Bacoor banked on a potent 28-6 start, allowing the Strikers to repulse a late rally from the Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics for a 71-64 win Saturday in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Bacoor Strike Gym in Cavite.

Drawing support from the full-house crowd, the Strikers foiled the Athletics' final assault in the fourth quarter to notch their 19th win against four losses and tightened their grip of top spot in the South division of the 29-team tournament.

The Athletics tumbled to 17-5 in a tie with the GenSan Warriors going to the final stretch of the round-robin elimination phase.

With Bacoor way up, 62-42, Batangas bunched 12 points, six by Jneric Baloria to threaten at 58-62, with still one minute and 55 seconds left.

James Kwekuteye, however, drilled in a triple and team skipperK Mark Yee added two charities to put Bacoor on safer ground.

Kwekuteye wound up with 14 points,  eight rebounds and three assists to earn best player honors over teammates Michael Canete, who made 15 points, and Jhan McHale Nermal, who tallied 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Batangas got 18 points and eight rebounds from Rhaffy Octobre, 13 points from MJ Dela Virgen, 12 points plus 10 rebounds from Baloria, and 10 points plus seven rebounds from Jeckster Apinan.