BATANGAS struck from afar and subdued Davao, 76-66, to move within a win of the South Division semifinal round in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) semifinal round at the Batangas City Coliseum.

Levi Hernandez drilled in seven triples while Cedric Ablaza added two of the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters’ total of 12 that swamped the Davao Occidental Tigers’ pool of five, proving to be decisive in Game 1 of their best-of-three quarterfinal playoffs.

Adding 5 rebounds to his game-high 21 points in just 19 minutes and 56 seconds of play, Hernandez emerged the Daily Fantasy best player over Ablaza, who posted 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks.

Philip Paniamogan contributed 12 points, including two treys, plus five assists and 3 rebounds, while Jong Baloria chipped in nine points and 3 rebounds for Batangas, which duplicated its 71-59 conquest of Davao in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 29-team tournament.

The Rum Masters, the only MPBL team to advance to the playoffs in each season, could end the series on Thursday at the Alonte Arena in Binan, Laguna.

Batangas led by as far as 67-48 following a layup by Jeckster Apinan greeting the fourth quarter.

Davao, which bested Batangas in the South finals in 2019, got 14 points from Keith Agovida, 12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals from Arth Dela Cruz, 12 points plus 4 assists from Mark Tallo and 10 points, 7 rebounds,4 assists from Bonbon Custodio.

Earlier, Mark “The AntMan” Cruz stung the meanest as South Cotabato rallied to beat Binan Tatak Gel, 85-82, and close in on a semifinal slot.

..The 5-foot-6 Cruz, the smallest guy on the floor, went perfect on his field goals and pumped in 20 of his 24 points in the second half, highlighted by an 8-point cluster in the fourth quarter, to push the Warriors past the Lagunenses, who led for over 36 minutes only to crumble in the wake of the Warriors’ spirited comeback from a 41-53 deficit.

Binan was still ahead, 82-78, with 1 minute and 35 seconds left, only to be held scoreless the rest of the way, while South Cotabato strung eight points on a triple by Cruz, an inside thrust by Jammer Jamito and split charities by Felix Apreku and Marwin Dionisio.

Cruz canned three triples and three 2-pointers to go with 9 free throws out of 11 tries to earn best player honors over Jamito, who chalked 16 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks. Val Acuna was the other Warrior in twin digits with 14.

Binan got 24 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals from Kenny Roger Rocacurva, 13 points from Pamboy Raymundo and 11 from Carlo Lastimosa.

It was the same sad story for Binan, which also suffered an 81-82 meltdown against South Cotabato in the elimination round.

The MPBL Playoffs resume on Saturday at the Paco Arena with games pitting San Juan against Rizal at 6 p.m. and Caloocan against Manila at 8 p.m.

The San Juan Knights and the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo are gunning for their second win that would put them in the semifinal round.

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