SAN Juan withstood the Pampanga Giant Lanterns' final assault to prevail, 86-82, in their battle for the North Division and overall supremacy in the MPBL Sixth Season elimination round at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
Although they blew a 43-27 second-quarter spread and trailed at 73-74 and 75-76, the Knights kept their poise behind Orlan Wamar and unloaded an 11-2 run to seal their 14th straight win, 86-78, with 44 seconds to go.
The Knights ended the Giant Lanterns' 23-game win streak and improved to a 23-1 record, the best among the 29 competing teams.
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Wamar posted 22 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals to clinch the best player honors. Zachary Huang provided support with 14 points and 3 rebounds and so did Dexter Maiquez (11 points, 8 rebounds) and Michael Malonzo (10 points, 7 rebounds).
Defending champion Pampanga suffered just its second loss after a 23-win run despite Justine Baltazar's 19-point second half. The PBA's No. 1 draft pick also had 17 rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block.
Pampanga also got 23 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists from Encho Serrano ad 19 points, 6 rebounds from MJ Garcia.
Earlier, Caloocan boosted its playoff bid with a 138-94 crushing of Imus Agimat.
Jeramer Cabanag scored 16 points to lead seven Batang Kankaloo in twin digits in Caloocan's 14 win against eight losses.
Imus now 1-23
Other Batang Kankaloo who delivered were Joco Tayongtong with 15 points, Rommel Calahat with 12, Alejandro Inigo, Joshua Flores and Gabby Espinas with 11 each and Reil Cervantes with 10.
Also-ran Imus tumbled to 1-23 despite the 30-point, 6-rebound, 3-assist output of Richard Albo and the 23-point, 4-rebound line of Jameson Hiro.
The MPBL returns to the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City on Saturday with games pitting Binan against Bicol at 4 p.m., Abra against Zamboanga at 6 p.m. and Nueva Ecija against host Quezon at 8 p.m.
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