Pampanga extends win streak to six games

Ed Andaya

Aug 29

STREAKING Pampanga silenced Bacoor in the last three minutes and pulled off a 70-58 victory in the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season on at the Strike Gymnasium in Bacoor, Cavite.
Earnest Reyes shone for Pampanga this time, scoring the game's last seven points as the Giant Lanterns broke free and posted their sixth straight win en route to a 10-4 record in the single round-robin elimination phase of the 22-team tournament.
Those seven points plus seven rebounds were all Reyes could muster, but they turned out to be pivotal in the fourth quarter where Christopher Lagrama also poured all of his seven points for the Giant Lanterns.
The Strikers suffered their seventh loss in 12 starts despite the 14-point, 20-rebound output of Mark Montuano and the 12-point, 11-rebound output of Edsel Mag-isa, who, however, made only 1 of 5 charities in the last quarter.
Archie Concepion scored 13 points for Pampanga, which paraded new acquisition Jammer Jamito, followed by Jayson Castro Apolonio and John Lorenz Capaulong with 9 each.
Jamito, formerly of San Juan, chipped in 6 points and 6 rebounds.
Bacolod Bingo Plus survived Valenzuela's final assault to post a 69-68 squeaker in the second game, following Pasig's 71-69 triumph over Bataan.
Holding a comfortable 66-54 lead with less than 5 minutes left, Bacolod saw Valenzuela cluster 9 points behind Patrick Cabahug to threaten at 66-63.
Jan McHale Nermal fired 20 points, including two free throws in the last 30 seconds that bailed Bacolod out of trouble as Cabahug and teammate Jaymar Gimpayan scored the last four points.
Bacolod halted a two-game slide and climbed to 8-6, while Valenzuela, which got 15 points from Cabahug, fell to 7-7.
The Pasig Realtors drew 18 points from Carlo Lastimosa and 17 points each from Jason Melano and Robbie Manalang to tie the Bataan Risers at 8-5.
The MPBL goes to the Caloocan Sports Complex with a triple-bill featuring General Santos (8-5) against Muntinlupa at 7 p.m.