Pasay denied Rizal a field goal in the crucial stretch to prevail, 96-89, in double overtime and bolster its playoff bid in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 2025 Season at the Ynares Center Montalban in Rizal Province late Thursday.
Trailing 86-87, the Voyagers scored seven points while holding the Golden Coolers to two free throws en route to their 16th win against eight losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Basilan Starhorse rebounded with a wire-to-wire 82-63 beating of Davao Occidental in the second game, climbing to an 11-11 slate and regaining the eighth spot in the South Division.
Gab Dagangon shone for Basilan, which was beaten by Quezon Province (91-54) on 9 August with 19 points and eight rebounds and clinched Best Player honors.
Other Portmasters who delivered were Emman Calo with 13 points and two assists, veteran Alex Cabagnot with a near triple-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists plus four steals; and Reymar Caduyac with eight points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Davao tumbled to 8-14 despite Wowie Escosio's 13 points, 12 rebounds and two assists; Reymart Escobido's 12 points, three rebounds and two assists, and Jasper Salubre's 10 points.
It was a stingy setback for the Golden Coolers as they could have won outright were it not for four straight charity misses by Eric Camson in the last 24.1 seconds, which enabled Felipe Chavez to tie the count at 73.
Pasay moved forward, 81-76, but Rizal scored the first overtime's last five points to extend the game, 81-81.
Again, Rizal could have won had not Alwyn Alday, Samboy De Leon and Marco Balagtas split their free throws in the last 2:29, which reduced the Golden Coolers' accuracy from the line to 14 of 29 and 49.3 percent.
Jasper Salenga and Chavez fired 17 points each for Pasay, followed by AJ Coronel with 14, Sangco with 13 points plus nine rebounds, and Christian Fajarito with eight points and 12 rebounds.
The Golden Coolers, who dropped to 14-8, drew 18 points from Alday, 17 points plus five rebounds from Michael Canete; 12 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and two blocks from Camson; and 11 points plus four assists from Robin Nayve.