Zamboanga, San Juan boost MPBL playoff bids with wins

MANILA, Philippines – Zamboanga and San Juan routed their opponents on Monday to bolster their quarterfinal chances in the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season presented by Xtreme at the newly renovated San Andres Sports Complex in Manila.

Pitted against lowly Laguna Krah Asia, Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines displayed the depth of its bench and prevailed, 81-44, to raise its record to 10-3 in the single round-robin elimination phase of the 22-team tournament.

San Juan Go for Gold also had an easy time against Marikina, 81-67, in posting its eighth victory against six losses.

Jaycee Marcelino and Manuel Mosqueda fired 12 points each and Ralph Tansingco added 10 for Zamboanga, which zoomed ahead at 81-44 before allowing Laguna to score the game's final basket.

With the outcome beyond doubt, Zamboanga Coach Vic Ycasiano had the luxury of shuffling his 15 men, only one of whom failed to score.

In contrast, the top scorer for Laguna, which tumbled to 1-12, was Sean Dillon Laban with only 9 points.

San Juan, drawing firepower from Judel Fuentes, Orland Wamar and Joseph Celso, pulled away from Marikina, 71-56, early in the fourth quarter before coasting along.

Fuentes wound up with 22 points, Wamar with 14 and Celso with 10.

Markina skidded to 3-10 despite the 17-point effort of Jason Opiso, the 15-point output of Antonio Lorenzo Joson and the 12-point contribution of Ryan Isaac Sual.

The MPBL visits the Batangas City Coliseum on Tuesday with another triple-bill featuring the Batangas-Sarangani clash at 9 p.m. Also on tap is the Rizal-Makati encounter at 5 p.m. and the Nueva Ecija-Muntinlupa tussle at 7 p.m.