South Cotabato drew inspired game from Christian Fajarito and subdued Batangas, 87-76, on Monday to move within a win of advancing to the South Division finals in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.
Fajarito, who played only 16 of 28 elimination round games due to nagging injuries, posted 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal for the team backed by Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo in Game One of their best-of-three semifinal series against the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters.
The 6-foot-6 former Letran star was supported by Marwin Dionisio with 10 points and 4 rebounds, Jammer Jamito with 9 points plus 11 rebounds, Mark Cruz with 9 points plus 5 assists and Val Acuna with 9 points plus 2 assists, enabling the Warriors to lead by as far as 62-43 following a 10-point cluster.
South Cotabato bunched eight points to break free from Batangas, 45-32, late in the second quarter and never yielded the lead back.
In the other game, the Quezon Huskers buried the Paranaque Patriots with a mound of points in the fourth quarter and prevailed, 75-62.
Held to a 50-50 count, the Huskers clustered 13 points, sparked by Gab Banal’s triple and Judel Fuentes’ back-to-back triples, to break away with 5 minutes and 34 and move within a win of advancing to the division finals.
Flashing the form that made him the MPBL Datu Cup MVP, Banal posted 16 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists to clinch the Daily Fantasy best player honors over Ximone Sandagon, who tallied 16 points and 5 rebounds and Fuentes, who fired 13 points.
Homegrown Topeng Lagrama also shone for Quezon Coach Eric Gonzales with 7 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds.
