Knights grab solo lead

San Juan took the solo lead while Batangas stayed close in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season late Wednesday at the Batangas City Coliseum.

The San Juan Knights dumped the Bicolandia Oragons, 99-58, for a 6-0 record in the elimination round that shoved them ahead of streaking Binan, Nueva Ecija and Quezon.

Showing their mettle, the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters trounced the Davao Occidental Tigers, 71-59, in the nightcap to climb to 6-1.

Pouncing on the token resistance put up by the Oragons (0-8), the Knights led by as many as 78-32, to get the luxury of shuffling all their 14 players, 12 of whom managed to score.

With San Juan’s top guns fielded sparingly, Egie Boy Mojica emerged the top scorer with 16, followed by Michael Calisaan with 15 points, John Galinato 13 points, Arvin Gamboa 11 points, and Michael Malonzo 10 points plus 10 rebounds.

Unlike the Knights, the Rum Masters needed to crawl out of a 19-31 hole before seizing control from the Tigers, whose slate fell to 5-2.

Juneric Baloria tallied 15 points for Batangas, which also benefited from Cedric Ablaza’s 12 points and 11 rebounds and Dawn Ochea’s 12 points, four rebounds and two steals.