The San Juan Knights overcame a 23-point deficit in the first quarter and turned back the Cagayan de Oro Amigos, 86-80, yesterday before a stunned home crowd at the Mindanao Polytechnic College gym in Cagayan de Oro City.
Chris Calaguio scattered 13 of his 18 points in the second half to cap the Knights' stirring victory, their second straight and fourth overall in five games for a share of the lead with the Davao Eagles and the Pasig-Rizal Pirates.
Over at the Mail & More Sports Complex in San Andres, the Negros Slashers dealt the Manila Metrostars their most humbling defeat by smothering the reigning champs right on their own turf, 98-86.
It was Slashers' third win in six games while stopping Manila's winning run. The Stars absorbed their third loss in eight games.
The Knights sputtered in the early goings and trailed, 12-35, in the first period, but worked their way back in the next two quarters to close the gap at 61-73 heading into the fourth where they clamped down on the Amigos with a resolute defense.
The visiting squad held the hosts to only seven points in that stretch while scoring 25 points of their own to win by six points.
Peter Naron and Norman Gonzalez shot 25 and 19 points, respectively, for the Amigos, who kept a 12-point lead in the final quarter but cracked up in the face of the Knights' relentless drive down the stretch.
It was Cagayan de Oro's third straight loss at home after building double-digit leads in the fourth quarter as the Amigos dropped to 2-4.