Caloocan Batang Kankaloo endured scary moments before tripping Rizal Xentro Mall, 68-65, on Tuesday, and gaining the solo lead in the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) 2026 Season at the Ynares Center Montalban in Rizal Province.

Trailing, 52-58, with only 5:36 seconds to go, the Batang Kankaloo leaned on prized recruits Kymani Ladi, Kean Baclaan and Dom Escobar to notch their second straight win in the elimination phase of the two-division, 28-team tournament.

The 6-foot-8 Ladi fired seven points in that span, combining with fellow former Ateneo Blue Eagle Escobar and former La Salle Green Archer Baclaan to bail the Batang Kankaloo out of trouble and hand the Golden Coolers their second straight loss.

Baclaan converted both his two charities with 12.7 seconds left for a 66-63 Caloocan lead, and so did Escobar with four seconds to go for the final count.

Rizal had a chance to force overtime, but Jolo Mendoza’s buzzer-beater triple went out.

Alwyn Alday could have knotted the count with 5.3 seconds left after getting fouled by Escobar from long distance, but Rizal’s top gunner missed the second of three free throws.

Ladi, who became the first back-to-back winner of the SportsPlus best player award, posted 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, followed by Jammer Jamito with 13 points and two rebounds, Baclaan with 11 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals, and Escobar with eight points.

Rizal drew 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals from JP Maguliano, 11 points and four rebounds from Mark Yee, and 10 points plus five rebounds from JP Sarao.

The Bataan Risers weathered the Iloilo United Royals’ final onslaught and prevailed, 92-82, in the opener, while the Bacolod Masskaras rallied to beat the Imus Yankees, 111-105, in the second game.

Trailing, 78-91, early in the fourth quarter, Bacolod detonated a 13-2 bomb, 11 by Marjun Wahing, to threaten at 91-93. Imus bunched six points to regain control, 99-91, only to be sidetracked by a 13-point Bacolod bundle, 104-99.

Veteran Ian Melencio paced Bacolod with 34 points, 18 assists, seven rebounds and three steals, followed by Hance Lleva with 21 points, eight rebounds and three steals, Emman Galman with 16 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals, and Wahing with 14 points and five rebounds.

Imus stumbled despite Ralph Robin’s 23 points and three rebounds, Janjan Salazar’s 18 points, 11 rebounds and five steals, Jordan Rios’ 17 points, five rebounds and two steals, Joseph Mark Marquez’s 16 points and eight rebounds, and Gian Lloyd Abrigo’s 12 points, four rebounds and two steals.

Iloilo dropped a 16-2 bomb bridging the third and fourth quarters to move within 65-70, but Bataan countered with a 13-2 salvo to pull away anew.

Robbi Darang, Bataan’s prized find from Diliman College, pooled 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals to nip Hubert Cani, who tallied 15 points, five assists and two rebounds, for SportsPlus Best Player honors.