Muntinlupa wallops Quezon City for solo MPBL lead

MANILA, Philippines – Muntinlupa cruised to its fifth straight win and grabbed the solo lead in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season on Thursday with a 76-43 thumping of Quezon City Gaz N Go at the Bren Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Flaunting the depth of their bench, the Muntinlupa Cagers broke off from a tied first quarter (17-17) to take the half, 37-22. They then padded the lead to as high as 76-40 en route to the top spot in the 29-team tournament.

Ian Melencio, who was named the game's best player, and Manuel Mosqueda, led the balanced Muntinlupa attack with 11 points each. John Delos Santos and Biboy Enguio supported them with 10 and eight points, respectively.

With the Cagers well in control, Coach Jack Escueta had the luxury of fielding all 15 players in his roster, only one of whom failed to score.

Quezon City paraded new recruit Andrei Duremdes, who showed flashes of the brilliance of his father, MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes, the 1998 PBA MVP and all-time great.

The 6-foot-4 Andrei, an organizational communications graduate from De La Salle, scored a team-high 10 points, grabbed six rebounds and blocked a shot for Quezon City, which suffered its fourth straight defeat after an initial victory.

With 6-foot-8 Kemark Carino snagging 8 rebounds, Muntinlupa posted a decisive 55-35 edge underneath over Quezon City, which was hounded by an atrocious 2-of-22 shooting from rainbow territory.

The MPBL goes to the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Friday with a triple-bill pitting Bulacan against Nueva Ecija at 4 p.m., Pasig against Makati at 6 p.m. and Imus against Rizal at 8 p.m.