Rizal catches MPBL playoff bus

MANILA, Philippines – Rizal Xentromall completed the playoffs cast with an 88-73 drubbing of Marikina on Tuesday in the 6th MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Season elimination round at the Paco Arena in Manila.

The Golden Coolers posted their 15th win against 13 losses and dislodged the Quezon City TODA Aksyon Capitals to seize the eighth and last quarterfinal slot in the North Division of the 29-team tournament.

Although Quezon City toted a similar 15-13 card, Rizal advanced because it prevailed in their round-robin elimination encounter, 71-59.

Marco Balagtas paced five Golden Coolers with 19 points, five assists and four rebounds, followed by John Apacible with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Kraniel Villoria tallied 13 points, Valandre Chauca 12 and Alwyn Alday 10.

Marikina (7-21) got 24 points, five assists and four rebounds from Ahron Estacio.

Rizal will be pitted against San Juan (26-2), the top North qualifier and best overall finisher, in a best-of-three series starting on October 5.

The other qualifiers that will enjoy the homecourt edge like San Juan are No. 2 Pampanga (26-2), No. 3 Nueva Ecija (24-4) and No. 4 Manila SV Batang Sampaloc (20-8), which subdued also-ran Pangasinan (12-16), 82-77, in the nightcap.

Manila, missing seven-footer Greg Slaughter, leaned on Jorey Napoles' 12 points and 11 rebounds; Jan Jamon's 12 points and five rebounds; James Sena's 10 points and five rebounds; and Joshua Torralba's 10 points and seven rebounds to turn back Pangasinan.

Defending champion Pampanga will be pitted against No. 7 Abra (18-10), Nueva Ecija against No. 6 Pasay (18-10) and Manila against Caloocan (19-9), which dumped also-ran Sarangani, 78-52, earlier.

The South Division qualifiers in order are Quezon Province (21-7), Batangas (20-8), Binan (20-8), Zamboanga (20-8), Paranaque (17-11), South Cotabato (17-11), Davao (15-13) and Negros (12-16).
Quezon will battle Negros, Batangas will tackle Davao, Binan will tangle with South Cotabato and Zamboanga will clash with Paranaque in the South playoffs.

The MPBL takes a break and will resume with the playoffs on October 5 at the FilOil EcoOil Arena, with the Manila-Caloocan encounter