DEFENDING champion Pampanga trounced Negros, 104-81, on Thursday to extend its hot streak in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
South Cotabato shared the limelight following a come-from-behind 82-81 victory over Binan Tatak Gel Beast Motorcycle Game X in the nightcap of another elimination round triple bill of the 29-team tournament.
Exploiting their height and firepower advantage, the Giant Lanterns sped beyond reach, 92-63, en route to their 10th straight win after an initial loss, staying close to 9-0 pacesetters San Juan Knights, Quezon Huskers and Nueva Ecija Vanguards.
Showing why he’s the reigning MPBL MVP, the 6-foot-8 Baltazar chalked 18 points and 17 rebounds that enabled Pampanga to rule the boards, 67-46, and pull down Negros to 4-8.
Encho Serrano backed Baltazar with 20 points, 4 rebounds plus 2 assists and so did Jeff Viernes with 16 points plus 4 assists and Archie Concepcion with 13 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
While the Giant Lanterns had a blast, the South Cotabato Warriors needed the heroics of Christian Fajarito to crawl out of a 48-64 hole before squeezing out their fifth straight win for a 9-3 sate.
South Cotabato still trailed Binan, 62-73, when Fajarito poured 8 in a 12-point spurt to put South Cotabato ahead, 74-73.
Binan regained the lead, 81-78, but Jammer Jamito knocked in two charities and Fajarito drilled in a one-handed floater with 10.7 seconds left for the final count that relegated Binan to a 6-3 card.
Fajarito wound up with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals while Jamito posted 13 points plus 11 rebounds.
Manila SV Batang Sampaloc dumped Quezon City TODA Aksyon, 76-57, behind Francis Escandor and Ahmad Didat Hanapi in the opener to post its third straight win and rise to 8-4.
Escandor hit 5 of 6 triple tries and finished with 19 points plus 4 rebounds and 2 assists while Hanapi ended up with 14 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
James Sena chalked 10 points and 3 rebounds while Carl Bryan Cruz added 9 points and 7 rebounds for Manila, which stormed ahead at 62-40, early in the fourth quarter.
Fielded for just 12 minutes and 28 seconds, 7-footer Greg Slaughter settled for 8 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists for Manila, which got 12 assists and 6 rebounds from Enzo Navarro.
