Joe Gomez De Liano crowned himself the new MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) slam dunk king on Saturday, dethroning CJ Gania, who faltered in their final dunk-off at the Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga City.
Pressure-free after Gania bungled his last three attempts, De Liano did a routine one-handed windmill jam to secure the title as the MPBL Sixth Season’s best aerial artist.
Both 6-foot-2, De Liano, representing the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, and Gania, a former Lantern now playing for the Negros Muscovados, scored perfect 50 in the first and second rounds of eliminations.
In their first final attempts, De Liano garnered 48 points after jumping over 6-foot-8 Pampanga teammate Justine Baltazar while Gania notched 47 after jumping over two smaller players.
Gania then flubbed his next three dunks off fellow Muscovado Renz Palma to get minimal points that virtually handed De Liano the P25,000 champion’s purse.
Crowd-favorite Poypoy Actub of Binan was a big disappointment, missing his first three tries and failing to advance despite scoring a 50 in the second round.
Other high-flyers who competed were Muntinlupa’s Warlo James Batac, Pangasinan’s Mark Meneses, Quezon’s Rodel Gravera, and Quezon City’s Rhinwill Yambing.
The judges include MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes, Quezon City TODA Aksyon’s Joven Tai, his wife Kat Chua, and Tippy Kaw of Zamboanga Master Sardines.
Pacquiao powers South Executives over North
MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao scored 39 points, spiked by 8 triples, and Kaize Galvez of Muntinlupa added 34 as the South Executives trounced their North counterparts, 108-91, in the side event of the MPBL All-Stars Game.
Pacquiao also issued 8 assists, grabbed 3 rebounds and stole twice against four turnovers to clinch the Executives MVP.
Binan’s Jojo Cunanan contributed 13 points, 18 rebounds and 3 assists for South.
The North Executives got 20 points from Aurelio Gonzales of Pampanga, 17 from Xandrei Cruz of Rizal, 13 from JC Tan of Quezon City, and 11 from San Juan’s Jun Usman.
