MANILA, Philippines – Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines blanked Bacoor in the last two minutes and prevailed, 92-81, on Wednesday in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Strike Gym in Bacoor.
The Bacoor Strikers threatened at 81-84 following a triple by Jhan McHale Nermal with 2:08 seconds to go. The Strikers couldn't score the rest of the way, however, and the Zamboanguenos proceeded to notch their 20th win against eighth losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 29-team tournament.
Bacoor fell to 22-5 but kept the top spot in the South Division.
Zamboanga, on the other hand, countered with a 3-point play by Adi Santos, and a triple and a layup by Jayvee Marcelino to prevail and tighten their grip of the fourth slot heading to the playoffs next month.
Judel Fuentes wound up with 18 points and five rebounds to earn best player honors for Zamboanga, which drew 13 points and eight rebounds from Joseph Gabayni, 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists from Jaycee Marcelino, and 12 points, five rebounds plus six assists from Jayvee Marcelino.
Bacoor got 20 points, laced with six triples, from Chito Jaime and 14 points plus eight rebounds from James Kwekuteye.
The score was tied at 64 after the third quarter, only for Zamboanga to break free, 82-77, following a 12-5 run capped by Jayvee's triple.
Earlier games between also-rans saw Laguna subdue Bulacan, 114-105, and Rizal trip Manila, 98-84.
Jerome Garcia sparkled in Laguna's fourth win against 23 losses with 33 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
Rizal, leaning on the 19-point, three-rebound effort of Michael Are, closed out its campaign with a 12-16 record while Manila tumbled to 4-23.
Bulacan fell to 7-21.
The MPBL goes to the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City on Thursday with Sarangani battling Caloocan at 4 p.m., Batangas tackling GenSan at 6 p.m., and Pasay testing Nueva Ecija at 8 p.m.