LUCENA CITY — Batangas ruled the boards and subdued Quezon Province, 75-69, in Game 1 of their South Division Finals in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season at the Lucena City Convention Center here.
With CJ Isit scoring and Dawn Ochea and John Ambulodto hustling underneath, the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters outrebounded the Quezon Huskers, 48-34, and translated it to more second-chance points, 27-18, and more points inside, 28-20, that proved to be the difference in the tight game.
Isit posted 17 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists to earn the Daily Fantasy best player honors.
Ochea came through with a game-high 11 rebounds plus seven points, while Ambulodto bunched six points in the fourth quarter and snagged six rebounds.
Other Rum Masters who delivered for Coach Cholo Villanueva were Juneric Baloria with 13 points, including the insurance drive with 51 seconds left, and Levi Hernandez with 11 points and three rebounds.
Quezon got 15 points and five rebounds from Mon Abundo, 11 points and six rebounds from Ximone Sandagon and 10 points, five rebounds and three assists from LJ Gonzales.
Top Gun Judel Fuentes was held to nine points, including a triple that gave the Huskers some hope, 69-72, with 1:12 seconds to go.