Batangas City Tanduay Rum went full throttle in the fourth quarter and trounced Muntinlupa, 73-63, on Saturday in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Angeles university Foundation Gym in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Playing listlessly, the Rum Masters trailed at the break, 26-34, and were barely ahead (48-46) after the third quarter.
Dawn Ochea, Philip Paniamogan and MJ Dela Virgen then joined forces in the final canto to outscore the Cagers, 25-17, and power the Rum Masters to their 19th victory against 7 losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 29-team tournament.
Paniamogan wound up with 21 points, spiked by four triples, and 6 assists to clinch the Daily Fantasy best player honors over Ochea, who finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds.
Muntinlups, which fell to 7-20, drew 16 points from Joshua Ramirez, 12 from Joshua Miguel Marcos and 11 from Warlo James Batac.
Earlier, the Pangasinan Heatwaves dumped the Imus Agimat, 112-83, in a battle between also-ran teams.
Joshua Fontanilla paced Pangasinan with 21 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 steals, followed by Nathaniel Cosejo with 13 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, Ian Melencio with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals, and JP Maguilano with 10 points and 8 rebounds.
Imus tumbled to 1-25 despite Jameson Hiro’s 26-point, 10-rebound, 9-assist effort and Nemesis Dela Cruz’s 25-point, 4-rebound, 3-assist output.
The MPBL returns to the San Andres Sports Complex with games pitting Valenzuela against Bicol at 4 p.m., Abra against Nueva Ecija at 6 p.m., and Bacolod against Manila at 8 p.m.
