Bacoor and Batangas subdued their rivals on Saturday and boosted their drive toward the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season South Division finals at the Strike Gymnasium in Bacoor, Cavite.
The Bacoor Strikers tightened up on defense and slowed down the pace to repulse Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines, 61-56, in the nightcap and keep in step with the Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics, who thwarted the GenSan Warriors, 81-75, in the opener of the twin best-of-three semifinal series.
Jhan McHale Nermal struck the hardest for the Strikers with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks to clinch best player honors over teammate James Kwekuteye with 11 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block.
Jhaymo Equilos, Bacoor’s best player in its 2-game sweep of Iloilo in the quarterfinals, settled for 6 points but snagged 10 rebounds in addition to 2 steals, 2 assists and 1 block.
With Nermal and Kwekuteye contributing 7 points each, the Strikers surged ahead, 46-35, then quelled Zamboanga’s repeated rallies to move within a win of their first finals appearance in the 29-team league.
Held scoreless in the first three quarters, Joseph Gabayni poured all of his 10 points in the final canto, but his efforts fell short as Zamboanga missed all of its 12 field goal attempts in the last three minutes.
Zamboanga, the reigning South Division champion, got 18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals from Jaycee Marcelino, who, however, was forced into 6 turnovers.
King Caralipio tallied 10 points and 10 rebounds for Zamboanga, which only got 2 points from its No. 2 scorer Judel Fuentes.
Bacoor team manager Dennis Abella lauded the coaching staff, headed by Alex Angeles, and the players for bringing the Strikers closer to the division finals and thanked Mayor Strike Revilla and his wife Chaye Cabal-Revilla for their all-out support.
Batangas bundled eight points late in the fourth quarter, featuring a triple by Jong Baloria, a basket and a charity by Levi Hernandez, and two free throws by Jeckster Apinan, to ward off GenSan 79-69, heading to the last minute.
Batangas and Bacoor can cut short the semifinal series with a repeat over GenSan and Zamboanga, respectively, at the Batangas City Coliseum on November 4.
Hernandez tallied 21 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists to earn best player honors. He was backed by Apinan with 13 points, 9 rebounds, plus 5 assists and Baloria with 12 points, 5 rebounds, plus 2 assists.
Batangas Coach Cholo Villanueva said the Athletics would like to close out the series in Game 2, but admitted that it won’t be easy as the Warriors are sure to play even harder and push for a decider.
John Wilson, GenSan’s Top Gun, couldn’t find his range and missed all of his nine triple tries to make do with seven points plus 5 rebounds.
Mark Cruz tried to fill up GenSan’s offensive slack with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, and so did homegrown Christopher Masaglang with 10 points.