Liga Laguna: Sta. Cruz nails 4th straight win; San Pedro, Calamba score

San Pedro (6-1), Cabuyao (5-2), Calamba (5-2), Sta. Cruz (5-2), San Pablo (4-3), Nagcarlan (2-4), Sta. Rosa (2-5), Cavinti (1-6), Pakil (0-5).  

STA. ROSA – Sta. Cruz continued its winning ways in Liga Laguna Season 3 as its extended its run to four straight capped by a lopsided 112-89 bashing of Cavinti at the Saint John Subdivision in Barangay Ibaba.

Three players scored 21 points or more for Sta. Cruz, whose inside and out game proved to be too much to handle for Cavinto, which absorbed its sixth loss in seven games of the tournament and got booted out of the playoff race as early as late last year.

Sta. Cruz banked on Rey Jann Sandoval, John Zernan Hernandez and Jared Madiz on offense even as BJ Borja and Chester Aquino also made key contributions.  

Sandoval came away with a double-double performance of 24 points and 17 rebounds to lead the way for Sta. Cruz, which forged a three-way tie for second to fourth places with idle Cabuyao and KDL Calamba, which also picked up a victory in the scheduled triple-header.

Hernandez, the spitfire guard and the tournament’s top three-point shooter, knocked in five treys on his way to finishing with 23 points to go along with five assists and three rebounds.

Madiz had a tournament-high 21 markers even as two more players from Sta. Cruz wound up in double figures — BJ Borja (17) and Chester Aquino (15).         

Nearly overshadowed by Sta. Cruz’s win was Data Force San Pedro’s continuous onslaught.

Also winning was Calamba, which walloped Stone Fire Krah Asia-Sta. Rosa, 105-78.  

San Pedro sustained its hold of the solo lead after adding Macos Meats Nagcarlan to its growing list of victims, 117-89, in the other game as six players ended up in double figures for the tournament leader, which has now improved its win-loss record to 6-1 and within striking distance of securing an outright twice-to-beat advantage.

The top two teams at the end the elimination round will get a twice-to-beat advantage and will take a bye while waiting for the survivors in the quarterfinal round.

Four teams will play in the quarterfinals — Teams No.3 to 6 — which will slug it out in a pair of knockout matches.