Caloocan upsets Pampanga in MPBL

MANILA, Philippines — Caloocan Batang Kankaloo proved steady under pressure and stunned Pampanga, 90-87, on Tuesday in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at the Orion Sports Complex in Bataan.

Trailing almost the entire game, the Giant Lanterns finally seized the lead, 85-84, as Raymond Binuya bunched seven points against two free throws by Batang Kankaloo Paul Sanga.

It turned out to be a fling with glory as the Batang Kankalo responded with back-to-back layups by Ronnie Mathias and Jeramer Cabanag, the last with 15.9 seconds left.

Larry Muyang missed from under, got fouled, and converted both charities to move reigning back-to-back champion Pampanga to within 87-88 in the dying seconds.

Caloocan's Paul Sanga, however, canned two more charities with 1.2 seconds left to seal the Batang Kankaloo's eighth win against four losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.

Pampanga saw its six-game run broken and fell to 9-2, trailing pacesetter Nueva Ecija, first-game winner Abra (10-1), San Juan (9-1) and Zamboanga (10-2) in the race for playoff spots.

Sanga posted 19 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, three steals and two assists for Caloocan, which got the biggest lift from Matias with 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Other Batang Kankaloos who delivered for new Caloocan Coach Mike Saguiguid, formerly of the Paranaque Patriots, were Rommel Calahat with 17 points, two rebounds and two assists; and Cabanag with 14 points and two assists.

Pampanga drew 24 points, 15 in the third quarter, 12 rebounds and two blocks from Muyang; 16 points, five rebounds and three assists from Binuya; and 10 points plus three rebounds from CJ Delfino.

The Ilagan Isabela Cowboys thwarted the Bataan Risers, 69-67, in the nightcap to level their slate at 6-6.

Allen Mina's triple with 17.3 seconds left enabled the Cowboys to complete the wire-to-wire victory despite missing injured Top Gun Arth Dela Cruz and converting only nine of 23 free throws.

The Risers threatened at 67-68 following a triple by Hubert Cani with 5.5 ticks to go, but the Cowboys held on as Joshua Guiab made his first free throw and missed the second for the final count.

Mark Dyke led the Cowboys with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists; followed by Macoy Marcos with 11 points and two assists; Mina with 10 points; Sean Quitevis with nine points, seven rebounds and two assists; and Guiasb with eight points, seven rebounds and four assists.

The Abra Solid North Weavers battered the Bacolod Tubo Slashers, 108-77.

Powered by former Ateneo standout Dave Ildefonso and former La Salle star Joshua David, Abra led by as far as 97-58 in notching its eighth straight win.

The 6-foot-4 Ildefonso posted 28 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals; while the 6-foot David tallied 20 points, laced by five triples, three assists, two rebounds and two assists.

Other Weavers who delivered were Jack Cruz-Dumont with 11 points and two rebounds; Ryan Batino with 10 points and three rebounds; Marwin Taywan with eight points, 13 assists and two rebounds; and John Uduba with eight points and nine rebounds.

Led by David, who converted 5-of-8 triple tries; Taywan, who went 2-for-2; Uduba, 1-for-1; and Mark Yee, 1-for-1, the Weavers converted 16-of-34 attempts against only 4-of-27 for the Tubo Slashers.

The Weavers also ruled the boards, 50-34, behind Uduba and Ildefonso.

Bacolod, which tumbled to 2-7, got 20 points, three rebounds and three assists from Chester Saldua; 17 points from Jaycee Sam Adjei; and 11 points, two rebounds and two assists from Aldave Canoy. 

The MPBL goes to the Olivarez College Gym in Paranaque on Tuesday, with games pitting Batangas against Sarangani at 4 p.m., Quezon Province against Valenzuela at 6 p.m., and Pasig against Paranaque at 8 p.m.