Unbeaten Pampanga extended its dominant run with a 121-88 thrashing of Bulacan in the OKBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Fifth Season elimination round on Thursday at the Baliwag Star Arena in Bulacan.
Defending champion Nueva Ecija dumped Valenzuela, 107-78, in the opener, while Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines, the 2023 MPBL Preseason Invitational titlist, squeaked past Negros, 72-71, in the second game.
It was victory No. 17 for the Giant Lanterns, who hinted of the outcome when they pulled away, 53-28, at halftime.
Exploiting their height advantage, the Giant Lanterns poured 102 points inside the paint that catapulted them to a 111-70 spread in the game marked by slam-dunk showdown by Ronan Santos of Pampanga and Justine Guevarra of Bulacan.
The 6-foot-8 Santos wound up with 18 points and five rebounds to earn best player honors for the first time. He was supported by 6-foot-5 JB Bahio and 6-foot-3 John Lloyd Clemente with 14 points each, and so did 6-foot-3 Michelle Maynes, 6-foot-6 Allen Bryant Liwag and 6-foot-8 Justine Baltazar, the Most Valuable Player race pacesetter, with 12 points each.
Playing for only 14 minutes, Baltazar still got another double-double with 10 rebounds plus four rebounds and two assists while Neil Tolentino was the seventh Giant Lantern in twin digits for Pampanga Governor and coach Dennis Pineda with 10.
Bulacan, which skidded to 6-12, got 20 points, laced with six triples, from Rhonz Yuson, 17 points from Rence Alcoriza, 14 points plus 11 rebounds from Guevarra, and 14 points plus 10 rebounds from Jeric Fabian.
Showing why he’s the reigning MVP, Jaycee Marcelino converted two charities with 3.7 seconds left to lift Zamboanga to its 14th win against three losses while pulling down Negros to 6-12.
The Muscovados could have won, but Jun Manzo flubbed his two charities with 11.1 seconds to go.
Zamboanga drew 16 points, four rebounds and four assists from Judel Fuentes and 12 points plus four rebounds from Jhaps Bautista.
Negros, which tumbled to 6-12, got 14 points plus five rebounds from Jose Piero Longa and 11 each from Bernie Bregondo and Manzo, whose 11-point, six-rebound, eight-assist, three-steal effort went to waste.
