BALANGA CITY – The Bataan Risers held the General Santos Warriors to just two points in the last three minutes to pull off a 74-66 victory in the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season on Friday at Bataan People’s Center here.
With the count tied at 64, Reed Juntilla scored on back-to-back layups to spark Bataan’s 10-point salvo in the same period that handed the Camaya Coast-backed Risers their fifth straight win for a 19-9 record in the North division.
John Bryon Villarias, Alfred Ryan Batino and Achie Inigo divided the last six as the Risers found their bearing when needed most and climbed to solo fourth, moving ahead of the Bataan Kuyas and the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, who both have 18-9 cards.
Batino finished with 20 points plus 9 rebounds, Villarias posted 13 points and as many rebounds, Inigo wound up with 12 points, while Martin Gozum chipped in 10 for the Risers, who trailed (12-25) in the second quarter. Juntilla ended up with six points, all in the last quarter.
The Warriors, who missed the services of Fil-Am Mikey Williams, got 16 points from homegrown Christopher Masaglang and 10 from Juju Bautista. Though they dropped to 16-10, the Warriors retained fourth spot in the South division.
Both assured of playoff stints, the Risers and the Warriors are hoping to land in the top four of their respective divisions after the round-robin eliminations and gain the homecourt advantage in the playoffs.
Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines and Pasay trounced separate opponents and likewise assured themselves of playoff slots.
The Zamboanguenos stormed ahead by 26 points (60-34) in the third quarter and battered the also-ran Muntinlupa Cagers, 75-63.
The Voyagers, on the other hand, pulled away only in the fourth quarter, 66-51, and ousted Binan City Luxxe White Krah, 68-57.
Alvin Pasaol fired 23 points and snagged 4 rebounds while Robin Rono chipped in 17 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists to power Zamboanga to a 17-11 slate and sixth spot in the South.
Pasay climbed to 15-12 in the North behind the 13-point, 7-rebound, 6-assist effort of Axel Inigo; the 11-point, 6-rebound output of Jason Opiso and the 10-point, 8-rebound contribution of Raymund Ilagan.
Binan skidded to 12-16 and tumbled out of the playoffs race in the South.
