Biñan gains share of MPBL lead; Pampanga, Valenzuela triumph

Biñan joined the leaders while Pampanga stayed right behind in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season on Monday at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.

With 12 players scoring, Biñan Tatak Gel Beast Motorcycle Game X subdued Muntinlupa, 71-60, while the Pampanga Giant Lanterns brushed aside the challenge of the Bataan Risers to prevail, 86-75, in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

Biñan, led by Robbie Manalang and Jimboy Estrada, extended its win-run to five and caught up with fellow unscathed teams San Juan, Quezon Province and Nueva Ecija at the top spot.

Defending champion Pampanga finally pulled away late in the fourth quarter, 83-66, to tally its sixth straight victory after dropping its initial game.

Justine Baltazar, the reigning Most Valuable Player, again powered the Giant Lanterns with 19 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocks, followed by gunner Archie Concepcion with 15 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Filling up the void left by the injured Encho Serrano, homegrown icon Garcia fired 12 points, the same as fellow homegrown Raymond Binuya, who dished off six assists, and Allen Liwag, who also snagged five rebounds.

Bataan, which even led at 34-29, suffered its fourth loss in seven starts and fell to the bottom half of the standings despite the 11-point, 10-rebound effort of Rhaffy Octobre, the 15 points of Yves Sazon and the 10-point, five-rebound, five-assist effort of Rey Acuno.

Manalang chalked 12 points, four assists and two rebounds, while Estrada posted 11 points and four rebounds for Biñan, which also drew 9 points and 6 rebounds from Jaymar Gimpayan, 8 points and 7 rebounds from Kenny Roger Rocacurva and seven points plus seven rebounds from Alvin Baetiong.

Valenzuela shrugged off to trounce Imus, 107-88, in the opener.

Trailing, 7-18, the Valenzuela Classics struck back through Filipino-American CJ Payawal, who poured 15 points, Dennis Santos and Allan Richard Martin to take control at the half, 50-41, en route to a 5-3 card.

Payawal wound up with 20 points and four rebounds, while Santos, who sparked a 14-point cluster that pushed Valenzuela beyond reach, 95-69, finished with 18 points, four rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks.