IBP, Team Pacman also log win in 1st MP Cup caging

The streaking MS Motosuit-backed Unity Basketball Club (UBC) shrugged off a sluggish start to repulse Club Monday, 75-71, and take the temporary lead in Bracket A of the 1st MP Cup Invitational basketball tournament over the weekend at the University of San Carlos (USC)-Main Gym.

The Gonzaga brothers Rex and Rey once again kept their offensive guns ablaze to connive with 37 points, while Lopesino Bontia chipped in 10 markers as MS Motosuit-UBC of sports patron Lou Ornopia coasted to its third straight win in as many games.

The UBC stalwarts were actually down by six at the end of the first period, 14-20, but countered with a blistering 41-29 spurt in the middle quarters to snatch the lead for good, 55-49.

Lander Perez had 20 points, while Mervin Balansag and Jun Macasero scored 10 apiece, but couldn’t make a difference as Club Monday suffered its second straight defeat.

In the other games, Team Pacman of boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao bounced back from a previous setback and vented its ire on the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) Quenchers, 95-79, while the Philippine Farmers Bank-Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) chalked up its first win via an 80-55 thrashing of Cebu Sports Media Association (CSMA), 80-55.

Team Pacman never looked back after jumping off to a 26-17 start to grab the solo third place in Bracket A with an improved 3-1 win-loss record.

On the other hand, Richard Bauzon netted 17 points followed by Samuel Malazarte and Francis Pepito with 16 and 13 markers, respectively, for IBP, which kept on pounding the CSMA Hoopsters after a solid opening 22-8 attack en route to a 25-point blowout.

IBF thus evened its win-loss slate to 1-1, while CSMA, which drew 17 points from Jonas Panerio and 16 from Jojo Satuita, crashed to its third loss in a row.

The scores

First game

IBP (80) - Bauzon 17, Malazarta 16, F. Pepito 13, Santos 10, Gamallo 9, B. Pepito 6, Quijano 5, Velez 4

CSMA (55) - Panerio 17, Satuita 16, Escalante 8, Hemocillo 7, Migallen 5, Becolura 2

Second game

Pacman (95) - Gallego 20, Talas 16, Baclay 15, Rama 10, Navarro 10, Pumareja 8,  Gerali 4, Gomez 4, Codiñera 4, Bonet 2, Ygpit 2

MCWD (79) - Marata 28, Minoza 12, Dalina 10, Nicanor 6, Ferolino 6, Handayan 5, Basirgo 4, Chan 4, Guden 2, Bascon 2

Third game

UBC (75) - Gonzaga 24, Gonzaga 13, Bontia 10, Bontuyan 6, Arceo 6, Daiz 4, Castro 4, Bukiron 3, Dayanan 2, Alia 1

Club Monday (71) - Perez 20, Macasero 10, Balansag 10, Talaver 7, Garcia 7, Tabucanon 6, Jumalon 4, Nepomuceno 3, Bantolinao 2, De Leon 2

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