The Ilagan Isabela Cowboys held the fort under pressure and thwarted the Bataan Risers, 74-71, on Wednesday to clinch the eighth and last playoff slot in the North Division of the Manny Pacquiao Presents MPBL 2025 Season at The Capital Arena in Ilagan City, Isabela.
With their top gunner, Arth Dela Cruz out after a right ankle injury in the third quarter, the Cowboys called on homegrown Donald Gumaru, Agem Miranda and Jerie Pingoy, to defuse the Risers’ final rally and forge a best-of-three showdown with North’s top qualifier Abra Solid North Weavers, in the playoff round starting on Friday.
Miranda canned his two free throws while Pingoy went three of four in the dying seconds to frustrate the Risers, who climbed from a deep pit to send the play-in into a thriller.
Gumaru posted 19 points, spiked by four triples, 3 rebounds and 3 assists to fill up the void left by Dela Cruz, who chalked up 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, before he was taken out after a disqualifying foul by Bataan’s Rhaffy Octobre.
Miranda finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks, and Terence Tumalip contributed 9 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks for the Cowboys, who were saddled by the absence of key players Dennis Santos (hamstring injury) and Mark Dyke (mild pneumonia).
Bataan got 16 points and 10 rebounds from JL Capulong, 12 points each from Robbi Darang and Edrian Ramirez, and 10 points each from Octobre and Chris Javier.
Cowboys Coach Louie Gonzalez said his wards really played hard and stayed together when Dela Cruz limped off the court.
