 82-82.

Galanza posted a game-high 23 points plus four rebounds.

Jorey Napoles also shone for Pangasinan with 17 points plus nine rebounds, and so did Allyn Bulanadi with 15 points, four assists and three steals.

The Cowboys, who led at 66-58, got 21 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and two steals from Arth Dela Cruz, 14 points, three rebounds and three assists from Agem Miranda, 11 points, three assists, two steals and two rebounds from Donald Gumaru, and 10 points from Mark Dyke.

The loss sent the Cowboys into a do-or-die showdown with the Bataan Risers, who ousted Pasig City, 99-78, in the opener.

With Yves Sazon finding his range and four others joining the scoring fray, the Risers led by as far as 94-67 in avenging their 85-88 defeat to the Pasigueños in the round-robin elimination phase on 14 May.

Sazon drilled in six triples en route to 20 points, followed by Chris Javier with 13 points and nine rebounds, Robbi Darang with 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Hubert Cani with 12 points and six assists, and Lorenz Capulong with 11 points plus four rebounds.

Pasig drew 21 points and 12 rebounds from Jacob Galicia, 17 points and eight rebounds from Chito Jaime, and 13 points from John Felix Corpuz.

Powered by Javier and Cani, the Risers surged ahead, 51-30, from which the Pasiguenos couldn’t recover.

Javier canned a triple and Jamil Gabawan completed a three-point play as Bataan foiled Pasig’s rally, 71-49, with 1:22 left in the third quarter.