SOUTH Cotabato Warriors nipped the Valenzuela Classics, 76-74, on Thursday to get back on track in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
Jervy Cruz scored six of South Cotabato's last eight points to lift the Warriors to their 14th win against 7 losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
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Cruz wound up with 13 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists and led five Warriors in double figures.
Michole Sorela added 12 points and 4 rebounds, John Paul Calvo 11 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds, and Kyle Tolentino 10 points and 7 rebounds for the Warriors, who halted a two-game slide.
Valenzuela, which absorbed its third straight defeat and fell to 11-12, got 10 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds from Darekk Manliguez,10 points and 7 rebounds from Mark Montuano, 10 points plus 3 rebounds from Carl Bryan Lacap, and 9 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists from Paolo Hubalde.
The Warriors ruled the boards, 50-40, and outscored the Classics inside the paint, 15-2.
The MPBL returns to the Caloocan Sports Complex on Friday with games pitting Muntinlupa against Iloilo at 4 p.m., Manila against Mindoro at 6 p.m., and Bataan against Caloocan at 8 p.m.
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