Manila finally paraded Greg Slaughter and emerged triumphant over Biñan, 79-63, in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season last Friday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.
The seven-foot Slaughter delivered 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists to negate his five turnovers to be chosen as Best Player on his first stint in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
It was far from being a Slaughter show, however, as Carl Bryan Cruz and Jan Jamon also shone for Manila SV Batang Sampaloc, which notched its sixth win against four losses.
Cruz posted 21 points and five rebounds while Jamon notched 14 points, including the dagger three-pointer that pushed Manila away, 66-54, with 4:25 to go.
Cruz then sealed Biñan’s first loss after six wins by sinking two free throws, capping Manila’s 12-point cluster, 68-54, with only 4:06 left.
Biñan got 15 points and five rebounds from Jimboy Estrada and 11 points from Nino Cañaleta.
Earlier, Rizal XentroMall nipped Bataan, 87-85, to rise to 6-3 while Davao survived a fiery rally by Pangasinan, 64-62, in the opener.
Kraniel Villoria starred for the Rizal Golden Coolers with 21 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and five steals in 34:03 of play.
He was ably supported by Keith Agovida with 16 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, Charles dela Cruz with 15 points and five rebounds, Marco Balagtas with 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists plus two steals, and homegrown John Apacible with 11 points and three rebounds.
The Bataan Risers, who dropped to 3-6, got 14 points each from Mitchelle Maynes and Dante Paguio, 13 points plus eight rebounds from Rhaffy Octobre, and 12 points, five rebounds and six assists from Robbi Darang.
Neither team led by double digits in the tight game that saw 11 lead changes and seven deadlocks.
