Metrostars thwart Knights

Alex Compton regained his shooting touch and did a lot more aside from banging away baskets as the Manila Metrostars came alive in their homecourt, foiling a sweep bid by the San Juan Knights in their MBA Northern Conference best-of-five title playoff yesterday.

Compton exploded with a game-high 25 points while also providing the leadership to the Metrostars as they walloped the Knights, 88-79, to cut their series deficit to 1-2 to the delight of their supporters at the Mail & More Sports Complex.

Over in Bacolod, the Negros Slashers moved within a win from clinching the Southern Conference crown by beating the Cebu Gems, 100-79, at the USLS gym in Bacolod City.

The Slashers held the Gems to six points in the first 11 minutes of the final quarter while scoring 20 points of their own to pull away and grab a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five series. Negros guns for the clincher today, also at home.

Compton proved to be Manila’s man of the hour as the former US NCAA cager, who was 2-of-17 from the three-point area in the first two games of the series, rediscovered his touch, converting six of eight three-point attempts this time.

The Manila prized guard also came up with six assists, four rebounds, four steals and one block as he kept the Metrostars intact even in the face of torrid attacks by the Knights in the second half.

But Manila coach David Zamar didn’t pick a singular player as the biggest key in their victory, saying his boys did a good team effort, particularly on defense. — Joey Villar