By Jerome Lagunzad
Game Today
(Muntinlupa Sports Center)
7 p.m. – Muntinlupa vs Batangas City
(Game 4, Athletics lead series 2-1)
Muntinlupa put Batangas City’s big celebration on hold on Tuesday night as the Cagers stayed alive with an 82-77 victory over the favored Athletics in Game 3 of their thrilling Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Anta Rajah Cup finals duel.
Boosted by a boisterous hometown crowd inside the Muntinlupa Sports Center, the Cagers played with a better sense of urgency and finally showed enough composure to hold off the Athletics in another tight finish, cutting their series deficit to 2-1.
Top guard Allan Mangahas rediscovered his sharp form with game-highs of 23 points and nine assists while veteran Pari Llagas exploded with 19 points and wingman Dave Moralde scored a crucial bucket with 27.1 seconds left that enabled Muntinlupa to survive Batangas City’s ferocious fightback from a 17-point deficit.
Aside from their hot start, Cagers coach Aldrin Morante acknowledged that the much-needed energy given by their ardent supporters also spelled the difference in finally solving the Athletics’ once perplexing puzzle.
“Sobrang laking factor ‘yun,” he said. “Nag-i-ensayo pa lang kami, ang dami na ring talagang pumunta dito sa venue.
Marami pa ngang hindi nakapasok at naghintay na lang du’n sa labas dahil hindi na magkakasya dito sa loob.”
The 6-foot-3 Llagas, who averaged just nine points in their first two losses, echoed Morante’s observation, saying:
“Sobrang dami ng fans na sumuporta sa amin ngayon kaya hindi namin sila pinahiya.”
Bong Quinto tallied a team-high 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists while big man Jhaymo Eguilos added 12 points and as many rebounds, but the Athletics groped for form with the game-long struggles of main gunners Val Acuña and Teytey Teodoro.
Up against the Cagers’ stymieing defense, Acuña and Teodoro hardly made their presence felt as they combined for just six points, with the former missing all of his 11 attempts from the field and the latter sinking just one on eight tries.
MUNTINLUPA 82 – Mangahas 23, Llagas 19, Jaime 10, Moralde 10, Apreku 8, Reverente 7, Ylagan 0, Stevens 0, Vergara 0, Buenaflor 0, Salaveria 0.
BATANGAS 77 – Quinto 14, Alvarez 13, Eguilos 12, Varilla 11, Olayon 8, Grimaldo 6, Rogado 5, Teodoro 3, Acuna 3, Santos 2, Villamor 0.
Quarters: 27-12, 44- 36, 64- 51, 82- 77.