MANILA, Philippines - STAR Group held off PRC Couriers, 75-72, to post its second straight win while Smart Communications routed Victoria Court, 91-73, in the 2012 MBL Corporate Cup 2 basketball tournament at the San Andres Sports Complex.
Niño Marquez scored six of his game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a three-point play that shattered the game’s last deadlock at 67 while Dennis Rodriguez hit a buzzer-beating triple to power STAR Group of coach Alfred Bartolome and manager Mike Maneze to victory and the solo lead. Jhong Bondoc added 16 points, Chris Corbin contributed nine points and Gio Coquilla had eight points for the STARmen, who used a 10-2 run midway in the fourth period to turn a six-point deficit into a two-point lead.
Erwin Sta. Maria and Doods Litonjua finished with 13 points apiece while Edwin Asoro added 10 points for the Couriers.
Smart relied on Christian del Rosario, Jhun Herrera, Miguel Dizon, Jay Agbayani and former Ateneo mainstay Roel Escueta to trounce Victoria Court.
Del Rosario scored 19 points, Herrera added 15 points and Dizon had 12 for Smart while Pepito Hermano and Samboy Ortega combined for 36 points for Victoria Court.