Basilan, Sarangani, Mindoro chalk up MPBL wins

MANILA, Philippines — The Basilan Viva Portmasters started hot and kept the heat throughout to rout the Cebu Classic, 87-55, on Wednesday to sustain their recovery in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at the Paco Arena in Manila.

Thriving with an 11-man rotation, Basilan surged ahead, 27-12, after the first quarter, padded the lead to 20 at halftime, then bundled 18 points, highlighted by Reymar Caduyac's back-to-back triples, in the fourth to notch its first back-to-back win and improve to 5-7 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament. 

Nueva Ecija paces the race for playoff berths with a 12-0 slate, followed by Abra (11-1), San Juan (11-1), Zamboanga (11-2), Quezon Province (10-2) and Muntinlupa (10-2).

Sherwin Concepcion led Basilan with 11 points, four rebounds and three steals, complementing Emman Calo's 11-point, four-assist, two-steal effort; and Ady Santos' 10-point, four-rebound output.

Gab Dagangon and Enzo Joson contributed nine points each, while James Tempra and Caduyac added eight each for the Portmasters, who are bidding to make this year's playoffs after taking a leave of absence from 2022 to 2024.

With the Basilan's runaway win, co-team owner Jackson Chua treated the team to a late dinner at the family-owned Red Dynasty restaurant in Manila.

Meanwhile, with only eight players suiting up, Cebu tumbled to 4-9. 

The Classic got 16 points, 10 rebounds and four assists from homegrown Mark Meneses; 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists from Limuel Tampus; and nine points plus seven rebounds from 6-foot-9 Ladis Lepalam.

Sarangani ripped Manila Batang Quiapo, 111-87, in the nightcap and improved to 3-10.

Coy Alvez, a 6-foot-6 frontliner, led Sarangani with 19 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, followed by Junjie Hallare with 19 points, five rebounds and two steals; Martin Gozum with 14 points, six rebounds and three assists; and Richard Velchez with 12 points plus 10 rebounds.

Manila tasted its 12th straight defeat after an initial win despite John Ashley Faa's 29 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two steals; and Richard Albo's 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Kyt Jimenez knocked in a long buzzer-beating triple to push Sarangani ahead, 46-35, at halftime.

The Mindoro Tamaraws warded off the Bacolod Tubo Slashers' final assault to prevail, 76-63, and level their slate at 7-7 in the opener of the tripleheader.

Bacolod clustered nine points to move closer, 63-70, with 1:53 left, only to be stymied by back-to-back game-closing triples by Ken Bono and Joseph Sedurifa.

Sedurifa chalked up 24 points and five rebounds to clinch Best Player honors over Wendelino Comboy with 14 points and three assists; and Bono with 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Sedurifa canned 6-of-11 3-point attempts while Comboy made 4-of-9 as the Tamaraws converted 12-of-33 tries for a 34.6% conversion rate against Bacolod's 2-of-18 for 11.1%.

Bacolod suffered its fourth straight defeat and fell to 2-9 as only Chester Saldua, with 12 points and 12 rebounds; and PJ Intia, with 15 points, three assists and two rebounds, struck back.

The MPBL returns to the Cuneta Astrodome on Thursday with games pitting Caloocan against Quezon City at 4 p.m., Davao against Zamboanga at 6 p.m., and host Pasay against Pampanga at 8 p.m.