Batangas, Biñan, Bataan nip foes

Batangas City weathered Pangasinan’s late assault to walk away with a 71-64 win in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Season 6 Sunday at the Calasiao Sports Complex in Pangasinan.

The Rum Masters leaned on the trio of Cedric Ablaza, Juneric Baloria and Levi Hernandez to get back on the winning track and improve to 13-6 win-loss record in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

Batangas went ahead to a comfortable, 64-50, lead in the fourth quarter before Pangasinan stirred an uprising with a nine-point cluster to close in within five points.

Hernandez doused cold water on Pangasinan’s run with a basket to break the dry spell, enough to keep the Rum Masters safe and pull down the Heatwaves to a 7-13 slate.

Baloria wound up with 16 points, including three triples, and plucked five rebounds for Batangas, which rebounded from a 69-83 beating at the hands of San Juan last 18 July.

Ablaza finished with 13 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three steals, while Jeckster Apinan added 10 markers, nine boards and eight assists. Dawn Ochea posted 10 points for the Rum Masters.

Pangasinan got 11 points each from Michael Mabulac and John Paul Maguilano while Ian Melencio scored all of his 10 markers in the fourth quarter.

In other results, Binan trounced Negros, 91-72, while Bataan tamed Mindoro, 103-96.

Kenny Roger Rocacurva posted a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead Biñan to an 11-7 card.

Jonathan Grey added 14 points, Pamboy Ramundo and Jeric James Pido had 11 markers each, Niño Canaleta scored 10 while Marc Pingris with got six markers, nine assists, seven rebounds and two steals in an all-around game for Biñan, which built a 71-51 lead.

Negros slid to 9-12 slate despite the 12 points each from John Rey Villanueva and Renz Palma.

Bataan checked a four-game slide and improved to a 5-14 mark behind Robbi Marion Darang’s 24 points and nine assists.

Yves Sazon backed Darang with 19 points, Rhaffy Octobre got 17 markers while Mitchelle Maynes made a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Mindoro suffered its third straight defeat and tumbled to a 5-11 record despite Jerrick Caspe scattering a triple-double of 25 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds.