BACOOR and Batangas trounced their opponents on Monday and kept their lofty spots in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season elimination round at the Batangas City Coliseum.
The Bacoor Strikers subdued the Oriental Mindoro Disiplinados, 95-76, while the Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics routed the Negros Muscovados, 83-63, as they held the 1-2 spots in the South division of the 29-team tournament.
Bacoor raised its record to 21-4 while Batangas climbed to 19-5 and overtook General Santos City (19-6).
Levi Hernandez and Jeckster Apinan shone for the Athletics, who led by as far as 49-23 against the Muscovados, who tumbled to 10-15.
Hernandez posted 17 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals to earn best player honors over Apinan, who tallied 13 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists.
Homegrown Oliver Neal Arim, John Rey Villanueva and John Ambulodto also delivered for Batangas, champion of the inaugural Anta Rajah Cup in 2018, with 9 points each.
Negros got 16 points and 9 rebounds from Jason Melano and 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals from Leo James Ingles.
Jammer Jamito powered Bacoor with 19 points and 5 rebounds, followed by veterans Chito Jaime, with 11 points plus 4 rebounds, and Mark Yee, with 8 points plus 15 rebounds that enabled the Strikers to rule the boards, 52-35.
Mindoro, which tumbled to 4-21, got 14 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds from Paolo Hubalde, 15 points and 4 rebounds from Tey Teodoro and 10 points plus 5 rebounds from Khen Osicos.
Imus edged Sarangani, 90-87, to notch its 12th win in 24 starts.
Sarangani had a chance to extend the game, but Rheggz Gabat missed a buzzer-beater triple and the Marlins dropped to 10-15.
Nino Canaleta tallied 18 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists to earn best player honors for Imus.
The MPBL visits the Cuneta Astrodome on Tuesday with games pitting Pasig against Iloilo at 4 p.m., Rizal against Makati at 6 p.m., and Bulacan against Pasay at 8 p.m.
