MANILA, Philippines - Foscon Ship Management and Manuel Luis Quezon U pulled off similar hard-earned victories over their respective rivals to share the lead in the MBL Open basketball championship at the Lyceum gym in Intramuros recently.
Foscon subdued last year’s runner-up University of Santo Tomas, 83-80, while MLQU nipped PJS Law Firm, 66-59, as they joined opening-day winner Forward Taguig in the early lead in this eight-team tournament.
Erwin Sta. Maria, Luis Palaganas and Eric Suguitan stood at the forefront of Foscon’s triumph in the tournament backed by Smart Communications, Dickies Underwear and PRC Couriers.
Sta. Maria, the 6-2 former Mapua standout, scored 21 points, including three triples in the fourth period.
Palaganas added 15 points and came up with a crucial block off UST gunner Clark Bautista in the closing seconds.
Suguitan, the 6-6 center of newly crowned PBL champion Excelroof, added 13 points and 12 rebounds for Foscon.
Jeric Teng paced the Tigers with 18 points, followed by Melo Afuang with 15 points, Bautista with 14 and Jeric Fortuna with 12.
MLQU leaned on former CUSA MVPs Jopher Custodio and Alvin Vitug to stave off repeated rallies by PJS for the win.
Custodio finished with 15 points, while Vitug added 12 points for the Stallions.
Derreck Hubalde paced PJS Law Firm with 19 points, followed by Marc Victoria with 11 points.