MPBL: Batangas destroys Paranaque as Bacolod, Sarangani book wins

MANILA, Philippines – Batangas went on a rampage and drubbed Paranaque, 92-58, on Monday in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Batangas City Coliseum.

With Levi Hernandez and Juneric Baloria hitting the target, the Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics pounded the Patriots till the end to raise their record to 9-2 in the elimination round of the two-division, 29-team tournament.

Hernandez fired a game-high 22 points, including four triples, while Baloria added 21, also with four triples, for the Athletics, who sped away from a 14-14 count after the first quarter.

Other Athletics who delivered were Jeckster Apinan with nine points and nine rebounds; Mark Justine Dela Virgen with nine points, all from rainbow territory; and Mark Cruz and CJ Isit with eight points each.

Clobbered off the boards, 31-56, the Patriots dropped to 6-7 as only Joshua Gallano and Jayboy Solis were able to counter offensively with 14 and 11 points, respectively.

Earlier, Valandre Chauca completed a 3-point play with six seconds left to lift Bacolod City of Smiles past Muntinlupa, 73-72, and a 4-8 record.

It was Domark Matillano, however, who earned best player honors following a 20-point, 5-rebound output for Bacolod, which wasted a 42-25 spread but squeaked past Muntinlupa, which fell to 6-5.

Chauca, a former Adamson Falcon, wound up with 10 points and so did James Mangahas.

Paranaque got 19 points and 5 rebounds from Ian Melencio and 12 points from John Cedric Abis.

Sarangani dumped Quezon City Gaz N Go, 94-68, in the opener to level its slate at 6-6.

Led by Jeff Viernes, who tallied 19 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists, Sarangani moved beyond reach at 88-59 and pulled down Quezon City to 3-10.

Viernes was supported by JC Escalambre with 16 points plus five rebounds, Alex Desoyo with 14 points, John Paul Cauilan with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Jefferson Comia with 11 points plus five rebounds.

Quezon City got 19 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block from Andrei Duremdes, son of MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.

The MPBL goes to the Bataan People's Center on May 30 with Valenzuela battling Makati at 4 p.m., Pasay tackling Manila at 6 p.m., and Pampanga colliding with Bataan at 8 p.m.