Reigning champion San Juan isn’t invincible after all as it suffered a shock 97-91 loss to General Santos City in the MPBL Lakan Season on Friday at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.
Rob Celiz and Mike Williams combined forces with Pamboy Raymundo and John Orbeta in the crunch as the Warriors handed the Knights their first defeat in 11 games.
Celiz knocked in a career-high 27 points while Williams added 23 as the Burlington-backed Warriors picked up their seventh straight win under head coach Rich Alvarez.
Overall, it was the 9th win in 11 games for the Warriors to fortify its hold of the second spot of the southern division of this tournament.
Despite suffering their first loss of the tournament, the Go For Gold-backed Knights remained as the solo leader in this event put up by Sen. Manny Pacquiao.
The Warriors fought back from 15 points down, 45-30, late in the second period.
A 17-4 spurt in the third period allowed the Warriors to inch closer, 56-55, as they set up an exciting wind up from there.
Celiz then scored the game’s last six points to cap the Warriors’ strong finish.
Also pulling off a come from behind win was Bicol, which outlasted Muntinlupa, 90-87.
The expansion team Volcanoes rallied from 19 points down to stun the Cagers.
Bicol secured its second consecutive win and in the process, improved its win-loss record to 7-5 to stay at sixth spot of the southern division.
