Nueva Ecija flaunted its power while Binan halted its slide on Thursday in the MPBL 2025 Season at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, with 14 players scoring, battered the Sarangani Grippers, 115-67, in the second game, and Binan Tatak Gel followed suit with a 106-75 thumping of Imus Grumpy Joe in the nightcap.
The Rice Vanguards chalked up their 24th win against 2 losses, trailing the Abra Solid North Weavers (23-1) and towing the San Juan Knights (22-2) in the North Division and overall standing in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team, 2-division tournament.
In the opener between also-rans, the Bacolod Tubo Slashers rode the hot hands of John Lemuel Pastias to rout Manila Batang Quiapo, 102-58, and improved to 4-21.
Jammer Jamito led the Rice Vanguards with 21 points and 8 rebounds, followed by Will McAloney with 16 points, JP Calvo with 12 points, 9 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds; Jaycee Marcelino with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists; and Billy Robles and Will McAloney with 10 points each.
Sarangani, which drew 11 points from Martin Gozum and 10 each from Kyt Jimenez and Ken Brillantes, tasted its third straight defeat and slid to 9-16, jeopardizing its bid to make the play-in of the South Division.
Shrugging off four straight losses, Binan stormed ahead, 57-37, at halftime behind back-to-back triples by Ryan Sual and climbed to 14-11 in the South Division.
Jaymar Gimpayan wound up with 16 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Maestre 12 points and 6 rebounds, and Pamboy Raymundo 12 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals for Binan, which joined Basilan at the sixth spot.
Imus tumbled to 9-17 despite Mark Doligon’s 25-point, 4-rebound effort and Regie Boy Basibas’ 10-point contribution.
