The Ilagan Isabela Cowboys banked on Arth Dela Cruz and sniper Allen Mina to rout the Paranaque Patriots, 77-62, on Saturday and gain traction in Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at the Olivarez College Gymnasium in Paranaque.
Dela Cruz posted 15 points, a night-high 16 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal to earn best player honors as the Cowboys climbed to a 4-4 card in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
In the other games Wendelino Comboy drove in for the buzzer-beater that lifted Mindoro past Zamboanga SiKat, 81-79, in the opener.
Mina, a former Letran Knight, drilled in half his 18 field goal attempts en route to 20 points, including two triples, and added 4 rebounds.
Gab Gomez also delivered for Cowboys coach Louie Gonzalez with 8 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds, and so did JR Olegario with 6 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
The Patriots suffered their third straight defeat despite Jayboy Solis’ 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks, Paolo Castro’s 13 points and Carl Bryan Cruz’s 11 points plus 6 rebounds.
With Dela Cruz and bruisers Allan Santos and Mark Dyke pounding the boards, the Cowboys snared more rebounds, 51-41, and converted this to more points in the paint, 34-22, and second chance points, 17-6.
