ON the backs of Greg Slaughter and Carl Bryan Cruz, Manila breezed to a wire-to-wire 75-67 win against Rizal, on Thursday at the WES Arena to rise to a 7-4 record in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season elimination round.
Asserting his 7-foot frame, Slaughter did the heavy lifting with 16 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks, while Cruz also did damage with 20 points, four rebounds, and two blocks.
They were supported by Fil-Am DJ Mitchell with 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists, Pao Javelona with nine points, five rebounds, and four assists and Jan Jamon with eight points and four rebounds.
Rizal Xentromall, which fell to 6-4, drew 20 points, eight rebounds, and three steals from Keith Agovida, as well as 10 points each from Charles Dela Cruz and Alwyn Alday.
Tigers roar
In the main event, the Davao Occidental silenced the packed crowd with a 79-65 beating of the Valenzuela.
With Jun Manzo, Kenneth Ighalo, and Bambam Gamalinda notching double-figures, the Tigers surged ahead at 51-35 en route to their eighth win against two losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
Manzo finished with 15 points, three assists, three steals, and two rebounds for the Tigers, the 2021 MPBL Lakan Season champions. Ighalo then posted 12 points and nine rebounds, while Gamalinda tallied 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
Yutien Andrada contributed eight points and six rebounds for Davao which gained control with a 10-point cluster in the first quarter, 17-8.
The Classic - missing the services of injured Dennis Santos, the suspended Orin Catacutan, and Fil-Peruvian Val Chauca - tumbled to 6-5 despite the 17-point, 3-rebound effort of Chris De Chavez and the 10-point, 3-rebound output of JR Quinahan.
The Tigers outhustled the home team and ruled the boards, 50-41, which resulted in 48 points in the paint against only 22 for Valenzuela.
The MPBL goes to the Calasiao Sports Complex on Friday with a triple bill pitting Imus against Iloilo at 4 p.m., Quezon City against South Cotabato at 6 p.m., and Pangasinan against Paranaque at 8 p.m.
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