MPBL: Imus escapes Batangas as Bacoor, Valenzuela book victories

MANILA, Philippines – Imus SV Squad survived Batangas Embassy Chill's final assault and prevailed, 71-70, on Tuesday in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Batangas City Coliseum.

Trailing from the start and by as many as 20 points (42-20), Batangas battled back and even got two chances to reverse the outcome, but time ran out, enabling Imus to chalk its third win in seven games in the elimination round of the 29-team tournament.

Mark Cardona and Jimboy Estrada provided all the points in the fourth quarter as Imus celebrated the return of veteran Marc Pingris to competitive play after a four-year lull.

Cardona poured nine of his 14 points while Estrada, the NAASCU MVP from St. Clare, made eight of his night-high 27 in the period, including a triple that pushed Imus ahead, 71-60, with 2:50 to play.

It turned out to be Imus' final basket, while Batangas bunched the last 10 on triples by Juneric Baloria and Mark Justine Dela Virgen and two lay-ups by Dawn Ochea to threaten at 70-71.

The Batangas Athletics, however, failed to complete their torrid comeback as Jeckster Apinan bungled a drive and turned the ball back to Imus. Batangas eventually regained ball possession, but Baloria missed a triple from deep corner at the buzzer and Batangas slid to 6-2.

Showing he's still in shape, the 41-year-old Pingris, one of the PBA's 40 greatest, saw action for 34 minutes and 36 seconds, the longest among all the players on Tuesday, and wound up with 10 rebounds, five assists and two points on only one field goal attempt.

Baloria scored 21 and Dela Virgen 14 for Batangas, which got left behind, 6-19, after the first quarter.

Other games saw Bacoor subdue Laguna Krah Asia, 75-65, and Valenzuela XUR Homes Realty Inc. stun Rizal XentroMall, 85-80.

Powered by James Kwekuteye's 17 points, Jhan McHale Nermal's 13 and Chito Jaime's 11, Bacolod sped away at 59-39 and was never headed en route to a 6-1 card.

Laguna tumbled to 2-6 as only Nino Ibanes and Paolo Quiminales found their mark with 12 points each.

Valenzuela drew 19 points from Michael Angelo Macion, 13 from Darell Manliguez, who also posted nine assists and eight rebounds, and 11 points from Stephen Steinl to finally snap a seven-game slump.

Rizal dropped to 2-7 despite the 22-point output of Edgar Charcos, the 17-point effort of Alvin John Capobres and the 11-point contribution of Jordan Rios.

The MPBL goes to the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig on Wednesday with a triple bill pitting Bacolod against Zamboanga at 4 p.m., Pasay against Sarangani at 6 p.m. and Caloocan against Pasig at 8 p.m.