Knights hang tough, blast Zamboangueños

San Juan bested Zamboanga Master Sardines, 77-72, in a clash between bigwigs in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season elimination round on Friday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

Although ahead most of the way, the Knights needed to fend off the Zamboangueños’ final rally to extend their win-run to 17 and improve their overall best record to 26-1 in the two-division, 29-team tournament.

Mike Calisaan paced San Juan with 17 points, seven rebounds and four steals to clinch the Daily Fantasy best player honors over Dexter Maiquez, who posted 14 points plus five rebounds. Other Knights who delivered were AC Soberano and Nikko Panganiban with 10 points each.

Zamboanga, which got 14 points from Pedrito Galanza and 10 points each from Jaycee Marcelino and Joseph Gabayni, dropped to 20-7 and yielded the top spot in the South Division to the Quezon Huskers (20-6).

As the No. 1 seed in the North Division, the Knights will have the homecourt edge against whoever will be the eighth and last qualifier in the best-of-three playoffs.

Other games saw Quezon City TODA Aksyon stun Davao Occidental, 65-63, and Biñan Tatak Gel trounce Mindoro, 82-59.

Powered by Pamboy Raymundo and Carlo Lastimosa, Biñan notched its ninth straight win and finished with a 20-8 slate like fellow playoffs-bound Batangas City in the South Division. Batangas, however, took the No. 3 slot as it beat Biñan in their round-robin elimination phase encounter.

Raymundo and Lastimosa tallied 14 points each for Biñan, which will be pitted against the No. 5 qualifier in the next round.

Mindoro, which drew 19 points from Jayvee dela Cruz and 11 each from Lester Reyes and Ken Bono, closed its campaign this year with a 10-18 card.

Quezon City banked on Rhinwill Yambing and Chino Mosqueda to keep its North playoffs drive going with a 14-13 slate, the same as Rizal Xentromall, and ahead of Valenzuela (13-13).