Pampanga extended its winning run while Batangas survived in overtime to rev up their drive in the OKBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Fifth Season late Monday at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.
Banking on its gunners and towering frontline, the Giant Lanterns routed the Manila Stars, 91-63, to raise their record to 11-0, while the Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics leaned on the heroics of Levi Hernandez to subdue the Muntinlupa Cagers, 90-84, in the elimination round of the 29-team tournament.
Hernandez drilled in a triple to forge overtime, then scored Batangas’ first seven points in the extension to lift the Athletics’ card to 10-2, the same as Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines, which also routed Quezon City Gaz N Go, 99-66, in the opener.
With Archie Concepcion and Jayson Castro Apolonio firing 19 and 15 points, respectively, and Justine Baltazar submitting another double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds, Pampanga sealed Manila’s 11th loss in 13 starts early in the fourth quarter, 82-42, to serve notice of its readiness to challenge for the title this year.
While it was a smooth ride for Pampanga, Batangas took the bumpy route against Muntinlupa, needing to rally from a 71-76 deficit with only 1:01 to go in regulation play.
Juneric Baloria, however, drove in before Hernandez knocked in the corner jumper with 14 seconds left to extend the game.
Muntinlupa, which surged ahead at 39-21, skidded to an even 6-6 slate.
Hernandez, who wound up with 38 points, towed Batangas to an 85-80 lead before Mark Cruz split two free throws and Oliver Arim and Jeckster Apinan scored a basket each as the Athletics shrugged off the efforts of Reneford Ruaya, who scored all of Muntinlupa’s eight points in overtime to finish with 17 plus 8 rebounds.
Baloria supported Hernandez with 18 points and eight rebounds.
