Jayvee Marcelino won’t stay under the shadows of his twin brother Jaycee forever.
Hours after Jaycee was named MVP of the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season Presented by Xtreme Friday night, Jayvee earned best player honors after powering Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines past Nueva Ecija, 75-65, in Game 3 and extending the National Finals at the Mayor Vitaliano Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga City.
Jayvee fired 22 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and handed 3 assists to bring the best-of-five playoffs to 2-1 after Nueva Ecija took the first two games.
Game 4 will be held at the same venue on December 12 with Zamboanga seeking to equalize and Nueva Ecija aiming to seal the series.
Jaycee was held to 9 points but proved his all-around value again with 10 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals.
Ralph Tansingco also provided scoring support with 15, all from triples, while Chris Dumapig contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds for Zamboanga coach Vic Ycasiano.
Nueva Ecija, which won Game 1, 81-75, and Game 2, 75-74, got 15 points and 8 rebounds from Michael Mabulac and 14points and 5 rebounds from John Bryon Villarias. Game 1 hero Hesed Gabo was held scoreless as no other Rice Vanguard drilled in double figures for Coach Jerson Cabiltes.
Zamboanga, starring Jayvee and Tansingco took a 38-28 lead at halftime and led by as far as 48-32 before Nueva Ecija struck back with a 9-point cluster.
Jaycee was awarded the MVP trophy by Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes before the game apart from a Suzuki Avenis courtesy of Suzuki Mindanao Regional Sales Manager Joel Martin.
The 5-foot-9 guard out of the Lyceum Pirates posted averages of 17 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.65 steals through Game 2.
