BIÑAN, Laguna – Davao Occidental and Bacoor kept their 1-2 spots in the South division while Makati bounced back in the North division as the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season elimination round approached the homestretch on Thursday at the Alonte Sports Arena here.
The Davao Occidental Tigers subdued the Biñan City Luxxe White Krah Heroes, 72-66, in the nightcap to secure the No. 1 seed over the Bacoor Strikers who threatened to topple them following a 79-68 beating of Iloilo United Royals.
The Makati Super Crunch found a hero in Jeckster Apinan and edged the Mikey Williams-powered General Santos Warriors in overtime, 91-90, to lift their sagging morale heading into the playoffs.
Apinan scored 10 of Makati’s 12 points in extension, including the buzzer-beating layin, to deflect Williams’ one-man stand as the Super Crunch checked a two-game skid and derailed the Warriors’ entry to the playoffs in the South.
Though the Super Crunch are assured of the third slot in the North with a closing 22-8 record, they badly needed the win as they have previously dropped four of five games following an internal strife.
The Warriors are in an even tighter bind as they suffered their fourth straight defeat, tumbling to 16-12 and keeping the door open to Cebu Casino Ethyl Alcohol, which totes a 15-14 slate.
If any consolation, the Warriors’ last game in the single round-robin eliminations will be against the cellar-dwelling Sarangani Marlins (1-27) on Feb. 10.
Apinan wound up with 29 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, followed by Cedrick Ablaza with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and Juneric Baloria with 12 points for Makati coach Beaujing Acot.
Williams finished with 21 points for GenSan, which also got 13 points, 17 rebounds from Robby Celiz and 13 points, 10 assist, 9 rebounds from Pamboy Raymundo.
The Cocolife-backed Tigers, powered by June Mocon’s 15 points and Chester Saldua’s 12, climbed to 25-4 with one more to go, moving beyond reach of the Strikers (24-6), who drew 16 points from Mark Pangilinan, 10 points plus 10 rebounds from Michael Mabulac and 11 points from Ricky Acidre.
Iloilo (18-12) got 18 points from Al Francis Tamsi, 13 from Richard Escoto and 12 from Aaron Jeruta.
