PASIG ARRESTS SIX-GAME MPBL LOSING STREAK AT MUNTINLUPA'S EXPENSE

PASIG withstood Muntinlupa's final assault to prevail, 79-71, on Wednesday and revive its playoff drive in the MPBL 2025 Season at the Ynares Center Montalban in Rizal Province.

The Cagers rallied from as many as 17 points down and threatened at 73-71, only to be foiled by Pasig's Warlo James Batac and Mark Montuano in the homestretch.

Batac, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard out of Bulacan State University, pumped in 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter while adding nine rebounds and three assists to clinch best player honors as Pasig ended a six-game skid and climbed to 8-12 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.

Montuano wound up with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists, Chito Jaime 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, and homegrown Jerome Garcia 11 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Muntinlupa, which got 14 points, five rebounds, and two steals from Dom Matillano, 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals from Marvin Hayes, and 12 points, four rebounds and four assists from Patrick Ramos, fell to 10-10.

Montuano, Jaime and Garcia outscored the entire Cagers, 32-31, and pushed Pasig to a 39-31 halftime lead.

Valenzuela bests Bulacan in battle of MPBL strugglers

The Valenzuela City Magic bested the Bulacan Kuyas, 88-84, in the opener between also-ran teams.

Kobe Monje led Valenzuela to a 5-17 record with 16 points, five rebounds and two assists, followed by JR Alabanza with 12 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two assists, Carl Bryan Lacap with 14 points and three rebounds, and Jan Formento with 11 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

The MPBL returns to the Cuneta Astrodome on Thursday, with games pitting Binan against Marikina at 4 p.m., Caloocan against Paranaque at 6 p.m., and Pasay against Mindoro at 8 p.m.

2025-07-30T14:15:08Z