Liga Laguna: San Pedro seizes top seed; San Pablo ends slump

Standings: San Pedro (7-1), Calamba (6-2), Cabuyao (5-2), San Pablo (5-3), Sta. Cruz (5-3), Nagcarlan (2-4), Sta. Rosa (2-5), Cavinti (1-7), Pakil (0-6).

SAN PABLO – Data Force San Pedro formally secured the top seed and the twice-to-beat advantage in the next round even as Blue Steel San Pablo finally broke out of slump in the continuation of the Liga Laguna Season 3 at the NHA Basketball Court in Barangay Sto. Angel here.

Six players ended up in double figures for San Pedro led by Towp Mallari, who led the way with 19 markers on a steady 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc.

Other players who ended up in double figures for San Pedro were Ron Lester Guerrero (15), Cris Nava (14), Wendel Atas (12), Russel Lazatin (11) and Sean Laban (10).

San Pedro now awaits the winner of San Pablo-Sta. Cruz tussle in the knockout, quarterfinal round next week.

San Pablo outlasted Sta. Cruz, 98-95, in an exciting wind-up that saw the teams go back and forth in dictating the tempo of the game.

But the dominating inside presence of big man Neilmer Cabrillos, who came away with 32 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks, proved to be the game changer.

The long, athletic player completely shut down the basket in the crucial moments of the game to stop Sta. Cruz’s four-game winning run to the delight of the local folks here.

Sta. Cruz was looking to secure a possible twice-to-beat berth, but was stopped by San Pablo, the league’s defending champion, which snapped a three-game losing skid.

KDL Calamba completed the day of winners after nipping Cavinti, 111-106, as Reynald Quinto scored a season-high 39 points, including nine 3-pointers.