Lucena mayor powers Huskers

Quezon Province took the easy route toward the solo lead in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season elimination round on Friday at the Caloocan Sports Complex.

The Huskers trounced the Bicolandia Oragons, 115-86, for their 10th straight win that pushed them past the San Juan Knights and the Nueva Ecija Vanguards, both with 9-0 cards, in the 29-team tournament.

Pitted against the lowly Oragons (0-12), Quezon coach Eric Gonzales fielded all 15 Huskers at his disposal, only one of whom failed to score.

Lucena City Mayor Mark Alcala and Xyrus Torres led a balanced Huskers attack with 17 points each. Alcala added four assists and one rebound and was named the game’s Best Player.

Gab Banal contributed 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists while Domark Matillano added 10 points and five rebounds for the Huskers, who led by as far as 84-48.

Other games saw Abra rout Sarangani, 82-60, in the opener and Parañaque nip Caloocan, 73-69, in the nightcap

Joshua Gallano bunched eight points to trigger a 15-point spurt that shoved the Parañaque Patriots ahead, 72-56, en route to their eighth win against four losses.

The Batang Kankaloo countered with a 10-point cluster but failed to reverse the outcome for a 6-3 card.

John Uduba tallied 14 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks to clinch Best Player honors over Gallano, who wound up with 14 points, six rebounds and two assists. Keith Pido also shone for the Patriots with 11 points, five assists and three rebounds.

Caloocan got 12 points each from Jeramer Cabanag and Paul Sanga.

The Abra Weavers, powered by Mark Tallo’s 15 points, six assists, five steals, four rebounds and two blocks, chalked their fourth straight win for a 7-5 card.

John Lloyd Clemente and Michael Canete supported Tallo with 14 points each, and so did Roi Sumang with 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds.