Davao Occidental escapes Paranaque in MPBL

MANILA, Philippines – The Davao Occidental Tigers pulled off a 75-73 squeaker over the Paranaque Patriots on Monday to regain traction in the 6th MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Season at the jam-packed Olivarez College Gym in Paranaque.

Davao, the champion of the league’s third season, clustered nine points, seven by Arthur Dela Cruz, to pull ahead, 72-66, with 2:52. But Paranaque countered and threatened at 73-75 following a triple by Jielo Razon with 27 seconds left.

The Patriots even got the chance for a reversal after the Tigers turned the ball over, but JP Sarao missed a triple with 2.7 ticks remaining, enabling Davao to recover from a 76-79 beating it absorbed from Caloocan on July 2.

Dela Cruz paced the Tigers to their 11th win in 16 starts with 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals; followed by Mark Tallo with 13 points, three rebounds plus two steals; and Keith Agovida with 13 points.

Paranaque, which skidded to 10-7, got 17 points plus three rebounds from Philip Manalang; 10 points plus three rebounds from JP Sarao; and nine points, 13 rebounds plus three assists from John Uduba. Razon chipped in nine points on three triples.

In earlier games, the Valenzuela Classics bested the Sarangani Marlins, 73-64; while the Negros Muscovados thwarted the Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers, 103-94.

With veteran JR Quinahan at the helm, Valenzuela surged ahead, 79-61, and was never headed en route to its third straight win and a 10-8 record.

Quinahan wound up with 20 points and nine rebounds; followed by Carl Bryan Lacap with 12 points and three blocks; and Reeve Ugsang with 11 points and four rebounds.

The Marlins, who tumbled to 4-10, drew 17 points and five assists from Ryan Isaac Sual; 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists from Marvin Hayes; and 10 points plus six rebounds from Coy Alves.

Powered by Jan Fomento and Jonjon Gabriel, Negros led throughout and by as far as 48-23 in posting its third straight win for a 7-10 card.

Fomento poured 28 points, 18 in the second quarter; while the 6-foot-6 Gabriel posted 23 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and three blocks.

Rizal fell to 9-8 despite the 37-point, five-rebound, five-assist explosion of Alwyn Alday; the 16-point, 15-rebound effort of John Apacible; and the 16-point, four-rebound, six-assist output of Kraniel Villoria.

The MPBL returns to the Caloocan Sports Complex on Thursday with games pitting Manila against Muntinlupa at 4 p.m., Quezon Province against Quezon City at 6 p.m., and Pampanga against Caloocan at 8 p.m.