QC, Mandaluyong, Antipolo pace Coca-Cola Hoopla

Manila, Philippines - Quezon City, Mandaluyong and Antipolo continued their dominant march in their respective zones, brushing aside the curse of Friday the 13th in picking up third straight wins in the Inter-City phase of the second Coca-Cola Hoopla National Capital Region Championship.

The Beast of the East Quezon City drubbed Pasig, 107-92, as John Villarosa scored 27 points and Alvin de Leon added 22; Central’s Mandaluyong ripped Manila, 93-78, behind the 28 points of Rafael Rebugio; and Antipolo, getting 29 points from Bernardo Repato, crushed Taytay, 99-82, to emerge as the front-runners in the Inter-Zonal derby.

Pasay in the South, the only other unbeaten team in the field at 2-0, cruised past Taguig, 100-93, taking a 21-8 first quarter lead and never looking back as Gio Ramos unloaded 25 points and Kenneth de Vega 16.

In other Friday games, it was defending champion Muntinlupa over Las Piñas, 102-84; Marikina over Pateros in overtime, 96-94, as Mark Lorenzo fired 29 points; Valenzuela over Caloocan, 89-85, rallying from a 22-13 first quarter deficit on the heroics of Cesar Miranda and John Kevin Joves who combined for 48 points; Navotas over Malabon, 110-98, as Dennis Gonzales scored 17 points and Cary Solomon 16; San Juan over Makati, 84-76, as Vincent Huit poured 35 points; and Cainta over Binangonan, 100-94, rallying from 28-13 in the first 10 minutes behind Marvin Fong and Romeo Cruz who combined for 48 points.