Nueva Ecija continued to run hot with a 71-54 rout of Batangas on Saturday in Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at the Governor Andres B. Bernos Memorial Gymnasium in Bangued, Abra.
The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards cruised to their 13th straight win and kept the pace in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
The Abra Solid North Weavers subdued the Quezon Huskers, 63-53, in the nightcap to seize the solo second spot with a 12-1 card.
Powered by Byron Villarias, Robby Celiz and Jammer Jamito, Nueva Ecija led as far as 59-38 and boosted its drive toward regaining the MPBL crown it clinched in 2022.
Celiz finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals; Villarias with 15 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists; Jamito with 12 points; and Will McAloney with 8 points and 7 rebounds, compensating for Jaycee Marcelino’s 5 points, 5 assists, 4 steals and 2 rebounds output.
The Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters ruled the boards, 51-38, but still fell to 7-6 due to the 21 turnovers they committed against nine for the Rice Vanguards.
Batangas got 11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks from John Ambulodto, 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks from Levi Hernandez, 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists from Ced Ablaza, and 6 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists from Jeckster Apinan.
Like Nueva Ecija, Abra had a breezy victory over Quezon, last year’s South Division champion and losing national finalist to Pampanga.
Powered by Dave Ildefonso and Encho Serrano, the Weavers surged ahead, 55-40, and weathered the Huskers’ last assault, 50-57, capped by back-to-back triples by Christian Pagaran and Gab Banal with 3 minutes and 41 seconds left.
Serrano, however, drilled in a triple with 2 minutes and 29 seconds to go, pulling down the Huskers to 10-3.
Ildefonso posted 25 points, including 14 in the third quarter, 5 rebounds and 3 steals; Serrano 12 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists; and Marwin Taywan 10 points and 3 assists.
Quezon drew 15 points and 4 rebounds from Judel Fuentes, 12 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists from LJ Gonzales, and 9 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists from Pagaran.
Marikina scored the last four points in overtime and nipped Imus Braderhood, 104-101, in the opener.
Jayjay Caspe canned his second free throw to put Imus ahead, 101-100, with 1 minute and 35 seconds left, but the Braderhood failed to score after that, allowing the Shoemasters to improve to 3-11.
Nem Dela Cruz led Marikina with 32 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, followed by RR Casajeros with 18 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals, Rafael Go with 10 points and 12 rebounds, and Karl Penano with 10 points and 3 rebounds.
Caspe’s season-high 46 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists and Kint Ariar’s triple-double 17 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists, and Regie Boy Basibas’ 14 points, 17 rebounds and 3 assists went for naught as Imus dropped to 6-8.
Regulation play ended at 94-94 following a free throw by Caspe with 1 minute and 22 seconds to go. Caspe scored all seven points for IMus in the extension period, where Dela Cruz and Casajero contributed three points for Marikina.
The tight game saw neither team lead by more than seven points, 29 lead changes, and 14 deadlocks.
The MPBL goes to the Paco Arena on Monday with games pitting Bacolod against Valenzuela at 4 p.m., Muntinlupa against Pangasinan at 6 p.m., and Quezon City against Pasig at 8 p.m.