BATANGAS City sent Quezon City reeling to its second defeat in a row after a dominant 105-80 victory in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Lakan Cup on Monday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
Lester Alvarez spearheaded the Athletics' onslaught with 23 points, 10 assists, and eight boards while captain Jhaymo Eguilos added 20 points on a very efficient 8-of-10 from the field to go with 11 rebounds and three blocks.
Up by just two points at the 7:29 mark of the third frame, 52-50, the Athletics broke the game wide open with a 19-6 run to establish a commanding 15 point margin, 71-56.
"Dumepensa lang kami nang dumepensa (noong third quarter) kaya namin nakuha yung momentum tapos yung opensa namin kinailangan lang namin i-run nang i-run," said Eguilos on their third quarter telling run.
With Quezon City threatening to comeback via Aaron Black's jumper with 4:51 left in the fourth quarter, 75-83, Batangas put the nail in the coffin with a 17-4 run, capped by Nikki Perez's triple, to give his team its third straight win and improve to 9-4.
Capitals captain Mon Mobayo was in the middle of two scuffles in the heated second quarter wherein he got tangled with Jayson Grimaldo at the 6:20 mark before being taunted by Genmar Bragais with 6:02 left in the quarter.
Batangas shot a very efficient 38-of-71 from the field, including 12-of-23 from the rainbow country, good for 52.2 percent.
Aaron Black's 28 points, five rebounds and six assists went for naught for Quezon City which slid to 6-9. Justin Valencia
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