JUSTINE Baltazar posted a triple-double as Pampanga clobbered Valenzuela, 85-56, on Tuesday to extend hot streak in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Showing why he's the reigning MPBL MVP, Baltazar scored 12 points, snagged 17 rebounds, and handed 10 assists in leading the Giant Lanterns to their 12th straight win after an initial loss in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
Encho Serrano and Rence Alcoriza pushed Pampanga ahead, 23-13, after the first quarter and the Giant Lanterns never wavered to tally the wire-to-wire victory that put the defending champions right behind the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards and Quezon Huskers, both with 11-0 slates.
Other Giant Lanterns who shone were Jeff Viernes with 13 points and four rebounds, Jhaymo Eguilos with 11 points and nine rebounds, and Archie Concepcion with 10 points like Serrano and Alcoriza.
Without the injured Dennis Santos, the Classic were overpowered on the boards, 31-56, and were outscored inside the paint, 18-48.
Valenzuela tumbled to 7-7 as only Fil-Am CJ Payawal and the returning Paolo Hubalde struck back with 17 and 15 points, respectively. The former also added five rebounds while the latter notched nine rebounds and five assists.
QC, Davao triumph
Other games saw Quezon City TODA Aksyon trounce Pasay, 70-60, and Davao Occidental nip Negros, 67-64.
With Rhinwil Yambing at the helm, QC pulled away, 33-18, midway through the second quarter then thwarted Pasay's repeated assaults to climb to 6-7.
Yambing finished with 15 points plus four rebounds and was supported by JJ Gesalem with 11 points plus two steals and Chino Mosqueda with 10 points plus four rebounds.
The Voyagers, who tumbled to 7-6, got 14 points from Laurenz Victoria, 12 points plus nine rebounds from Warren Bonifacio, and 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals from Patrick Sleat.
READ: Davao Occidental relies on Manzo, Nabong, DL Cruz to nip Negros
Davao Occidental, for its part, went through a tight fight with Negros before banking on Jun Manzo to snap a two-game skid and improve to 9-4.
The MPBL goes to the Villar Coliseum in Las Pinas on Wednesday with games pitting South Cotabato against Mindoro at 4 p.m., Batangas against Caloocan at 6 p.m., and Iloilo against Manila at 8 p.m.
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