by Jerome Lagunzad
Games Tomorrow (Pasig City Sports Center)
7 p.m. – Quezon City
vs Davao Occidental
9 p.m. – Pasig vs Laguna
Ray Parks did a good job playing the point as Mandaluyong turned back Zamboanga City, 71-61, Saturday night in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Anta Datu Cup at the Imus Sports Complex.
The 6-foot-4 Parks scored just 13 points but made a league record of 15 assists as the El Tigre got off to a roaring start.
Former La Salle big man Prince Rivero, one of the main recipients of Parks’ assists, finished with a team-high 18 points while Gian Abrigo hauled down 13 rebounds on top of eight points to help Mandaluyong bounce back from an 86-74 loss to pacesetting Muntinlupa in the season opener last June 12.
“I just challenged Ray that ‘You have been doing well and you don’t ruin your name by saying stuff like that,” said Mandaluyong coach Mac Cuan.
Former pro Reed Juntilla finished with 16 points on top of five rebounds and as many assists while Rudy Onde tallied 14 points for the Valientes.
In the nightcap, the visiting General Santos City Warriors silenced the hometown crowd with a 79-73 victory over the host Imus Bandera.
Leomar Losente waxed hot from beyond the arc with five triples and finished with 20 points while Delmar Mahaling added 13 points and Chris Masaglang had 12 for the Warriors, who improved their record to an even 1-1.
“We know that we lack enough firepower so we are trying our very best to improve our defense. Since we are the underdogs against most of the teams here, we need to do more on the defensive side,” said Losentes.
Former Jose Rizal University guard Paolo Pontejos collected 15 points, six assists and three rebounds while Ian Melencio added 11 points, nine rebounds and four assists for Bandera.
