Jackson rules Slam Dunk tilt

Shean Jackson of San Juan soared for perfect 50 scores in all his attempts to become the Slam Dunk king in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League All-Star Festivities late Saturday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

The 6-foot-2 Filipino-American guard dethroned Manila Batang Quiapo's Joe Gomez De Liaño, who posted 50s thrice, but faltered in the finals with three misses that led to a 42 score, pulling him down to second place, ahead of Sonny Estil of Pampanga.

Other high-flyers who competed were Warlo Batac of Pasig, Nikki Perez of Batangas, Limuel Tampus of Cebu, Ashon Andrews of Mindoro, and Rodel Gravera of Quezon Province.

Jackson pocketed P20,000 plus the champion's trophy.

Prior to that, Mark Cruz displayed his shooting brilliance when he ruled the Three-Point Shootout.

The 5-foot-6 General Santos playmaker made 22 points in the tiebreaker to beat Biñan Tatak Gel's Joseph Penaredondo, who tallied 14 points, for the champion's trophy and P20,000 prize.

“I just stayed focused when I had my turn,” said Cruz, who also ruled the three-point contest when he was still playing for Letran in the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 2015.

“I’m very happy.”

Cruz and Peñaredondo, a first-timer in the three-point shootout, scored 19 points each on buzzer-beaters, easing out Caloocan Batang Kankaloo's Jeff Manday, who posted 18 points in the finals.

Cruz was hot from the start, topping the elimination round with 24 points, before submitting 17 points, the same as Peñaredondo, in the second round, topped by Manday with 25 points.

Fifteen of the 30-team league's best long-range shooters took part in the competition, with Batangas' Philip Paniamogan, Donald Gumaru (Pampanga), Diego Dario (Quezon Province), Joseph Terso (Davao) and Renz Gabat (Zamboanga) also advancing to the second round with scores of 21, 14, 20 and 13, respectively.

Meanwhile, the South Division executives trounced their counterparts from the North, 109-87, in another side event of the MPBL All-Star Festivities.

Kaizer Galvez, Muntinlupa team manager, powered the South with 34 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals. He was supported by Mindoro's Kim Cinco with 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals, and Gensan's Mermann Flores with 14 points plus four assists.

North drew 35 points and 18 rebounds from former pro star Gary David, representing the Bataan Risers, and 14 points, six assists, two rebounds and two steals from Pasig coach Aldrin Morante.