ZAMBOANGA quelled home team Bataan's final rallies to prevail, 79-72, on Monday at the Orion Sports Center to stay close to the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season elimination round pacesetters.
Ahead nearly all the way, the Zamboanguenos briefly yielded the lead, 60-62, as the Risers greeted the fourth quarter with an eight-point cluster.
After three deadlocks, Zamboanga then strung together six points behind Joseph Gabayni's back-to-back layups and John Mahari's two charities to regain control, 72-66, entering the last two minutes.
Bataan's Ronjay Lastimosa canned a triple with 1:47 to go, but the visitors held down the fort and proceeded to tally its ninth win against two losses by making seven straight charities, the last six by Renzo Subido, against a triple by Yves Sazon.
Gabayni bosses around opponents in the paint
Exploiting his burly 6-foot-5 frame, Gabayni finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks. Former MPBL MVP Jaycee Marcelino provided support with 11 points, seven rebounds, and four steals, followed by Subido with 11 points and Ady Santos with nine points and 11 rebounds.
Quezon (9-0), San Juan (8-0) , Nueva Ecija (8-0), and Pampanga (8-1) are the only teams in front of Zamboanga in the 29-team field.
Bataan, which tasted its fifth straight defeat for a 3-8 slate, got 21 points and seven rebounds from Mitchelle Maynes and 12 points, two rebounds, and two assists from Lastimosa.
Earlier games saw Muntinlupa subdue Bicolandia, 60-55, and Abra pound undermanned Bacolod, 115-64.
READ: Abra Weavers, Muntinlupa Cagers whip struggling foes
The MPBL returns to the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan on Tuesday with games pitting Marikina against Nueva Ecija at 4 p.m., Pasay against Bulacan at 6 p.m., and Valenzuela against San Juan at 8 p.m.
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