San Juan wasted a big lead and settled for a 91-85 victory over Bacolod City of Smiles on Friday in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Olivarez College Gym in Paranaque.
Way ahead, 87-61, the San Juan Knights relaxed on defense, allowing the Bacolenos to bunch 13 points, before cruising to their 11th win in 12 starts and staying close behind Quezon Province (12-0), Nueva Ecija (11-0) and Pampanga (12-1) in the round-robin elimination round of the 29-team tournament.
Binan foiled Paranaque’s final rally to tally a 71-68 victory in the nightcap.
Egged on by the jampacked crowd, the Paranaque Patriots clawed back from an 11-point deficit, 58-69, but ran out of time as Binan Tatak Gel climbed to 8-4.
Carlo Lastimosa led Binan with 13 points, followed by Pamboy Raymundo, Robbie Manalang and Jeric James Pido with 9 each.
Paranaque slid to 8-6 despite Jielo Razon’s 22-point, 9-rebound, 7-assist, 2-steal effort, JP Sarao’s 13-point, 5-assist, 3-rebound output, and Joshua Gallano’s 13-point, including a buzzer-beater triple, and 8-rebound contribution.
San Juan drew 20 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists from Dexter Maiquez, 15 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists from Orlan Wamar, 14 points and 6 rebounds from Michael Calisaan, and 10 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists from Michael Malonzo.
Bacolod tumbled to 1-13 as Louie Vigil’s 33 points, including 22 in the fourth quarter, 18 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals went for naught. Homegrown Alfred Sedillo posted 27 points and 3 rebounds.
The Muntinlupa Cagers ruled the boards and bested the Marikina Shoemasters, 67-56, in the opener.
