Bacoor and Batangas notched breezy victories and kept their lofty spots in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Bacoor Strike Gym in Cavite.
Flaunting the depth of their roster, the Bacoor Strikers smothered the Bicol Volcanoes, 113-75, in the nightcap to duplicate Batangas City Embassy Chill’s 105-74 drubbing of Bacolod City of Smiles in the opener.
Both the Strikers and the Athletics raised their records to 17-4 to share the lead in the South division of the 29-team tournament staging its round-robin elimination phase.
Sarangani subdued Valenzuela, 107-98, and revved up its playoff drive with a 9-13 slate in the other game.
Cheered on by another big crowd, the Strikers decided the outcome early in the fourth quarter, 87-43, before easing off a bit in burying the Volcanoes to a league-worst 1-21 card.
Bacoor Coach Alex Angeles took the chance to juggle his 15 players, all of whom scored after being given over 11 minutes of exposure each.
Homegrown Rocky Acidre and James Kwekuteye fired 14 points each for the Strikers, who also drew 12 points from Salvador Galit and 11 each from Alwyn Alday and Jhan McHale Nermal.
