Rizal Golden Coolers Rout Bacolod, Extend Winning Streak to Three

Rizal XentroMall delivered a dominant performance on Thursday, crushing Bacolod, 107-72, to sustain its momentum in the 2026 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Season at the Pasay Astrodome.

Holding a slim eight-point advantage at halftime, the Rizal Golden Coolers took complete control in the third quarter. They outscored the Maskarras, 28-13, to build an 83-55 cushion heading into the final period. Alwyn Alday and Jolo Mendoza spearheaded the surge, combining for 20 points in the quarter—more than Bacolod's entire team output during that stretch.

Alday led Rizal with 21 points, including five three-pointers, and grabbed four rebounds. Mendoza contributed 17 points, three rebounds, and two assists as the Golden Coolers notched their third consecutive victory and improved to 6-4 in the elimination round of the 28-team, two-division tournament.

JP Maguliano, Joel Lee Yu, and Billy Robles also played key roles in the convincing win. Rizal's lead ballooned to as much as 39 points, 97-58. Maguliano recorded 12 points, six rebounds, three steals, and two assists, while Robles posted 12 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Yu chipped in 10 points and three assists.

Rizal dominated nearly every statistical category, outrebounding Bacolod 50-30 and overwhelming them in the paint, 56-10. The Golden Coolers also showcased excellent ball movement, tallying 38 assists compared to the Maskarras' 15.

John Kobe Dalisay and Emman Galman paced Bacolod with 17 points apiece, while Ian Melencio added 10 markers.

MPBL action continues on Friday at the Orion Sports Complex, with Iloilo taking on Batangas at 4 p.m., Quezon City facing San Juan at 6 p.m., and host Bataan battling Basilan at 8 p.m.