The Caloocan Batang Kankaloo scored the last four points in overtime and nipped the Mindoro Tamaraws, 91-88, on Saturday to keep the North Division top spot in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the One Arena Cainta in Rizal Province.
Caloocan rebounded from a 60-68 loss to San Juan last Wednesday Caloocan and improved to 12-1, pacing Abra Solid North (10-1) and San Juan (9-1).
In other games, The Batangas City Tanduay Athletics extended their win streak with a 119-92 thumping of the Negros Hacienderos, while Binan Tatak Gel routed Zamboanga SiKat, 72-53, in the opener and posted its seventh straight win.
The Tamaraws led, 88-87, following a triple by Bambam Gamalinda, but Chris Bitoon scored on a breakaway layup, and Jeff Manday split two free throws to put the Batang Kankaloo back in control with 21.3 seconds to go.
Gamalinda missed a potential game-winning triple from the corner, after which Bitoon made his first charity and missed the second with 5.4 ticks left for the final count as Mindoro’s JC Recto snared the rebound only to commit an errant pass intercepted by Harvey Pagsanjan.
Caloocan was ahead, 70-61, until Gamalinda and Joseph Sedurifa conspired in a 15-5 run that shoved Mindoro on top, 76-75.
Recto drove in with 9.8 seconds to knot the count and extend the game, 78-78, as Caloocan’s Kymani Ladi missed a jumper with 2 seconds left.
Manday tallied 18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals to clinch the SportsPlus best player honors over Ladi, with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, Chris Bitoon, with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, and Jammer Jamito, with 13 points and 7 rebounds.
Mindoro absorbed its third straight loss and tumbled to 5-7 despite Gamalinda’s 35 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals; Sedurifa’s 23 points and 4 rebounds, and Recto’s 15 points and 7 rebounds.
