San Juan and Pasig repeated over their rivals and arranged a semifinal clash in the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season Presented by Xtreme at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The San Juan Knights weathered Valenzuela’s final assault to prevail, 90-79, while the Pasig Realtors turned hot in the fourth quarter to rout the Quezon City MG Cars Capitals, 101-83.
In the series’ openers on October 18, San Juan won, 90-82, and so did Pasig, 84-80, in overtime.
San Juan Go for Gold and Pasig thus cut short their respective best-of-3 quarterfinal playoffs and forged another best-of-3 affair in the North division semifinals starting on Nov. 7.
Valenzuela XUR Homes Realty rallied to within 74-82 with still 1 minute and 57 seconds to go, but back-to-back triples by Judel Fuentes and Dexter Maiquez pushed San Juan beyond reach, 88-74, less than a minute left.
Maiquez wound up with a game-high 20 points plus 6 rebounds, but it was Fuentes who earned best player honors after compiling 15 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals.
Other major contributors for San Juan Coach Randy Alcantara were Michael Calisaan with 14 points plus 4 rebounds, Orlan Wamar with 10 points, 3 rebounds plus 3 assists and Marwin Taywan 10 points, 8 coming in the early part of the last quarter..
The Pasig Realtors of coach Ogie Gumatay again felt some pressure when the Capitals threatened at 65-62 after the third quarter.
Ryan Paule Costelo, however, found his mark and Carlo Lastimosa sustained his game-long brilliance to put the Realtors back on safe ground, 90-72. Lastimosa finished with 24 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals and was named the game’s best player. Costelo dropped all of his 17 points in the fourth quarter to go with 4 assists and 3 rebounds, while Robbie Manalang tallied 15 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
