BATANGAS leaned on a scoring spree to subdue Biñan, 79-72, and rev up its drive in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the FPJ Arena in San Jose, Batangas,
Trailing, 22-26, Batangas City Tanduay Rum bunched 12 points to pull ahead at halftime, 34-26, and never looked back to tally its 10th win against 2 losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

Levi Hernandez, who extended the Rum Masters’ run with a triple early in the third quarter, delivered 23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks to earn best player honors.

Jeckster Apinan supported Hernandez with 14 points, 4 rebounds plus 3 assists and so did Cedric Ablaza with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

Back-to-back layups by Hernandez and Apinan and a triple by Ablaza shoved Batangas ahead, 71-55, but Biñan managed to close the gap at 68-74 with only 31.7 seconds left through the efforts of Roger Rocacurva, Carlo Lastimosa and Mark Cardona.

Biñan, which fell to 6-4, got 17 points each from Nino Canaleta and Lastimosa and 12 from Rocacurva, all in the fourth quarter.

Other games saw Quezon City nip Negros, 83-79, and Pangasinan trounce Mindoro, 81-62.

Quezon City TODA Aksyon’s Paeng Are and Rhinwill Yambing to erase a 58-67 deficit early in the fourth quarter en route to its fifth victory against seven defeats.

Are poured all of his 12 points while Yambing added 8 of his team-high 23 points, highlighted by a power slam, in the last 10 minutes as Quezon City overtook Negros’ 4-9 slate.

Yambing also chalked 9 rebounds and 2 steals while Are added 4 rebounds and 4 assists for Quezon City Coach Egay Macaraya.

Negros crumbled despite the 27-point, 6-rebound, 4-assist effort of Renz Palma, the 17-point, 5-rebounfd, 2-steal output of Hubert Cani and the 11-point, 7-rebound, 2-steal contribution of James Paul Una.

Unlike Quezon City, the Pangasinan Heatwaves breezed past the Mindoro Tamaraws, leading by as far as 64-41 before cruising to their fourth win in 12 starts.

Ralph Robin paced Pangasinan with 21 points and 3 rebounds, followed by Ian Melencio with 12 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds, and Ed Daquiaog with 10 points.

Mindoro, which fell to 4-9, got 17 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds from Ken Bono and 11 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists from homegrown John Jerrick Caspe.

The MPBL returns to the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga with games pitting Bicol against Bacolod at 4 p.m., Iloilo against South Cotabato at 6 p.m. and Davao against Pampanga at 8 p.m.

The scores: 

First game

Pangasinan (81).– Robin 21, Melencio 12, Daquiaog 10, Bautista 8, Mabulac 6, Dyke 5, Gania 4, Gabo 4, Villamor 4 Meneses 3, Tolentino 2, Caasi 2, Taganas 0, Javillonar 0, Tan.
Mindoro (62) – Bono 17, Caspe 11, Vaygan 8, Rios 6, Lopez 4, Olivares 4, Teodoro 4, Estrella 3, Pena 3, Reyes 2, Marquez 0, Desiderio 0, Ariar 0, Huerto 0, Pableo 0.
Quarterscores: 30-11, 50-32, 64-48, 81-62

Second game

Quezon City (83) –Yambing 23, R.Are 12, Gesalem 9, Sawat 8, Mosqueda 7, Roman 7, Nimes 6, Tibayan 4, Desoyo 3, Cauilan 2, Ballesteros 2, Cosari 0, Josef 0, Tauto-An 0, Bienes 0.
Negros (79) — Palma 27, Cani 17, Una 11, Longa 8, Comia 6, Capobres 4, Cruz 4, Bacay 2, Geolingo 0, Antiporda 0, Alcaide 0, Ramos 0, Pascual 0, Atabay 0.
Quarterscores: 16-19, 41-40, 55-62, 83-79.

Third game

Batangas (79)— Hernandez 23, Apinan 14, Ablaza 12, Cruz 8, Dela Virgen 6, Isit 4, Baloria 4, Ramirez 3, Ochea 2, Arim 2, Ambulodto 1, Oliva 0, Porter 0, Alarcon 0, Importante 0.
Biñan (72) — Canaleta 17, Lastimosa 17, Rocacurva 12, Gimpayan 9, Alabanza 6, Manalang 5, Grey 3, Maestre 2, Pido 1, Raymundo 0, Anonuevo 0, Penaredondo 0, Actub 0, Mangahas 0, Alonte 0.
Quarterscores: 14-19, 34-26, 59-46, 79-72.