Athletics rally past Patriots

The Batangas City Tanduay Athletics greeted the second quarter with a 20-point cluster and went on to rout the Parañaque Patriots, 91-53, in the nightcap on Monday in the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2026 Season at the Paco Arena in Manila.

Ino Comboy presided over that Batangas blitz, firing 11 points on a jumper and three straight triples, followed by Rhinwill Yambing with five points as the Athletics pulled away to stay, 41-14, with 3:48 left before the half.

Atoning for his goal-tending violation that pushed Cebu past Batangas, 84-83, on 22 April, Yambing finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and two steals and was chosen the SportsPlus Best Player over Jhan Nermal, with 16 points and seven rebounds, and Comboy, with 13 points, three rebounds and two assists.

Only Domark Matillano struck back for Binan with 17 points and five rebounds.

Batangas raised its record to 5-2, trailing Caloocan (6-0), Gensan (6-0), Quezon Province (3-0), Ilagan Isabela (5-1), San Juan (4-1), and Abra (3-1) in the standings of the two-division, 28-team tournament.

Meanwhile, Biñan dumped Mindoro, 100-75, in the second game to climb to 4-3.

Nic Cabañero, a former star of University of Santo Tomas star, posted a double-double 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Kenny Roger Rocacurva 19 points and nine rebounds for Biñan, which led as far as 65-34.

Other major contributors were Pamboy Raymundo with 13 points and two steals, Michael Mabulac with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists, and Marc Pingris with 12 points and five rebounds.