Zamboanga SiKat outgunned Pasig in a shootout, 92-76, on Tuesday, April 29, and revved up its drive in Manny Pacquiao presents MPBL 2025 Season at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.
Led by JP Cauilan’s six triples, Zamboanga hit 15 of 34 threes for a high 44.1 conversion rate against Pasig’s 13 of 34 for 38.2 percent.
The Zamboanguenos also outscored the Pasiguenos from short range, 34-24, and inside the paint, 30-20, en route to their seventh win against two losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Caloocan Batang Kankaloo followed suit by repulsing Davao Occidental, 79-76, while Biñan Tatak Gel sustained its rise by whipping Sarangani, 87-73, in the nightcap of another tripleheader.
Trailing, 70-72, the Batang Kankaloo bunched six points, highlighted by Paul Hendrix Casin’s triple, to seize control en route to a 6-3 record.
Casin posted 19 points, 3 steals and 2 rebounds and was chosen best player over Rommel Calahat, who tallied 20 points and 7 rebounds.
Veteran Gabby Espinas also shone for Caloocan with 13 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 points.
Davao, which fell to 2-2, got 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals from Reymart Escobido, 14 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals from Keith Agovida and 12 points, 5 assists and 2 rebounds from Joseph Terso, who missed a game-tying triple with 1.1 ticks left.
Held to a 58-54 lead after three quarters, Biñan greeted the fourth with a 9-point cluster, four by Jonathan Grey, to pull away for its fourth straight win and a 5-3 slate.
High-flyer Jaymar Gimpayan led Biñan with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, followed by Carlo Lastimosa with 14 points, 5 assists and 2 rebounds, and Pamboy Raymundo with 11 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals.
Sarangani, which tumbled to 1-8, drew 14 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds from Jeymark Mallari, 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals from Kyt Jimenez, and 10 points plus 6 rebounds from Junjie Hallare.
Cauilan wound up with 20 points and 2 rebounds to clinch best player honors over Reggz Gabat, who posted 17 points, including three triples, and 3 rebounds.
Ichie Altamirano supported Cauilan with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, followed by Roi Sumang with 11 points, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds, and Abdul Sawat with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks.
Pasig trailed by as far as 67-90 and absorbed its third straight loss after winning the first two, as only Mark Montuano and Chito Jaime found their mark.
Montuano wound up with 20 points and 2 rebounds while Jaime tallied 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.
With former San Sebastian stars Gabat and Altamirano firing eight each, the Zamboanguenos stormed ahead by 20 before settling for a 45-28 halftime spread.
The MPBL returns to the Cuneta Astrodome on Wednesday with a triple-bill pitting Quezon City against Rizal Xentromall at 4 p.m., San Juan against Imus at 6 p.m., and Pasay against Basilan at 8 p.m.
