MPBL: Sarangani outlasts Negros in OT; Marikina, Bataan win

MANILA, Philippines – Sarangani made seven of eight charities while Negros could only make one of two in the homestretch as the Marlins bested the Muscovados, 109-103, in overtime on Tuesday in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Marikina Sports Center.

Egged on by the packed crowd, the Marikina Shoemasters dumped the Bulacan Kuyas, 118-73, in the nightcap and further boosted their playoff bid in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

The Shoemasters, with 14 of their 15 players scoring, cruised to their seventh straight win for a 14-10 record that strengtened their hold of the magic eighth spot in the North Division.

Michael Are, a playmaker out of San Sebastian College, presided over Sarangani's 10th win in 24 starts with 29 points, including four charities that forged the final score, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Are was supported by Reggz Gabat with 25 points and 12 rebounds, John Paul Cauilan with 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, and John Carlos Escalambre with 11 points.

Negros, which forced the extension at 95-95 on a layup by Mark Maloles, tumbled to 9-15 despite the 30-point, nine-rebound, six-assist, three-block, two-steal output of Jason Melano, and the 13-point eight-rebound, four-assist, three-steal contribution of Jonathan Gantalao.

Marikina, which led by as far as 118-71, drew 17 points, six rebounds and five assists from Inand Val Fornilos, 14 points from homegrown Silas Zabale, 13 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals and two rebounds from Joe Gomez De Liano, and 11 points plus eight rebounds from Jason Strait.

Bulacan tumbled to 6-18.

Bataan sustained its rise with an 89-77 victory over Iloilo in the opener.

Riding the sniping of Yves Sazon, James Castro, Dominick Vera and Dan Sara, the Bataan Risers posted their fifth straight win and climbed to 12-12.

Sazon fired 21 points, including two triples; followed by Castro with 15, highlighted by a perfect 3-of-3 triples; Vera with 15, laced with three triples; and Sara with 13, also with three triples.

The Iloilo United Royals suffered their second straight defeat despite the 21-point effort of crack point guard Lorenzo Navarro and tumbled to 11-14.

The game was tied at 73, courtesy of Navarro, until the Risers turned hot and clustered 14 points, including five by Arvie Bringas, to break away and seal the outcome, 89-73, with 2:19 seconds.

The MPBL returns to the Caloocan Sports Complex on Wednesday with games pitting Pampanga against Mindoro at 4 p.m., Nueva Ecija against GenSan at 6 p.m., and Batangas against Caloocan at 8 p.m.