Rizal sustained its recovery with a wire-to-wire 91-80 victory over Cebu in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2025 Season at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Powered by Michael Cañete and Alwyn Alday, the Golden Coolers pulled away, 79-58, and proceeded to tally its second straight win and climb to 6-3 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Canete posted 25 points, 12 rebounds and four assists while Alday chalked up 22 points and seven rebounds as the Golden Coolers revved up their drive for a back-to-back playoffs appearance.
Marco Balagtas contributed 10 points and five rebounds, Eric Camson six points and nine rebounds, helping the Golden Coolers rule the boards, 51-38.
Cebu, which absorbed its third straight defeat for a 3-7 slate, got 19 points, four rebounds and four assists from Paolo Hubalde and 18 points, two rebounds from Gyann Mendoza.
Imus Braderhood rebounded with a 78-60 drubbing of Valenzuela City Magic in the nightcap.
Kint Ariar had 16 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks, Mark Anthony Doligon 16 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Jayjay Caspe 11 points, nine rebounds and four assists for Imus, which halted a three-game slide and climbed to 5-5.
Valenzuela fell to 3-7 as only JR Alabanza, with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and JR Ongetco with 10 points and five rebounds struck back.
The Bacolod Slashers caught the Parañaque Patriots off guard in the homestretch and prevailed, 82-65, in the opener.
Ira Spencer Bataller bunched seven points to spark Bacolod’s 14-point spurt against a triple by Parañaque’s Jayboy Solis in the last 4:44 seconds that swayed the balance for the Tubo Slashers, who improved to 2-5.
Jaycee Sam Adjei powered Bacolod with 21 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals, followed by homegrown Mark Ray Dubouzet with 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Parañaque, which slid to 1-5, drew 13 points from homegrown icon Paolo Castro, 11 from Ed Daquiaog, 10 points plus nine rebounds from Lander Canon and 10 points, five assists and four rebounds from John Paul Calvo.