John Byron Villarias connected when needed and lifted the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards past the Bacoor Strikers, 83-75, on Monday, July 17, in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.

John Byron Villarias delivers for Nueva Ecija. (MPBL Images)

The Strikers threatened twice, 68-69 and 74-78, but Villarias responded on both occasions, sinking triples that shoved the Rice Vanguards to safer waters in their much-awaited encounter.

Villarias wound up with 22 points, including 6 of 9 triple tries, five rebounds and three steals to earn best player honors and hand Nueva Ecija its 17th win against 2 losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 22-team tournament.

Will McAloney also played a key role for defending champion Nueva Ecija with 18 points plus 10 rebounds.

Other contributors for the Rice Vanguards were Pamboy Raymundo with nine points, Michael Mabulac, Michael Juico and Roi Sumang with eight each.

Bacoor, which tumbled to 16-3, got 19 points plus six rebounds from Jhan McHale Nermal, Michael Canete with 17 points plus four rebounds and Mike Yee with 12 points plus eight rebounds.

Earlier, Paranaque pulled off an 86-77 stunner over Zamboanga, while Muntinlupa trounced Valenzuela, 89-79.

The Paranaque Patriots, powered by Joshua Gallano and Jielo Razon, greeted the extra period with an 8-point cluster and held the Zamboanguenos to just a bucket en route to their eighth win against 12 losses.

Gallano, a prized find from Olivarez College, wound up with 23 points, five rebounds and three steals to earn best player honors over Razon, a stalwart of University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, who finished with 20 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and four steals.

It was also Gallano who forced overtime, 75-75, with a lay-up, only 3 ticks left. Homegrown John Anthony Umali also shone for Paranaque with 14 points and three rebounds.

Zamboanga, the 2023 MPBL Preseason Invitational champion, fell to 14-5 despite the double-digit outputs of five players led by Joseph Gabayni with 16. Jayvee Marcelino posted 15 points and 10 rebounds, Judel Fuentes and Cyrus Tabi with 13 points each and Damian Lasco with 11 points.

Muntinlupa banked on John Louisse Delos Santos' triple-double to climb to 12-7 and pull Valenzuela XUR Homes Realty Inc. down to 3-16.

Delos Santos posted 12 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists, three blocks and two steals to complement the 19-point, seven-rebound effort of JP Sarao, the 17-point contribution of John Kevin Ortuoste, and the 16-rebound, seven-point output of Reneford Ruaya.

Valenzuela got 15 points, eight assists and seven rebounds from Darell Manliguez, 13 points each from AJ Benson and Jameson Hiro, 12 from Krentz Carlos and 10 from Carlo de Chavez.

The MPBL goes to the Bren Guiao Convention Center on Tuesday with a triple bill pitting Laguna against Marikina at 4 p.m., Makati against Manila at 6 p.m., and Iloilo against Pampanga at 8 p.m.