The San Juan Knights trounced the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards,78-66, on Friday to boost their drive in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the FilOIl Ecooil Centre in San Juan.
Ahead by just three points after the third quarter, the Knights flashed the form that made them the Second Season champion and pulled away, 70-54, on the way to a 13-1 record in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
Other games saw South Cotabato subdue Bataan, 88-83, and Iloilo rout Marikina, 93-77.
Nikko Panganiban paced a balanced San Juan offense with 14 points plus 4 rebounds, followed by Dexter Maiquez with 10 points plus 8 rebounds.
They were supported by Michael Calisaan, Michael Malonzo and Orlan Wamar with 9 points each as the Knights reasserted their supremacy over the Rice Vanguards, whom they swept in last year’s North Division semifinals.
Nueva Ecija, the Season Four titlist, led briefly at 39-36 through Billy Robles and Will McAloney, only to turn cold and suffer a second straight defeat that relegated the Rice Vanguards to 12-2.
McAloney finished with 14 points and 5 rebounds, Robby Celiz chalked 9 points and 9 rebounds, and Robles 9 points and 3 rebounds.
With Wamar making all of his 7 charities and Panganiban going 5 of 6, the Knights canned 21 of 29 free throws as against the Rice Vanguards’ 11 of 19 performance from the stripe.
Enzo Joson again shone for the South Cotabato Warriors, who climbed to 12-5, with 20 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Marwin Dionisio complemented Joson with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists, and so did Chris Dumapig and Jervy Cruz with 12 points each.
Bataan slid to 4-12 despite Yves Sazon’s 21 points, Rhaffy Octobre’s 18 and Dominick Vera’s 10.
CJ Cansino towed the Iloilo United Royals to a 7-9 card with 30 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists. The former University of the Philippines hotshot was supported by homegrown Mark Nonoy with 15 points and Clint Doliguez with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
