Pampanga nips Davao on Mallari late basket

MANILA, Philippines – Mark Adrian Mallari nailed a buzzer-beater from the long range as Pampanga got past Davao, 88-85, in the national finals of the Cloudfone-Batang PBA 16-and-under championship at the Philippine Science High School gym in Quezon City last Monday.

Mallari’s triple capped the Pampangos’ come-from-behind win that saw them trail, 63-68, at the onset of the fourth. Mallari ended up 23 points, the same output put in by Justine Bondoc. 

In other games, provincial qualifiers came through with big games to humble Metro Manila champions Meralco and San Miguel Beer.

Iloilo, with Ralph Bajon firing 23 points and Ryan Calama-an and Steven Tono adding 22 and 21 markers, respectively, crushed the Batang Bolts, 127-90, while Laguna, behind Angelo Alanguilan’s 17 points and Marc Defante’s 13 markers, dumped the Batang Beermen, 108-63, breaking the game open at halftime, 42-28.