Baliwag, Bulacan—Host team Bulacan and new squad Makati encountered rusty starts, but recovered just in time to carve out similar victories over their rivals in the MPBL Datu Cup late Tuesday night at the Baliwag Star Arena here.
The Kuyas, now being handled by Brit Reroma and supported by Mighty Sports, fell by as many as 12 points in the second period before tightening up their defense and coasting to an 80-61 triumph over the Rizal Crusaders.
Makati took on a similar path as it allowed the taller Basilan team to impose their will inside before Cholo Villanueva unleashed their vaunted pressure defense and enabled the Skyscrapers in completing a 77-65 victory over the Steel.
Reroma, who coached recently in Malaysia before deciding to come home and take over the coaching reins of the Kuyas, credited their victory to the team’s early preparation.
Reroma is tasked to turn things around the team’s previous finish. Bulacan posted the longest winning streak in the MPBL Rajah Cup, but ended its campaign on a whimper after going down to the Parañaque Patriots, now being supported by F2 Logistics, in the quarterfinals last season.
Long-time teammates James Martinez and JR Taganas joined forces in handing the Kuyas their first win of the season. The ex-pro Martinez finished with 18 points while Taganas came up with a double-double performance of 10 points and a career-tying 16 rebounds.
Like Bulacan, Makati also encountered a slow start before turning to its defense all the way to pulling off a convincing win.
The Skyscrapers’ pressing defense forced Basilan to turn the ball over 34 times and allowed Makati to score 38 points from their miscues.
“You can’t teach what you don’t know and this is something I’ve been teaching from the years of experience playing and being an understudy of the Pumarens (Franz and Derrick),” added Villanueva.