San Juan extended its winning run while Quezon Province gained traction in the OKBet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Fifth Season Friday night at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The San Juan Knights turned back the GenSan Warriors, 87-83, while the Quezon Huskers rallied to beat the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, 67-64, in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
Ahead by 10 points (76-66) midway through the fourth quarter, the Knights watched the Warriors threaten at 77-80 but held their ground to post their 10th straight victory and rise to 17-3, good for third spot in the South division behind Pampanga (18-1) and Nueva Ecija (17-2).
Zachary Huang powered the Knights with 18 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals plus two blocks, followed by Orlan Wamar with 13 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and three steals, and Adrian Nocum with 13 points, five rebounds, five assists plus three steals.
Other Knights who delivered were Nikko Panganiban with 11 points plus eight rebounds and Michael Calisaan with 10 points and five rebounds.
The Warriors, who tumbled to 14-5, moved to within 80-84 through triples by Nico Elorde, John Wilson and Enzo Joson, but the Knights countered with a free throw by Nocum and a layup by Wamar to seal the outcome with 39 seconds to go.
Elorde wound up with 21 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals for the Warriors, who got 13 points each from former Knights Christian Fajarito and Wilson.
Trailing, 57-61, the Huskers clustered eight points through triples by Robin Rono and Mon Alvin Abundo and a jumper by Jason Opiso to seize control with 2:40 left.
Mon Alvin Abundo shone in the Huskers’ 14th win against five losses with a game-high 20 points, three rebounds and three assists.
He was supported by Al Francis Tamsi with nine points, Jason Opiso with eight, and Germy Mahinay and RJ Minerva with seven each.
Caloocan skidded to 14-6 as only Gabby Espinas and Jeramer Cabanag managed to submit twin digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Bataan trounced Quezon City Toda Aksyon V Fresh, 80-68, behind Dan Sara in the opener to improve to 8-12 and pull down its victim to 3-18.
Sara ended up with 19 points, six steals, three rebounds and three assists, followed by Yves Sazon with 13 points plus six rebounds and Robbi Marlon Darang with 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
