Starmen down Royale BC, boost semis bid

MANILA, Philippines - Star Group of Publications brought down Royale Business Club, 83-75, to firm up its semifinal bid even as EJM Pawnshop toppled Lyceum, 83-74, in the MBL Invitational basketball championship at the Lyceum gym in Intramuros Tuesday night.

Dennis Rodriguez and Gio Coquilla delivered the clutch baskets for the Starmen, who thwarted the Royale BC cagers’ repeated rallies down the stretch to improve to 4-2 (win-loss).

That kept them in step with defending champion Wang’s Ballclub heading into the crucial phase of the single round elims among nine teams in the tournament sponsored by Smart Communications, Dickies Underwear and PRC Managerial Services.

Rodriguez scattered a team-high 22 points, including a pair of tough three-pointers with less than two minutes left in the contest to the delight of the pro-Star crowd.

Coquilla added 14 points, Virgilio Roque fired 12 points and Jong Bondoc contributed 10 for Star Group, mentored by Rene Recto with Mike Maneze as manager.

Former University of the East standout Jorel Canizares shot 26 points for Royale BC, which played without top gunner Toto Bandaying.

Leemore Boliver added 13 points and Jaymo Eguilos contributed 12 for the beauty and wellness product company of Bong Paggabao.

EJM Pawnshop, meanwhile, relied on the game-long brilliance of Yurick Floring, Galen Cacha and Arnold Sta. Maria to pull the rug from under Lyceum and remain in the hunt with a 2-4 card.

Lyceum dropped to 3-2.

Floring finished with 24 points, Cacha added 14 and Sta. Maria had 11 points for the Quezon City-based squad of team owner Edwin Malibiran, manager Mark Baguino and coach Andy de Guzman.

Mark Fampulme led Lyceum with 18 points, followed by Fritz Gerald Ong with 11 points.