BIÑAN CITY – The streaking Bataan Risers rode on the triple-double effort of John Bryon Villarias to thwart the Quezon City Capitals, 79-73, on Wednesday in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Lakan Season at the Alonte Sports Arena here.
Villarias tallied a game-high 22 points to go with 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Risers posted their fifth straight win and climbed to 12-8, good for a share of eighth spot with the Pasay Voyagers, in the 16-team North division.
With Villarias pouring 10 points and Alfred Ryan Batino adding six, the Risers pulled away anew, 60-47, after three quarters before they conspired with Jose Mari Presbitero to foil the Capitals’ fourth quarter rally.
Batino and Presbitero wound up with 16 points each for the Risers who completed a wire-to-wire finish and handed the Capitals a third straight defeat and an 8-13 slate.
The Risers surged to an 18-2 lead and were never headed by the Capitals despite the 17-point, 10-rebound effort of Ramon Mabayo and the 12-point, 12-rebound output of Clark Derige.
The Caloocan Supremos overhauled a 13-point deficit (54-67) in the last 4 minutes and 31 seconds to trip the Marikina Shoemasters, 76-74, and stay in the fringe of the North playoffs.
Cedric Labing-isa dumped 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to cushion the impact of Yves Sazon’s 27-point outburst for the Shoemasters and tow the Victory Liner-supported Supremos to a 12-9 card.
Labing-isa was supported by Rene Pacquiao with 15 points, AJ Mandani with 13 and John Carlos Escalambre with 11 in pulling down the Shoemasters to 3-16.
In the nightcap, the Muntinlupa Cagers banked on the hot hands of John Kevin Ortuste to down the Mindoro Tamaraws, 85-76, and improve to 5-15 in the South division.
Ortuoste drilled in eight triples en route to 27 points that were mainly responsible for the Tamaraws’ 13th loss in 21 games.
