Zamboanga SiKat flaunted its strength in a wire-to-wire 128-74 demolition of Paranaque on Wednesday and shared fifth spot in the MPBL 2025 Season at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
With five players, led by Abdul Sawat, scoring in twin digits, Zamboanga stormed ahead 123-64 before cruising to its 15th win in 20 games and catching up with reigning back-to-back titlist Pampanga in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Nueva Ecija and Abra are tied at the top with 18-1 slates, followed by San Juan (17-1) and Quezon Province (15-3).
In other games, the Pasay Voyagers gained ground with a 91-83 victory over Pasig, while the GenSan Warriors battered the Marikina Shoemasters, 101-72.
The 6-foot-4 Sawat posted 18 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds to clinch best player honors over James Sena with 15 points and 7 rebounds and Carl Bryan Cruz with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
Other major contributors for Zamboanga were Alvin Capobres with 13 points and 2 rebounds, John Arthur Calisay with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, and Ichie Altamirano with 8 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds.
Exploiting their height advantage, the Zamboanguenos poured 70 points in the paint against 24 for the also-ran Patriots, who tumbled to 1-17.
