MANILA, Philippines – The Bacoor Strikers leaned on James Kwekuteye's clutch hits to subdue the Pasay Voyagers, 79-65, on Wednesday and rev up its drive in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Bacoor Strike Gym.
Kwekuteye, a former star of the San Beda Red Lions, bunched 11 points, capped by back-to-back triples, to put the Strikers on safe ground, 73-62, after the Voyagers threatened, 59-62.
Michael Canete then completed a three-point play with 1:30 left to push Bacoor further ahead, 76-62, and seal the Strikers' 13th win against two losses in the single round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
The 6-foot-2 Kwekuteye wound up with 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals to complement the 17-point, six-rebound output of Jhan McHale Nermal and the 16-point, six-rebound, two-block effort of Canete.
Jammer Jamito also delivered for the Strikers with 11 points plus four rebounds.
With Pasay trailing, 47-62, AJ Coronel scored four points, Kraniel Victoria dropped back-to-back triples and Dhon Reverente added a layup to push the Voyagers closer.
Kwekuteye, however, countered in style to snap Pasay's 6-win streak and pull down the Voyagers to 11-4.
Pasay got 17 points and 3 rebounds from Axel Inigo and 12 points plus 8 rebounds from Coronel.
Earlier, Pasig City MCW Sports tripped the Manila Stars, 89-77, while the Oriental Mindoro Disiplinados tripped Laguna Krah Asia, 78-74.
Pasig banked on Michael Maestre's 24-point, 13-rebound output and Kenny Roger Rocacurva's 24-point, 4-rebound, 3-steal, 3-assist effort to climb to 10-6 and pull down Manila to 2-14.
Employing only a nine-man rotation, the Disiplinados drew a triple-double (10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists) from Paolo Hubalde, a double-double (15 points and 11 rebounds) from Kristan Hernandez, 20 points, five rebounds and four assists from Genmar Bragais, and 18 points plus five rebounds from Agem Miranda to tie their victims at 3-13.
The MPBL returns to the Strike Gym on Thursday for another triple bill pitting Quezon City against Makati at 4 p.m., Sarangani against Marikina at 6 p.m., and Paranaque against Caloocan at 8 p.m.