Zamboanga Master Sardines and Parañaque won in contrasting fashion in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season at the Olivarez College Gymnasium in Parañaque.
The Zamboangueños trounced the Imus Agimat VA Drones, 110-71, while the Paranaque Patriots scrambled past the Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers, 82-73, in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
In doing so, Zamboanga raised its win-loss record to 12-3 and stayed within sight of the leaders.
Barely ahead, 75-73, with 1 minute and 50 seconds to go, the Patriots scored the nightcap’s final seven points to climb to 9-6 and pull down the Golden Coolers to 8-7.
JP Sarao drilled in a triple, Keith Pido added two free throws and Philip Manalang drove in with 40.6 seconds left to frustrate Rizal, which led at 39-30.
Joshua Gallano paced Parañaque with 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks, closely followed by Sarao with 18 points, three blocks and two rebounds.
Jielo Razon contributed 13 points and six rebounds while Pido finished with eight points, five rebounds and four assists.
Rizal tasted its third straight defeat despite the 30-point, including six triples, six-rebound, three-steal effort of Alwyn Alday and the 10-point, six-rebound, three-assist output of Bambam Gamalinda.
With 14 players scoring, Zamboanga led throughout and was never challenged to rank fifth behind Quezon Province (13-0), Nueva Ecija (12-0), Pampanga (13-1) and San Juan (11-1) in the race for playoff spots.
