Hot Manila sinks Bataan

Manila tripped Bataan, 90-84, and gained traction in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season on Wednesday at the Paco Arena in Manila.

Other games saw Pangasinan vent its wrath on Bulacan, 87-55, and Bacolod repulse Sarangani, 84-81.

Pao Javellona and Carl Bryan Cruz scored 17 points each, while Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Ahmad Didat Hanapi added 15 each as Manila SV Batang Sampaloc notched their second straight win and climbed to 2-1 in the round-robin elimination round of the country’s top regional league.

Their joint efforts enabled Manila to lead by as far as 69-52 and hand Bataan its first loss in three outings.

Javellona added seven assists and six rebounds to earn Best Player honors over Cruz, who also had six rebounds, four blocks and two assists.

Hussaini, a former University Athletic Association of the Philippines Most Valuable Player, also posted three rebounds, two assists and two blocks while Hanapi added seven rebounds.