The Pasay Voyagers caught the Abra Weavers napping in the fourth quarter and posted a 70-60 stunner on Wednesday, March 19, in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.
Showing cohesion, Felipe Chavez, Laurenz Victoria, Cyrus Tabi and Warren Bonifacio conspired for 10 Pasay points against just two for Abra late in the period to decide the outcome, 68-55, with 1 minute and 14 seconds left.
Tabi finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals and was chosen best player over Bonifacio, who wound up with 14 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals, and Dhon Reverente with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists.
AJ Coronel also delivered in the Voyagers’ second win in three outings with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists, and so did Victoria with 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.
Beaten off the boards by the smaller Voyagers, 46-51, the Weavers were further hampered by awful shooting, missing all their 15 triple tries and sinking only 12 of 27 free throws.
In contrast, the Voyagers made 17 out of 20 charities.
Abra, which skidded to 2-1, drew 21 points, 6 rebounds and 1 steal from Encho Serrano and 11 points, 7 rebounds and 1 block from Dave Ildefonso, but no other Weaver scored in twin digits.
Biñan Tatak Gel dominated Pangasinan, 85-71, throughout the nightcap to check a two-game slide in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Christian Fajarito posted 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block to spearhead Biñan, which also got 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists from Carlo Lastimosa, 12 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists from Kenny Roger Rocacurva, and 11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists and 1 steal from Nino Canaleta.
Pangasinan Muscleman Vic Manuel scored 19 points but was held without a rebound as the Heatwaves yielded the boards, 43-56, and trailed by as far as 61-79.
The Heatwaves, who dropped to 2-1, drew 11 points plus 4 rebounds from Jay Collado and 9 points plus 10 rebounds from Jorey Napoles.
The Ilagan Isabela Cowboys struck from long range and mowed down the Bulacan Kuyas, 109-82, in the opener.
Led by JR Olegario, who hit five triples en route to a game-high 22 points, the Cowboys drilled in 13 of 27 tries from beyond the arc to take the fight out of the Kuyas and climb to 2-1.
With Olegario piling 16 points, the Cowboys pulled away at the half, 59-31, and stormed ahead, 67-34, on a jumper by Allen Mina with 7 minutes and 6 seconds to go in the third quarter.
Olegario, a 5-foot-7 find from Paranaque, also tallied 4 assists and 2 steals to clinch best player honors over Arth Dela Cruz, who posted 16 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, and Mina, who tallied 16 points.
Other Cowboys who delivered for Coach Louie Gonzalez were Joshua Ramirez with 8 points, spiked by two triples, and Ryan Jay Arenal with 7 points and 6 rebounds.
Bulacan tumbled to 0-3 despite John Rey Sumido’s 21 points and RR De Leon’s 18 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. The Kuyas also got 14 points and 7 assists from Marlon John Espiritu and 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists from Art Aquino.
MPBL Founder and Chairman Manny Pacquiao showed up for the Biñan-Pangasinan tussle and gave away T-shirts, assisted by Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes and league personnel.
The MPBL goes to the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Thursday, with games pitting Cebu against Bataan at 4 p.m., Basilan against Valenzuela at 6 p.m., and Manila against Nueva Ecija at 8 p.m.
