PAMPANGA remained unbeaten while San Juan flaunted newfound power in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

Banking on the formidable duo of Justine Baltazar and Enzo Serrano, the Pampanga Giant Lanterns trounced the Pasay Voyagers, 91-76, to extend their winning run to 15 in the single round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

The 6-foot-8 Baltazar delivered 20 points and 21 rebounds plus 8 assists, while Serrano came through with 33 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists for the Giant Lanterns, the only unscathed team left.

Archie Concepcion also shone for Pampanga, which pulled down Pasay to 11-5, with 16 points 4 assists and 3 rebounds.

Not to be outdone, the San Juan Knights paraded prized recruits Adrian Nocum, Kenneth Neil Villapando and Rhimwil Yambing in a 91-76 dumping of the Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics in the nightcap of a triple bill.

Nocum, a stalwart of the Mapua Cardinals, posted 19 points, spiked by 4 triples, 9 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 assists to earn his second straight best player honors over teammate Orlan Wamar, who tallied 13 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals for San Juan, which notched its fifth straight victory and climbed to 12-3, overtaking Batangas, which tumbled to 11-4 after back-to-back losses.

Villapando chalked 10 points plus 7 rebounds and the high-leaping Yambing made 10 points plus 4 rebounds for San Juan, which surged to a 91-67 spread before allowing Batangas to lessen the gap somewhat with a 9-point closing salvo.

Batangas got 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals from Levi Hernandez, 17 points from Juneric Baloria and 11 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals and 5 assists from Jeckster Apinan.

Earlier, the Manila Stars subdued Valenzuela XUR Homes Realty Inc., 93-83, behind the 23-point, 12-rebound performance of Kyle Neypes.

Allan Mangahas provided support with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists and so did his brother James, who scored 13 and snagged 5 rebounds, as Manila improved to 3-14.

Macky Acosta and Julius Pasculado also delivered for the Stars with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Valenzuela fell to 3-13 despite the 19-point, 9-rebound effort of AJ Benson and the 16-point, 9-assist output of Darell Manliguez.

The MPBL goes to the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig with Bicol battling Oriental Mindoro at 4 p.m., GenSan tackling Paranaque at 6 p.m., and Marikina testing Pasig at 8 p.m.

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