The Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters sustained their recovery with a 92-65 crushing of the Valenzuela City Magic on Tuesday, June 17, in Manny Pacquiao presents MPBL 2025 Season at the Batangas City Coliseum.
Again showing the form that gave them a 131-65 drubbing of the Cebu Classic after back-to-back losses, the Rum Masters ruled the boards, 53-35, and led as far as 87-44 in posting their ninth win against seven losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Levi Hernandez led Batangas’ assault with 17 points and 5 rebounds, followed by John Ambulodto with 13 points and 5 rebounds, Ced Ablaza with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, and Mark Niel Cruz with 10 points plus 3 rebounds.
Their dominance underneath gave the Rum Masters a decisive 50 points in the paint against only 18 for the Magic, who skidded to 4-13.
Valenzuela, which was also hounded by a dismal 4 of 31 performance from the 4-point zone, drew 16 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals from Kobe Monje, and 12 points plus 9 rebounds from JR Alabanza.
In the second game, the Mindoro Tamaraws subdued the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys, 86-77..
Bannered by RJ Ramirez and four others, the Tamaraws surged ahead, 47-31, at halftime and thwarted the Cowboys’ repeated rallies to rise to 9-8.
Ramirez posted 14 points and 6 rebounds to clinch best player honors over Bambam Gamalinda with 13 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, Axel Inigo with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals, Wendell Comboy with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists, and Ethan Galang with 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
Comboy also drilled in a triple with 1 minute and 48 seconds left to seal the outcome, 82-69, and pull down the Cowboys to 7-8.
The Cowboys got 19 points and 14 rebounds from Mark Dyke, 13 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists from Joshua Guiab, 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists from Gab Gomez, and 10 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals from Philip Manalang.
The Sarangani Grippers nipped the Bacolod Tubo Slashers, 77-75, in the first game for a 5-11 slate.
Sarangani’s Junjie Hallare finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists to earn best player honors over Coy Alves with 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists, and King Destacamento with 10 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists.
Bacolod tumbled to 2-12 despite Renz Harold Aquino’s 18 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists, Miles Canal’s 13 points, 14 rebounds, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, and Chester Saldua’s 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
The MPBL returns to the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando City on Wednesday with games pitting Bulacan against Quezon at 4 p.m., Basilan against Paranaque at 6 p.m., and host Pampanga against Binan at 8 p.m.
