Warriors, Kankaloo boost playoff rankings

South Cotabato and Caloocan prevailed over separate opponents to boost their bids for better playoff placings in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season last Friday at the Caloocan Sports Complex.

The Warriors subdued the Davao Occidental Tigers, 84-74, while the Batang Kankaloo trounced the Negros Muscovados, 93-85, in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

Powered by Jammer Jamito, South Cotabato raised its record to 16-11, switching sixth and seventh places with Davao, which dropped to 15-12 in the South Division.

Jamito posted 21 points and 17 rebounds to clinch the Daily Fantasy best player honors. He was supported by Filipino-American AJ Benzon with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists and Renzo Joson with 10 points, four steals and three assists.

Davao trailed by as many as 19 points (53-72) despite the 23-point, 20-rebound, six-assist, four-steal effort of Arth Dela Cruz.

Caloocan led throughout and by as far as 77-52 before coasting to a 15-9 slate in the North Division, where it is tied for the sixth spot with Abra.

Gabby Espinas posted 23 points and 13 rebounds, Paul Sanga tallied 22 points and four rebounds, and Reil Cervantes 15 points and 10 rebounds for Caloocan, now being coached by Ronnie Dojillo.

Although Negros tumbled to 12-16, the Muscovados are assured of the eighth and last playoff berth in the South Division being led by Quezon Province (20-5) and Zamboanga Master Sardines (20-6).

Negros got 17 points, five assists and three rebounds from Renz Palma and 16 points plus 15 rebounds from Ryan Reyes.

Quezon City TODA Aksyon trounced also-ran Bataan, 76-60, in the opener to improve to 13-13 and remain in contention for a playoff spot.

With Hubert Cani firing 18 points, including four triples, Abdul Sawat with 16 points and three rebounds, and Rhinwill Yambing with 13 points, spiked by three triples and a breakaway dunk, three assists and two steals, Quezon City led from the start and by as far as 70-52.

Quezon City trails eighth-placed Rizal Xentromall (14-12), Caloocan (14-9) and Abra in the hunt for the last three playoff seats in the North Division being lorded over by overall leaders San Juan (25-1), Pampanga (25-2) and Nueva Ecija (22-3).