Pasay edges Rizal in 2OT; Basilan, Bataan triumph

MANILA, Philippines — The Pasay Voyagers denied the Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers a field goal in the last 2:40 of the second overtime to prevail, 96-89, on Thursday's nightcap and bolster their playoff bid in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at the Ynares Center Montalban in Rizal Province.G

Trailing 86-87, the Voyagers scored seven points while holding the Golden Coolers to two free throws en route to their 16th win against eight losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.

Basilan Starhorse rebounded with a wire-to-wire 82-63 beating of Davao Occidental in the second game, climbing to an 11-11 slate and regaining the eighth spot in the South Division.

Gab Dagangon shone for Basilan, which was beaten by Quezon Province (91-54) on August 9, with 19 points and eight rebounds and clinched Best Player honors.

Other Portmasters who delivered were Emman Calo with 13 points and two assists; veteran Alex Cabagnot with a near triple-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists plus four steals; and Reymar Caduyac with eight points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Davao tumbled to 8-14 despite Wowie Escosio's 13 points, 12 rebounds and two assists; Reymart Escobido's 12 points, three rebounds and two assists, and Jasper Salubre's 10 points.

It was a stingy setback for the Golden Coolers as they could have won outright were it not for four straight charity misses by Eric Camson in the last 24.1 seconds, which enabled Felipe Chavez to tie the count at 73.

Pasay moved forward, 81-76, but Rizal scored the first overtime's last five points to extend the game, 81-81.

Again, Rizal could have won had not Alwyn Alday, Samboy De Leon and Marco Balagtas split their free throws in the last 2:29, which reduced the Golden Coolers' accuracy from the line to 14-of-29 and 49.3%.

Jasper Salenga and Chavez fired 17 points each for Pasay, followed by AJ Coronel with 14; Sangco with 13 points plus nine rebounds; and Christian Fajarito with eight points and 12 rebounds.

The Golden Coolers, who dropped to 14-8, drew 18 points from Alday; 17 points plus five rebounds from Michael Canete; 12 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and two blocks from Camson; and 11 points plus four assists from Robin Nayve.

Meanwhile, the Bataan Risers bared their sharpest form yet and battered Manila Batang Quiapo, 144-82, to climb to 9-14.

With all 15 players scoring, seven in double figures, the Risers led from the start and decided the outcome, 124-71, midway through the fourth quarter.

Homegrown Yves Sazon paced the Risers with 21 points and two rebounds, followed by fellow homegrown Dante Paguio with 18 points plus three rebounds; Mitchelle Maynes with 17 points, three rebounds and two steals; and Carl Bringas with 14 points and four rebounds.

Robbi Marion Darang, Lorenz Capulong and Hubert Cani contributed 10 points each as the Risers sent Batang Quiapo down to 2-20.

Dominant off both boards, 60-31, the Risers pumped in 84 points in the paint against only 30 for the Batang Quiapo.

Manila got 15 points, three rebounds and three assists from Redgimir Eusebio; 14 points from Stephen Torralba; and 12 from Achie Inigo. 

The MPBL goes to the Paco Arena on Friday, with games pitting Marikina against Batangas at 4 p.m., Gensan against Bacolod at 6 p.m., and Pampanga against Quezon City at 8 p.m