Manila annihilates Bacolod to boost Top 4 drive

MANILA, Philippines – Playoff-bound Manila SV Batang Sampaloc clobbered Bacolod, 123-76, on Monday and boosted their bid for the fourth spot in the North Division of the 6th MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Season at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila.

With 14 players scoring, the Manila Stars cruised to their 18th win against eight losses and moved beyond reach of the Pasay Voyagers (17-10) in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament. 

However, Caloocan (15-9) can still dislodge Manila if the Batang Kankaloo sweep their four remaining games and the Stars drop their last two assignments.

In case Manila, Pasay and Caloocan wound up with similar 18-9 slates, the Stars would advance as they have beaten both the Voyagers (90-87) and the Batang Kankaloo (69-66) in their elimination round encounters.

Exploiting his 7-foot frame, Greg Slaughter posted 21 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in just 19:42 of play to earn the Daily Fantasy Best Player honors over 6-foot-7 Rabeh Al-Hussaini with 17 points and six rebounds.

James Tempra, Carl Bryan Cruz and Jorey Napoles contributed 10 points each for Manila, which also drew seven points, nine assists, four rebounds and two assists from Enzo Navarro.

The top four qualifiers will have the homecourt edge in the best-of-three division playoffs.

Bacolod, which showed up with only eight players, tumbled to a league-worst 1-26 card.

Nueva Ecija rallied to beat Abra, 81-78, and rise to 23-3.

Trailing, 57-67, the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards greeted the fourth quarter with a 13-1 tear to wrest control, then banked on Billy Robles and John Wilson to thwart the Weavers.

Robles drilled in a triple and a short jumper while Wilson canned two charities with 8.5 seconds left against four points by the Weavers for the final count.

It was Robby Celiz, however, who was chosen best player with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists for Nueva Ecija, which trails only San Juan (25-1) and Pampanga (26-2) in the North Division.

Will McAloney supported Celiz with 13 points while Wilson and Robles chipped in 10 points each.

Abra fell to 15-10 despite Alfred Ryan Batino's 17-point, 12-rebound effort and Wendelino Comboy's 15 points.

The Valenzuela Classics dumped the Bicolandia Oragons, 98-54, in the opener for an even 13-13 slate and remain in playoff contention.

Mark Montuano led Valenzuela with 15 points, followed by Haley Ajero with 12, John Rey Sumido with 11, and Paolo Hubalde with 10 plus nine assists, four steals and four rebounds.

Bicolanda, which tumbled to 3-23, got 15 points from Shaquille Alanes.

The MPBL goes to the Paco Arena on Tuesday with games pitting Caloocan against Bulacan at 4 p.m., Bataan against Iloilo at 6 p.m., and Binan against Marikina at 8 p.m.