Quezon Province and Pampanga posted contrasting wins on Tuesday to keep their 1-2 spots in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Caloocan Sports Complex.
Shrugging off a long lackluster performance, the Quezon Huskers prevailed over Quezon City TODA Aksyon, 70-59, while the Pampanga Giant Lanterns leaned on Justine Baltazar and Archie Concepcion to trounce Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, 76-60, in the nightcap.
Streaking Manila SV Batang Sampaloc had anxious moments before subduing Muntinlupa, 93-80, in the opener.
The Manila Stars trailed the Muntinlupa Cagers, 67-71, following a triple by Joshua Ramirez and called on Greg Slaughter and Enzo Navarro to regain control behind a 13-3 run with 2 minutes and 55 seconds left.
It was the Huskers’ 15th straight win in as many games, matching the Giant Lanterns’ 15-win streak after an initial loss in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
Caught napping, the Huskers trailed 0-14 and needed to play catch-up until the last seven minutes before seizing control at 57-55 and sealing the outcome with a 13-point cluster, 70-56, with 30.9 seconds to go.
Judel Fuentes and Jason Opiso poured 10 points each in that crippling 22-1 spurt that pulled Quezon City down to 8-9.
Opiso wound up with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals, followed by LJ Gonzales with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists plus 3 steals, and Fuentes with 12 points, 4 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds.
Baltazar, the reigning MVP, posted 12 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, plus 3 steals for his fourth triple-double this year while Concepcion notched 21 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals for the defending champion.
Muntinlupa threatened at 78-81 with a triple from Joshua Miguel Marcos, but Navarro sealed Manila’s eighth straight win and 13-4 record with a scoop shot, 83-78, only 16.1 seconds left.
Slaughter finished with 22 points, 10 in the fourth quarter, 10 rebounds and 3 assists to clinch best player honors despite admitting he’s not in optimal form yet.
Tonino Gonzaga also delivered for Manila with points plus 3 rebounds and so did Rabeh Al-Hussaini with 13 points. Navarro proved to be the steadying factor with 10 assists to go with 7 points and 7 rebounds.
