Rhaffy Octobre launched the lethal missiles as Batangas ended Pampanga’s dominant run, 95-92, in the OKBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Fifth Season at the jampacked Batangas State University Gym in Batangas City on Thursday.
The 6-foot-4 sniper out of the University of the Visayas and Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, clustered eight points, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers, that powered the Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics over the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, who finally tasted defeat after 17 straight wins in the elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
For his clutch hits and a 19-point total, Octobre earned best player honors, edging Batangas top gunner Levi Hernandez, who also finished with 19.
They were supported by Juneric Baloria with 14 points and John Ambulodto with 12, including a reverse lay-up in the last 20 seconds.
Dawn Ochea then sealed Batangas’ 14th win against four losses with two charities, 95-89, with only 7.1 ticks left, before Pampanga’s Kurt Reyson knocked in a triple for the final count.
Pampanga got 22 points, six rebounds and five assists from Encho Serrano, while Most Valuable Player race-pacesetter Justine Baltazar posted 17 points, 22 rebounds, five assists and two blocks.
Archie Concepcion tallied 15 points in the tight game that saw neither team ahead by more than nine points, 21 lead changes and 14 ties.
In other games, Makati trounced Sarangani, 115-88, and Negros subdued Bacolod, 102-88.
