San Juan blasts Rizal; Caloocan nips Manila

MANILA, Philippines — San Juan shifted to high gear in the last three quarters and blasted Rizal Xentromall, 79-64, on Saturday in the opener of their North Division quarterfinal playoffs in the MPBL Sixth Season at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Barely ahead after the first frame, 17-16, the Knights, with Michael Calisaan as sparkplug, sped away to 48-38 at halftime, and moved a win away from winning the tie between the North’s top finisher and the eighth and last qualifier.

Calisaan posted 16 points, with 10 in the second quarter, plus five rebounds to clinch the Daily Fantasy best player honors over Dexter Maiquez, who tallied 14 points plus four rebounds, and Reynel Hugnatan with 10 points, six assists and four rebounds.

Earlier, Caloocan weathered Manila SV Batang Sampaloc’s furious onslaught in the last quarter and notched a 79-78 squeaker in the opener of their own best-of-three series.