BATANGAS City thwarted Pangasinan's final assault to prevail, 71-64, on Saturday and regained traction in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Calasiao Sports Complex in Pangasinan.
Powered by Cedric Ablaza, Juneric Baloria, and Levi Hernandez, the Rum Masters surged ahead, 64-50, in the fourth quarter en route to their 13th win against six losses in the round-robin eliminations of the 29-team tournament.
Still, the Heatwaves countered with a nine-point cluster to move closer, 59-64, only to see Hernandez break the spell and pull them down to 7-13.
Baloria wound up with 16 points, including three triples, and five rebounds for Batangas, which rebounded from a 69-83 beating it suffered against San Juan on July 18.
Ablaza finished with 13 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, followed by Jeckster Apinan with 10 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, and Dawn Ochea with 10 points plus four rebounds.
Pangasinan got 11 points each from Michael Mabulac and JP Maguilano and 10 points, all in the fourth quarter, from Ian Melencio.
Binan, Bataan beat seaparate foes
Other games saw Binan Tatak Gel trounce Negros, 91-72, and Bataan take down Mindoro, 103-96.
Kenny Roger Rocacurva posted 22 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and two assists to lead Binan to an 11-7 card.
Other Binan players who delivered were Jonathan Grey with 14 points, Pamboy Ramundo and Jeric James Pido with 11 each, Nino Canaleta with 10 points plus nine rebounds, and Marc Pingris with six points, nine assists, seven rebounds, and two steals.
Ahead by as many as 20 points, 71-51, Binan relegated the Muscovados to 9-12, even as they got 12 points each from John Rey Villanueva and Renz Palma, as well as 11 points from Buenaventura Raflores.
The Risers, for their part, checked a four-game slide and improved to 5-14 behind Robbi Darang's 24 points, nine assists, three rebounds, and two steals.
He was supported by Yves Sazon with 19 points, five assists, and three rebounds; Rhaffy Octobre with 17 points plus six rebounds; Mitchelle Maynes with 13 points, 13 rebounds, plus three assists; and Jeff Santos with 12 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
The Tamaraws suffered their third straight defeat and tumbled to 5-11 despite the 25-point, 13-assist, 12-rebound, 2-steal, and 1-block effort of John Jerrick Caspe.
The MPBL returns to the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Monday with a triple-bill pitting Rizal against Sarangani at 4 p.m., Pampanga against Zamboanga at 6 p.m., and Davao against San Juan at 8 p.m.
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