Athletics pull away late, Caloocan and Binan keep winning in MPBL

3 hours ago

The race at the top of both MPBL divisions remained as tight as ever Friday, with Batangas City, Caloocan, and Binan all delivering convincing victories to strengthen their respective playoff positions.

Batangas City Tanduay Athletics preserved their South Division lead after pulling away in the closing minutes to defeat the Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers, 76-66, at the Batangas City Coliseum.

The victory stretched the Athletics' winning streak to 13 games and improved their record to 15-2, keeping them ahead of Quezon Province (13-2) and Binan (15-3).

Clinging to a narrow five-point lead late in the game, Batangas put the result beyond doubt with a decisive 12-2 run, highlighted by the hot shooting of Ino Comboy.

The former Far Eastern University standout erupted for a season-high 25 points, draining six three-pointers while adding 10 rebounds and four assists.

"I couldn't have done this without the trust of my teammates and my coaches," Comboy said.

Jhan Nermal provided 18 points and seven rebounds, while Abdul Sawat and Rhinwill Yambing supplied key support.

Rizal, which slipped to 11-7, was led by Jolo Mendoza's 14 points, while AJ Coronel and Billy Robles chipped in solid efforts.

In the day's second game, Caloocan showcased its trademark depth in a dominant 103-71 victory over Basilan.

The Batang Kankaloo had 13 different scorers and overwhelmed the Steel in the second half to improve to 17-2, keeping pace behind North Division frontrunners Abra Solid North and San Juan.

Jammer Jamito paced the balanced attack with 15 points, while Kymani Ladi, Rommel Calahat, Kean Baclaan, and Jeff Manday all reached double figures.

John Wilson fought hard for Basilan with 24 points, but the Steel dropped to 9-11.

Earlier, Binan Tatak Gel continued its remarkable surge by storming back from an eight-point halftime deficit to rout Ilagan Isabela, 90-69.

After trailing 44-36 at the break, Binan dominated the final two quarters, exploding for 54 second-half points while limiting the Cowboys to just 25 to extend its winning streak to 12 games.

Nic Cabanero led the charge with 22 points, knocking down four of five attempts from beyond the arc despite being known primarily as a slasher.

"They want me to develop my shooting and not rely solely on my drives," Cabanero said.

Renzo Subido scored 15 points, Carlo Lastimosa added 13, and Michael Mabulac controlled the interior with 12 points and eight rebounds as Binan controlled both the paint and the boards.

The Cowboys slipped to 12-7 despite double-digit scoring performances from Allen Mina, Arth Dela Cruz, and Robby Celiz.

The MPBL action continues Saturday at the Orion Sports Complex, where Pasig faces Cebu, Imus battles Marikina, and Negros takes on host Bataan.