Rizal Golden Coolers made light work of Sarangani Marlins with a 93-65 victory in the MPBL on Tuesday, August 4th. The hosts took control early and never looked back, putting together a performance that reflected their standing in the table. To be fair, Sarangani have been struggling all season, and this result did little to suggest otherwise.
Before the game, Rizal sat sixth with 11 wins from 17 matches, while Sarangani languished in tenth place with just three victories from 19 outings. The gap between them was always going to show on the scoreboard, and 93-65 was perhaps a generous reflection of the difference. Rizal now extend their winning record, while Sarangani's misery continues with 16 defeats to their name.
Rizal had mixed results in their previous five outings — wins against GenSan Warriors and Manila Batang Kiaho among them, but also heavy losses to Batangas City and Abra Weavers. Sarangani's recent form tells a similar story of inconsistency, though their losses have come more frequently. By then, Sarangani's confidence must have been thin after another frustrating afternoon.
Without minute-by-minute data to dissect, the scoreline itself says everything. Ninety-three points on the board against a side that had struggled to find any rhythm all season. And here's the thing — when one team is this comfortable, the opponent rarely finds their footing. Sarangani simply could not match the tempo from the opening tip-off.
The result leaves Rizal firmly in the upper half of the standings, while Sarangani remain rooted to the bottom. The win moves them further from the teams chasing them, and the gap between sixth and tenth in the table is now wider still. What happens next depends on whether Sarangani can find some momentum, but this was not the day for it.