MANILA, Philippines — Bataan and Marikina trod different paths to the top in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season on at the One Arena in Cainta, Rizal.
The Bataan Risers trounced the Valenzuela City Darkhorse, 75-63, while the Marikina Shoemasters escaped Zamboanga SiKat, 68-65, for their second straight win in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division 28-team tournament.
They caught up with the San Juan Knights, the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, the Meycauayan Marilao Gems, the Gensan Warriors and the Batangas City Tanduay Athletics in the early race for playoff spots.
The Risers clustered 13 points to gain control, 15-5, and never wavered.
Homegrown Yves Sazon posted 16 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists and was chosen the SportsPlus best player over Edrian Ramirez with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, Carl Bringas with 9 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks, and Alex Ramos with 9 points and 4 rebounds.
Trailing by as far as 41-59, Valenzuela came to within 61-67 behind Geremy Robinson, Shaq Alanes and Val Chauca.
Ramirez, however, sparked an 8-point Bataan run that sealed the outcome, 75-61, with 1 minute and 29 seconds left.
Robinson wound up with 17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, while Alanes finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.
Zamboanga threatened at 59-62, but Marikina's Ed Daquiaog quelled the rally with back-to-back triples.
Daquiaog tallied 14 points and 4 rebounds, complementing Louie Vigil's 13 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds, and Lander Canon's 11 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists.
Vigil was chosen the best player for the second straight game.
Zamboanga absorbed its second straight loss as only Paeng Are struck back with 15 points, 3 steals, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
Ilagan Isabela banked on veteran Alex Cabagnot to nip Basilan Steel, 57-56, in the opener.
Cabagnot scored the Cowboys' last four points as they thwarted Basilan's final assault from nine points down early in the fourth quarter, 36-45.
Arth Dela Cruz was named best player after an 18-point, 14-rebound, 5-assist, 4-steel output in 30 minutes and 39 seconds of play for the Cowboys.
Dela Cruz also drilled in a triple that put the Cowboys back on the saddle, 53-51, after the Steel seized control at 51-50.
Basilan's John Wilson drove in for what turned out to be the game's final basket as he got blocked by Don Gumaru on another lane incursion.
Gumaru missed two free throws with 11.7 seconds left, and Wilson was able to launch a buzzer-beater triple that bounced out.
The Cowboys tied their victims at 1-1.
Gumaru finished with 9 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, Jayboy Solis 9 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, and Cabagnot with 9 points plus 6 rebounds.
Basilan drew 15 points and 2 rebounds from Cometa, 11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 steals from Wilson, and 7 points plus 10 rebounds from Gelo Loristo.
The game was marked by poor free throw shooting by both teams, with the Cowboys sinking only 10 of 26 for 38.5 percent, and the Steel converting 9 of 19 for 47.4 percent.
The tournament returns to the One Arena in Cainta on Monday, featuring games between Sarangani and Bacolod at 4 p.m., Rizal against San Juan at 6 p.m., and Iloilo against Imus at 8 p.m. TMT
