Makati, Pasig and Pasay hurdled their rivals on Tuesday and revved up their drives to the playoffs in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.
The Makati OKBet Kings subdued the Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers, 81-73, and kept their distance from Pasig MCW Sports, which bested Iloilo, 75-63, and the Pasay Voyagers, who trounced the Bulacan Kuyas, 84-58, in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
Toting 18 wins against 7 losses, Makati has the inside track to finish within the top four of the North division.
Pasig is right behind with an 18-8 record, while Pasay is giving a chance with a 15-9 mark.
The top four teams of both the North and South divisions will have the homecourt edge in the best-of-three quarterfinals.
Bunching 12 points behind Rob Celiz and Billy Robles, Makati pulled away at 70-53 to oust Rizal, which fell to 11-14.
Celiz wound up with 27 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks, followed by Robles with 11 points and 13 rebounds for Makati, which will be facing Pasay, Batangas and Imus in its remaining elimination games.
Rizal got 16 points each from Jeric James Pido and Edgar Louie Charcos and 12 from Troy Mallillin.
Pasig drew power from Robbie Manalang with 18 points plus 7 assists, Ryan Paule Costelo with 15 points plus 4 rebounds, Kenny Roger Rocacurva with 12 points, 10 rebounds plus 5 assists, and Rey Anthony Peralta with 11 points.
Despite falling to 11-15 can still advance to the South division playoffs if it wins its last assignments against Rizal and Pasay, which drew 13 points from AJ Coronel and 12 points from Laurenz Paul Victoria.
The MPBL visits the Bren Guiao Convention Center on Thursday with games pitting Nueva Ecija against Bicol, Caloocan against Bacolod and Zamboanga against Pampanga.