The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards claimed the Pampanga Giant Lanterns as their 14th victim with an 84-72 victory on Friday, June 6, in Manny Pacquiao presents MPBL 2025 Season at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Leaning on Robby Celiz, John Wilson, Jaycee Marcelino and Jayvee Marcelino, Nueva Ecija thwarted Pampanga’s protracted rallies in the fourth quarter to tighten its grip on top spot in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Trailing Nueva Ecija, the 2022 MPBL champion, are Abra Sold North, (12-1), San Juan (11-1), and Zamboanga SiKat, which bested Batangas, 87-82, in the second game to rise to 13-2 in the chase for playoff spots.
Pampanga, the reigning back-to-back titlist, moved to within 72-77 on two charities by Archie Concepcion, only for Celiz and Jammer Jamito to seal the outcome with two free throws each, time down to 19.7 seconds.
Celiz posted 19 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists to earn best player honors over Will McAloney with 12 points and 3 rebounds, and Mer Jesper Ayaay with 10 points.
Jaycee Marcelino contributed 8 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals, while Jamito finished with 9 points and 2 rebounds for Nueva Ecija Coach Don Dulay.
Concepcion notched 25 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, Muyang 17 points, 13 rebounds and 3 assists, and Clemente 11 points and 10 rebounds, even as Pampanga tumbled to 10-4.
Although the Giant Lanterns ruled the boards, 51-37, they were hampered by poor shooting, converting only 2 of 17 triple tries and 24 of 40 free throws.
Trailing as far as 59-72 in the fourth quarter, Batangas threatened at 82-83 with 22.2 seconds to go behind Jong Baloria, CJ Isit and Levi Hernandez.
Hernandez, however, muffed two charities with 10.6 seconds to go and Baloria’s hurried 3-pointer from deep corner that got blocked with 3.2 ticks left doomed Batangas to its seventh loss in 14 starts.
Ichie Altamirano led Zamboanga with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, Reggz Gabat with 17 points and 2 steals, Med Salim with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals, and Abdul Sawat with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.
Baloria wound up with 16 points and 4 rebounds, Hernandez with 14 points and 2 assists, Mark Niel Cruz with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, Ced Ablaza with 12 points and 8 rebounds, and Isit with 10 points and 8 assists.
Pasig City held the fort in the fourth quarter and subdued Valenzuela City, 62-58, to complete a wire-to-wire triumph and improve to 6-6.
Powered by Warlo James Batac, Pasig clustered eight points to pull away at 27-10 and was never headed.
Batac, who posted 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals, was supported by homegrown Marc Lester Tamayo with 9 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists, Manalang with 8 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds, Chito Jaime with 7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists, and Jess Quilatan with 7 points.
A triple by Kobe Monje pushed Valenzuela to within 58-62, with 46.4 seconds left, but the Magic couldn’t score after that and went down to 4-11 despite Jan Formento’s 16 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds, and Monje’s 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The MPBL returns to the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City on Saturday with games pitting Paranaque against San Juan at 4 p.m., Abra against Imus at 6 p.m., and Quezon province against Caloocan at 8 p.m.
