Pasig City MCW Sports employed a sleek running game to rout Rizal Xentromall, 82-64, on Friday in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika PIlipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
With Kenny Roger Rocacruva and Ryan Paule Costelo spearheading the attack, Pasig took a commanding 63-40 lead and proceeded to tally its first victory in the 29-team league. Earlier, Bulacan trounced Iloilo, 85-76, to seize top spot with back-to-back wins.
The Bulacan Kuyas drew 21 points and 15 rebounds from Jeric Nacpil and 18 points from Kentoy Segura.
Laguna thwarted Quezon City Gaz N Go, 102-94, in the opener behind Paolo Pontejos’ 24 points and Nino Ibanez’s 20-point, 10-rebound effort.
Rocacurva, a former Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcat from Camotes Islands, east of Cebu and north of Bicol, sparkled with 23 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist to earn best player honors in his maiden apperarnce for Pasig.
The pint-sized Costelo complemented Rocacurva with 19 points, 5 assists, 3 steals and 1 assist as they hounded the Golden Coolers, who absorbed their second straight defeat.
The prolific duo also struck from afar, with Costelo drilling in 5 of 7 triple tries and Rocacurva making 4 of 6 attempts as Pasig posted an impressive 52 percent (13 of 25) from long range.
