Rizal sends San Juan crashing

Rizal XentroMall stunned San Juan, 94-89, in overtime to rock the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season at the One Arena in Cainta, Rizal.

Billy Robles and veteran Mark Yee shone as Rizal rebounded from back-to-back losses and handed powerhouse San Juan its first loss in three games.

Trailing 72-79 with 6:39 left, the Golden Coolers unloaded 11 points, the last six from Robles, while holding the Knights to four, including Patrick Sleat’s game-extending drive at 83-all.

Robles opened up the extra period with a triple, while Mike Phillips strung up six points to push the Knights back on top, 89-88.

The Knights couldn’t score after that, however, while Yee canned a short jumper and made two free throws for a 92-89 Rizal lead with 8.9 seconds left.

San Juan sued for time, and in the ensuing play, James Kwekuteye missed a potential game-tying triple, and Rizal’s Joel Lee Yu sprinted back home for the final count.

Robles finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists and was named the SportsPlus Player of the Game.

“We helped each other. We never gave up,” said Robles, referring to the time Rizal was down, 47-62, in the third quarter.

Other Golden Coolers who turned hot were Yu with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists, Marco Balagtas with 14 points and five rebounds, Jake Gaspay with 12 points and 10 rebounds, JP Sarao with 10 points and three rebounds, and Yee with 10 points plus three rebounds.

The 6-foot-8 Phillips was his dominant self with 15 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks, but his three free throw misses, one in the homestretch and two in overtime, may have altered the course of the game.

San Juan got 14 points and two assists from Terrence Fortea and 13 points, three assists and two rebounds from Harold Alarcon.