MANILA — Ilonggo forward Omar Larupay put on a dominant double-double performance as the Basilan Starhorse Viva Portmasters extended their winning streak to four with a commanding 106-78 rout of Imus Grumpy Joe in the 2025 MPBL Season on Saturday at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.
Larupay powered the Portmasters with 23 points, 15 of which came in the second half, along with 16 rebounds and three assists to help his squad climb to 14-11 in the South Division standings, moving past Binan Tatak Gel (13-11) in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Supporting Larupay’s heroics were Emman Calo, who tallied 17 points and 14 assists, Michael Alvarez with 16 markers and four rebounds, Adi Santos with 11 points and six boards, Mario Barasi with seven points and two rebounds, and Lorenzo Navarro who chipped in six points, six assists, and two rebounds.
Imus, which fell to 9-16, was led by Mark Doligon with 16 points, Jaypee Belencion with 15, and Ilonggo Jayvee Dela Cruz who finished with 13 markers.
Meanwhile, in another thriller, Wowie Escosio scored underneath with a second left to lift the Davao Occidental Tigers past Valenzuela City Magic, 84-83, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.
Davao nearly squandered its lead after Kobe Monje tied the count with a triple and Jan Formento pushed Valenzuela ahead, 83-82, with 6.3 seconds remaining. Monje, however, missed a free throw that opened the door for Escosio’s game-winner as the Tigers improved to 9-14, still in a tight race for the ninth and 10th spots alongside Muntinlupa (10-13), Cebu (10-16), and Sarangani (9-15).
Escosio delivered 24 points and six rebounds to earn best player honors, while Joseph Salubre added 13, Harold Arboleda had 11, and Jeff Comia contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
Valenzuela slipped to 6-20 despite solid outings from Monje with 20 points, nine rebounds and two assists, Formento with 18 points and 10 assists, and Arvie Bringas with 14 points and 11 rebounds./PN
