The Caloocan Batang Kankaloo leaned on Jeramer Cabanag to beat Valenzuela, 84-78, and gained traction in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season at the Caloocan Sports Complex late Wednesday.
Cabanag clustered nine points in the last three minutes to lift Caloocan to its ninth win against six losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
The crack two-way guard out of San Beda finished with 25 points, including three three-pointers, and four rebounds to earn Best Player honors.
Other Batang Kankaloo who delivered were Reil Cervantes, who came off the bench to contribute 10 points and 6-foot-7 Marion Magat, who posted nine points and five rebounds.
The Valenzuela Classics, playing catch-up most of the time, seized the lead at 69-68, but the Batang Kankaloo bunched seven points, with Cervantes’ and Cabanag’s triples sandwiching a Joshua Flores Flores drive, to regain control, 76-68.
Valenzuela moved ahead for the last time at 69-68 following a corner jumper by Cyrus Baguio, but Cabanag came through with clutch free throws to pull down the Classics to 10-9.
Veteran JR Quiñahan chalked 18 points and five rebounds while lanky Dennis Santos, who missed two triples and two charities in the homestretch, wound up with 14 points and four rebounds for Valenzuela.