San Juan, Pasig book semis duel

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MPBL JUDEL Fuentes delivers the go-ahead basket that lifted San Juan to a 90-79 victory over Valenzuela in Game 2 of their OKBet-MPBL 4th Season best-of-three quarterfinal series.
San Juan and Pasig crushed their respective foes to arrange a semifinal duel in the OKBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 4th Season Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The Knights weathered Valenzuela's late assault to pull off a 90-79 victory while the Realtors caught fire down the stretch to rout Quezon City, 101-83, in Game 2 of their respective best-of-three quarterfinal showdowns.
In the series openers on 18 October, San Juan prevailed, 90-82, while Pasig flirted with disaster before eking an 84-80 overtime win to out it a win away from advancing to the semis.
Game 1 of their best-of-three semifinal duel fires off on 7 November.
But the victory of San Juan wasn't easy.
After trailing for most part of the game, Valenzuela rallied to within eight, 74-82, in the final 1:57. But Judel Fuentes and Dexter Maiquez saved the Knights from a potential disaster when they fired back-to-back three-pointers to put the game out of reach, 88-74, with less than a minute left.
Maiquez, a former San Sebastian College star, delivered a game-high 20 points and six rebounds while Fuentes tallied 15 points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals to emerge as the game's best player.
Also chipping in for the Knights of coach Randy Alcantara were Michael Calisaan with 14 points and four rebounds, Orlan Wamar with 10 points, three rebounds and three assists and Marwin Taywan with 10 markers.
