Routs marked the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Lakan Season on Tuesday as the Makati Super Crunch, the Bataan Risers and the Valenzuela Classic hurdled their respective rivals at Valenzuela Astrodome.
The Super Crunch dumped the Pasig Sta. Lucia Realtors, 101-87, and raised their record to 13-3, good for third spot in the North division behind the San Juan Knights 15-2) and Manila Stars (13-2).
The Risers rode the hot shooting of John Bryon Villarias and Reed Juntilla to beat Bacolod Master’s Sardines, 84-65, while the Classic zoomed ahead by 31 points in the fourth quarter and drubbed the Muntinlupa Cagers, 97-83, in the nightcap.
Villarias fired 25 points, including 6 triples, while Juntilla scored 21, spiked by 4 triples, as the Risers levelled their slate at 8-6.
The Cagers, who got 14 points each from John Kervin Ortuoste and Biboy Eguio, skidded to 4-14.
With new acquisition Val Acuna spearheading the attack with 18 points and Paolo Hubalde and Jaycee John Asuncion providing support with 17 and 10 points, respectively, sealed their seventh win against 11 losses when they erected an 87-56 spread.
Hounded by poor field goal shooting (24 of 75 tries), Bacolod was unable to match Bataan’s firepower and slid to 6-10.
Joshua Torralba led Makati’s onslaught with 24 points plus 5 steals, followed by Jeckster Apinan with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and Cedric Ablaza with 12.
The Super Crunch poured 54 points in the paint as against only 22 for the Realtors and tallied 23 points on fast breaks, swamping the Realtors with only 5 points.
Leo Najorda delivered 29 points, Robbie Manalang 16, Josan Michael Nimes 14 and Jeric Teng 12 for the Realtors.
ON Wednesday, the MPBL goes to Olivares College Gym in Paranaque for a tripleheader. Pampanga and Zamboanga clash at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Bacoor-Cebu tussle at 8:30 p.m.
