San Juan stretches streak; Batangas, Davao prevail
AC Soberano turns hot for the San Juan Knights en route to a 97-81 victory over Bataan during Thursday’s action in the Sixth Season of the MPBL in Orion, Bataan.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MPBL
San Juan trounced Bataan, 97-81, on Thursday to extend its win-run in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Kamalig Gym in Orion, Bataan.
Getting the lift from hot-shooting AC Soberano and Michael Malonzo, the San Juan Knights led by as much as 20 points at 44-24 on their way to racking up their eighth straight win and a 17-1 record in the round-robin phase of the 29-team cagefest.
Sinking seven triples, Soberano wound up with 25 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, and three assists to clinch the Daily Fantasy best player honors over Malonzo, who finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Orlan Wamar supported them with 11 points plus seven assists, followed by Dexter Maiquez with nine points plus eight rebounds as the Knights, the 2021 MPBL champions, overtook the Quezon Huskers (16-1) and moved closer to the Pampanga Giant Lanterns (19-1).
The Bataan Risers, who dropped to 5-15, drew 23 points from Yves Sazon, 14 from Rhaffy Octobre and 10 from Dante Paguio.
Earlier games saw Batangas City Tanduay Rum topple Bacolod City of Smiles, 79-54, and Davao Occidental slam Bicolandia, 123-107.
Although only Mark Niel Cruz tallied twin digits with 10 points for Batangas, 12 other Rum Masters delivered with Levi Hernandez contributing nine points and Kris Porter and Cedric Ablaza eight points each.
With John Ambulodto snagging 11 rebounds and Ablaza eight, the Rum Masters ruled the boards, 62-34, which they converted to 38 points inside the paint, swamping the Bacolenos’ 20 points.
Batangas climbed to 14-6 and pulled Bacolod down to 1-19 despite the 18-point, six-rebound, four-assist and two-steal effort of Louie Vigil and the 10-point output of Jose Frederic Antiporda.
Davao Occidental, powered by Mark Tallo, Kurt Lojera and Jansher Salubre, erected a 73-50 spread and proceeded to improve to 14-6.
Tallo, formerly the country’s top 3x3 player, posted 24 points, four assists and three rebounds, followed by Lojera and Salubre, who both tallied 17 points for the 2021 MPBL champions.