BIÑAN, Laguna – Pasig-Sta. Lucia fought back from a 12-point deficit in the third quarter to subdue Biñan City Luxxe White, 82-75, late Tuesday and boost its playoffs drive in the Chooks-to-Go/MPBL Lakan Season at Alonte Sports Arena here.
Powered by Josan Nimes and Jeric Teng, the Realtors dropped a 23-5 blast to wrest control at 63-58 and went on to tally their 16th win against 11 losses, good for seventh place in the North division of the 31-team league.
Nimes, a former NCAA Rookie of the Year with the Mapua Cardinals, tallied 30 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals while Teng added 18 points, 5 assists and 4 boards as the Realtors snapped Binan’s six-game win run and pulled down the Krah Heroes to 12-15 and 10th place in the South division.
Only the top eight teams after the round-robin eliminations will advance to the playoffs of both divisions.
Ahead, 65-58, after the third quarter, the Realtors stormed ahead by 17 points, 80-73, before Jed Mendoza buried nine straight points to push Binan to within 80-72, 40 seconds left.
Nimes and Argel Mendoza, who chipped in nine points with Leo Najorda, sealed the outcome for the Realtors by splitting their free throws.
Jed Mendoza wound up with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals for Binan, which drew 14 points from Macky Acosta and 12 points and 11 rebounds from James Mangahas.
Bicol-LCC Malls also moved closer to the playoffs with an expected 86-72 victory over league-doormat Sarangani Province.
Ronjay Buenafe posted 26 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists while Alwyn Alday contributed 20 points and 5 rebounds for the Volcanoes, who climbed to 14-13 and are lodged at eighth place in the South.
Sarangani, which drew 21 points from Pari Llagas, fell to 1-26.
The Marikina Shoemasters relied on Renato Ular and Yves Sazon to thwart Imus Bandera, 89-86, in a battle between also-rans.
Ular fired 33 points and snagged 15 rebounds while Sazon scored 23 points plus 4 boards to lift Marikina to a 6-19 card in the North. Imus, which got closer through actor Gerald Anderson and Jay-R Ng Sang, dropped to 6-23 in the South.
