GENSAN weathered Batangas’ repeated assaults to tally a 61-55 victory on Saturday and force a Game 3 decider in their battle for the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season South Division second finals slot at the Batangas City Coliseum.

Bacoor booked the first championship seat following a 78-72 repeat over Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines in the other division semifinals earlier.

The GenSan Warriors wasted a 15-point spread in the third quarter, yielded control twice to the Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics in the final canto, before striking back behind Hafer Mondragon and Enzo Joson down the stretch of Game 2 of their best-of-three series.

Mondragon drilled in a triple, Joson canned a corner jumper, before Mondragon sank two free throws for a closing 7-point run in the last 1 minute and 7 seconds that enabled the Warriors to avenge their 75-81 defeat to the Athletics in Game 1.

GenSan and Batangas dispute the right to fight Bacoor for the South title at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the same venue.

Joson, a former National University Bulldog, wound up with 14 points, including 10 in the second half, 3 rebounds and 2 assists to clinch best player honors over John Wilson with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists, and Mondragon with 7 points and 6 rebounds.

“We did not want to go home yet. It so happened sa akin napunta (ball) so I let it go,” said Joson, referring to his pivotal jumper that padded GenSan’s lead to 59-55 with 30 seconds left.

GenSan Coach Rich Alvarez said both teams have the experience, the composure and the will to win, so Game 3 would likely be decided by “who wants it more.”

Trailing by as far as 20-35 early in the third quarter, the Athletics threatened at 36-38 following an 11-point cluster highlighted by three straight triples, two by Raffy Octobre that sandwiched Levi Hernandez’s one.

Batangas briefly led at 50-47 on a layup by Jeckster Apinan and 55-54 on a turnaround jumper by Dawn Ochea, before Mondragon and Joson came through with the final salvo.

The Athletics got 13 points plus 4 rebounds from Hernandez and 10 points plus 8 rebounds from Cedric Ablaza.

Bacoor put the clamps on Zamboanga’s gunners and rode the hot hands of Jan McHale Nermal to reach the division finals for the first time.

Nermal fired 25 points and snagged 7 rebounds to lead the Strikers to a 2-0 sweep of Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines, last year’s South division champion.

The Strikers also bested the Zamboanguenos, 61-56, in Game 1.

A 3-point play by James Kwekuteye and a triple by Chito Jaime pushed the Strikers to their biggest spread, 69-52, with 6 minutes and 6 seconds to go.

Kwekuteye wound up with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, while Jaime and Michel Canete contributed 10 points each.

Veteran Mark Yee settled for 6 points, including two free throws that halted a Zamboanga run, 73-65, and grabbed 8 rebounds in a balanced Bacoor offense.

Bacoor Coach Alex Angeles, however, attributed the Strikers’ victory to their defense, stressing that they just gave the ball to whoever turned hot.

It turned out to be Nermal, who hit 4 of 8 triple tries, 3 of 6 two-point attempts and 7 of 10 charities to earn best player honors.

Zamboanga got 16 points and 11 rebounds from Jayvee Marcelino, 12 points and 5 rebounds from Ady Santos and 10 points plus 8 rebounds from Joseph Gabayni.

Reigning MVP Jaycee Marcelino was held to 8 points, all in the fourth quarter, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, while King Caralipio posted 8 points and 10 rebounds.

The ouster of Zamboanga, last year’s South Division titlist, assured that the MPBL will have new division champions as well as the national titlist this year.

On Friday, San Juan also completed a 2-0 sweep of defending champion Nueva Ecjia, to forge a North Division title clash with Pampanga.

MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao watched Saturday’s twin bill with his wife Jinkee.

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