Batangas, Bacolod, Rizal whip MPBL foes

Batangas cruised past Oriental Mindoro while Bacolod and Rizal foiled their rivals in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Showing depth and power, the Batangas City Embassy chill Athletics dumped the Oriental Mindoro Disiplinados, 98-70, to raise their record to 15-4 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

The Bacolod Maskaras wasted a 20-point spread, but held on to a 95-91 victory over the Sarangani Marlins in the second game, followed by the Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers’ 78-69 conquest of the Negros Muscovados.

Firmly in control, the Athletics deployed the full complement of their 15-player roster, all of whom contributed two points or more.

Mark Justine Dela Virgen scored 14 while CJ Isit and Jeckster Apinan added 9 each for the Athletics, who dominated the boards, 50-35, en route to 44 points inside the paint.

Mindoro dropped to 3-17 despite the 21-point, 9-assist, 6-rebound, 3-steal effort of Agem Miranda.

Bacolod pulled away, 76-56, at the start of the fourth quarter, but dropped its guard and allowed Sarangani to knot the count at 88 following back-to-back triples by Jeff Comia and John Paul Cauilan.

Fortunately for Bacolod, Domark Matillano drove through and Valandre Chauca drilled in a triple with 11 seconds left to lift the Maskaras to an 8-12 slate, the same as the Marlins.

Chauca ended up with 19 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists, followed by John Cantimbuhan and Christopher Menguez with 12 points each, and Mark Sarangay with 10 points plus 12 rebounds.

Troy Mallillin powered Rizal to a 9-12 card with 14 points, including the game’s last four, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, and was supported by Jeric James Pido with 12 points, and Alvin John Capobres, who was unable to finish the game due to a leg injury, with 11 points.

Negros, which skidded to 7-13, got 14 points plus 8 rebounds from Bernie Bregondo and 13 points plus 5 assists from Jun Manzo.

The MPBL returns to the FilOIL Flying V Centre in San Juan on Thursday with a triple bill pitting Bataan against Quezon City at 4 p.m., Quezon Province against Caloocan at 6 p.m., and GenSan against San Juan at 8 p.m.