THE Sarangani Gripper cruised past the Bulacan Kuyas, 148-111, in a freewheeling game on Monday that broke two records in the MPBL 2025 Season at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Sarangani's score eclipsed the 146 San Juan posted against Mindoro on Sept. 13, 2022, while the combined 259 surpassed the 257 totals of Sarangani (134) against Nueva Ecija (123) on June 3, 2023, and Bacolod (130) against Imus (127) on Sept. 27, 2024.
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King Destacamento, Sarangani's 6-foot-4 frontliner, drove in with 27.1 seconds left to shatter both records, giving significance to the game between cellar-dwellers.
Arvie Bringas presided over Sarangani's second win against eight losses with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists, followed by Destacamento with 21 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks.
Other Grippers who delivered were Coy Alves with 16 points and 8 rebounds, Martin Gozum with 16 points and 3 rebounds, Kyt Jimenez with 15 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks; Adven Jess Diputado with 11 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 steals; and Ken Brillantes with 11 points and 7 rebounds.
With Destacamento, Gozum and Alves at the helm, the Grippers led by as far as 137-90, midway through the fourth quarter.
The Kuyas, who dropped to a league-worst 0-11 record, got 30 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists from John Rey Sumido, 17 points and 3 assists from Gino Jumao-as, 14 points and 3 assists from homegrown John Edmar Gonzaga, 13 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds from Marlon John Espiritu, and 13 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists from Jebb Bulawan.
The MPBL goes to the Paco Arena in Manila on Tuesday with games pitting Paranaque against Bacolod at 4 p.m., Cebu against Rizal at 6 p.m., and Valenzuela against Imus at 8 p.m.
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