Golden Coolers Keep Hot Streak Alive, Edge Out Tamaraws

The Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers continued their scorching start to the season with an 84-78 triumph over the Mindoro Tamaraws on Wednesday at One Arena in Cainta, moving into the upper half of the 2026 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) standings.

Jolo Mendoza ignited a 13-0 opening burst that set the tone for Rizal, who improved to 3-2 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 28-team, two-division tournament.

AJ Coronel was flawless from the field, hitting all four of his attempts, while Mark Yee also made every shot he took. The Golden Coolers connected on 13 of 25 three-pointers, an impressive 56.5 percent, and built a commanding 70-50 lead with just over two minutes left in the third quarter.

Coronel finished with 14 points and four rebounds, earning best player honors over Mendoza, who tallied 16 points, three three-pointers, and three rebounds. Joel Lee Yu and Alwyn Alday each contributed eight points, with Yu’s performance highlighted by two triples. Rizal’s win dropped Mindoro to a 2-3 record.

For the Tamaraws, JJ Caspe posted a near triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Bambam Gamalinda also had 17 points along with four rebounds and three assists. Jeco Barnale added 15 points, six assists, and four rebounds, while Marion Magat nearly recorded a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds.

In the nightcap, the Meycauayan Marilao Gems ended a three-game losing streak with a commanding 97-73 victory over the Negros Hacienderos, improving to 3-3. Agem Miranda led the way with 15 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, while Jayson Apolonio also contributed 15 points with three rebounds. MJ Dela Virgen scored 13 points, Jimboy Pasturan had 11, and both Patrick Ramos and Shawn Argente chipped in 10 points each.

Negros suffered its fourth consecutive defeat despite a strong showing from Wilson Baltazar, who recorded 25 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

The tournament resumes Thursday at One Arena, with Basilan facing Pasig at 4 p.m., Bacolod taking on Caloocan at 6 p.m., and Marikina clashing with Abra at 8 p.m.