Ernani Epondulan canned a free throw in the dying seconds to lift MayniLA past Forward Taguig, 70-69, while Bulls turned back Spring Cooking Oil-Malabon, 74-72.
MayniLA tied idle Compak Shineway-Ozamiz and M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala for the lead, Taguig leveled its slate at 1-1 and Spring suffered its fourth straight setback in the tourney supported by Tanduay Rhum, Air Philippines, Supercat, Nature’s Spring Water, Cebu Ferries, Panasonic, BJ Star Logistics, The Freeman, Gatorade and Molten basketballs.
Epondulan gained his second straight MVP award for MayniLA. Pampanga’s Welihado Duyag took MVP honors although it was Elbert Elberto and VJ Santos who knocked in the crucial points in the closing seconds.
Action resumes at the C.P. Tinga Memorial Hall in Taguig tomorrow with Pampanga facing Ozamiz at 5 p.m. and Lhuillier meeting Taguig at 7.