Lagrama stands tall for Huskers

Tiny Topeng Lagrama played big, leading Quezon Province to an 88-31 massacre of Muntinlupa in the Sixth Season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) late Thursday at the Orion Sports Complex in Bataan.

Lagrama, a 5-foot-5 playmaker from Lucena City, fired 16 points laced with an immaculate 4-of-4 shooting from the three-point area to steer the Huskers to their 19th win in 24 games.

Gab Banal chipped in 11 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, while Judel Fuentes and Rodel Gravera contributed 10 points apiece for the Huskers, who held the Cagers to an all-time low of three points in the second quarter that gave them enough cushion to complete the 57-point massacre.

Meanwhile, Nueva Ecija flaunted its vaunted firepower and battered South Cotabato, 94-75, while Bataan sustained its rise with an 84-62 thrashing of the Negros in the nightcap.

Powered by Robby Celiz, the Rice Vanguards led by as far as 77-52 early in the fourth quarter and never wavered en route to their 21st win against three losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 29-team tournament.

Celiz posted 20 points, six rebounds and five assists to clinch the Daily Fantasy best player honors over Mer Jasper Ayaay with 13 points and Jay Collado with 12 points.

June Kenneth Mocon and JC Cullar added 10 points each for the 2022 MPBL champions.

South Cotabato, which skidded to 15-11, drew 12 points each from Chris Dumapig and Jervy Cruz and 11 points from Kyle Tolentino.

Jammer Jamito scored nine but grabbed 15 rebounds as South Cotabato ruled the boards, 50-37.

Nueva Ecija, however, compensated with a high 53.7 field goal percentage (27 of 44) against South Cotabato’s 32.4 percent (15 of 33) to stay within sight of North Division and overall pacesetters San Juan (24-1) and Pampanga (24-2).