Zamboanga stunned San Juan while Basilan trounced Pasay to boost their bids for top four finishes in the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season elimination round on Friday night at Cuneta Astrodome.
Leaning on defense, Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines beat the league leader San Juan Knights, 69-64, while Basilan Steel flaunted their offensive might to clobber the Pasay Voyagers, 74-59, at their home court.
The Zamboanguenos surged to a 51-39 spread late in the third quarter and used it as a buffer to deflect the Knights’ final assault and climb to joint fourth with the Iloilo United Royals at 18-11 in the South division of the 31-team league.
They trailed the Jumbo Plastics-supported Steel, who shunned the loud local crowd to raise their record to 19-10 and derail the Voyagers’ playoffs drive.
Down to 16-13, the Voyagers are now within reach of the Caloocan Supremos (15-3) in their race for the eighth and last playoff spot in the North division
Pasig-Sta. Lucia routed also-ran Valenzuela Cargo Backload Solutions, 90-72, to secure seventh spot in the North.
With an 18-11 slate, the Realtors left behind the Voyagers and the Supremos.
Anton Asistio accounted for seven of Zamboanga’s 14-point output in the last quarter to finish with 15 in the low-scoring game surprisingly dominated by coach Britt Reroma’s charges.
Alvin Pasaol and Robin Rono supported Asistio with 13 points each.
The Knights, champions in the MPBL Datu Cup, got 18 points each from John Wilson and Jhonard Clarito, who also snagged 11 rebounds, and 11 from Mike Ayonayon.
