Imus SV Squad survived Batangas Embassy Chill’s final assault and prevailed, 71-70, in the OKBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Fifth Season on Tuesday at the Batangas City Coliseum.
Batangas battled back from 22 points down, 42-20, and even got two chances to reverse the outcome, but time ran out, enabling Imus to chalk its third win in seven games in the elimination round of the 29-team tournament.
Mark Cardona and Jimboy Estrada provided all the points in the fourth quarter as Imus celebrated the return of veteran Marc Pingris to competitive play after a four-year lull.
Cardona poured nine of his 14 points while Estrada, the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities Most Valuable Player from St. Clare, made eight of his game-high 27 points in the period, including a triple that pushed Imus ahead, 71-60, with two minutes and 50 seconds to play.
It turned out to be Imus’ final basket, while Batangas bunched the last 10 on triples by Juneric Baloria and Mark Justine de la Virgen and two lay-ups by Dawn Ochea to threaten at 70-71.
The Batangas Athletics, however, failed to complete their torrid comeback as Jeckster Apinan bungled a drive and turned the ball back to Imus.
Batangas eventually regained possession, but Baloria missed a triple from deep corner at the buzzer and Batangas slid to a 6-2 card.
Showing he’s still in shape, the 41-year-old Pingris, one of the Philippine Basketball Association 40 greatest players, saw action for 34 minutes and 36 seconds, the longest among all the players on Tuesday, and wound up with 10 rebounds, five assists and two points on only one field goal attempt.
Baloria scored 21 and De la Virgen 14 for Batangas, which got left behind, 6-19, after the first quarter.
Other games saw Bacoor subdue Laguna Krah Asia, 75-65 and Valenzuela XUR Homes Realty Inc. stun Rizal XentroMall, 85-80.
Powered by James Kwekuteye’s 17 points, Jhan McHale Nermal’s 13 and Chito Jaime’s 11, Bacolod sped away at 59-39 and was never threatened en route to a 6-1 record.
Laguna tumbled to a 2-6 slate as only Nino Ibanes and Paolo Quiminales found their mark with 12 points each.
Valenzuela drew 19 points from Michael Angelo Macion, 13 from Darell Manliguez, who also posted nine assists and eight rebounds, and 11 points from Stephen Steinl to finally snap a seven-game slump.
Rizal dropped to a 2-7 slate despite the 22-point output of Edgar Charcos, the 17-point effort of Alvin John Capobres and the 11-point contribution of Jordan Rios.
