Manny Pacquiao drilled in a buzzer-beating triple as the South selection tied its North counterparts, 107-107, in the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season Presented by Extreme All-Star Executives game on Sunday at the Batangas City Coliseum.
The MPBL CEO and founder’s trey, which came after the North’s Jerson Cabiltes intentionally missed his second free throw attempt, completed the South’s amazing comeback from a 29-point hole, 53-24
Pacquiao wound up with a team-high 30 points, including four triples, plus 8 rebounds and 4 assists in 37 minutes and 30 seconds of play, the same time as former PBA star Marlou Aquino, who ended up with 10 points and a game-high 18 rebounds.
Other major contributors for the South Executives were Jethro Rivera with 21 points, Alex Angeles and Denzel Wong with 14 each, and Merman Flores with 10.
Many times the Executives’ best player Paolo Orbeta again shone for the North Executives, who led from the tip-off, with a game-high 39 points. Raycon Kabigting supported Orbeta with 22 points and 14 rebounds, followed by Richard Rosales with 13 points plus 11 rebounds.
Cabiltes, coach of the unbeaten Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards (20-0), tallied 10 points.
Since the game was only a side event of the MPBL All-Star set later in the night, the Executives from both teams decided not to go into overtime.
In the last MPBL Executive All-Stars held on Feb. 13, 2020, the North prevailed over South, 82-68. That time, Pacquiao opted not to play.
