FORMER Mapua standout Laurenz Victoria delivered the game-winner as Pasay rallied to beat erstwile unbeaten Batangas, 65-64, in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Season 6 basketball tournament at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Victoria’s basket capped a decisive seven-point run by the Voyagers in the last 64 seconds to complete a dramatic, come-from-behind victory over the Rum Masters before another big crowd that included MPBL founder Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinkee.

The win enabled Pasay to climb to 3-1, the same record of Batangas in the elimination round of the country’s leading regional league.

But it was not all Victoria for Pasay.

Patrick Sleat topscored for the Voyagers with 15 points, including a floater and a triple, while Warren Bonifacio added 14 points, all of them in the fourth quarter, and eight rebounds for Pasay, which battled back from as much as 34-47 deficit.

Victoria added 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

Cedric Ablaza carried the fight for Batangas with 18 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.

Levi Hernandez was the only other Rum Master in twin digits with 10 points.

In other games, Rizal XentroMall humbled South Cotabato, 92-81, and host San Juan clobbered Iloilo, 106-78.

Alwyn Alday led the way with 22 points, six rebounds and three assists and Villoria added 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. for Rizal, which climbed to 4-0 to share the lead with Parañaque and Zamboanga.

Homegrown John Apacible also shone for Rizal with 12 points plus five rebounds, followed by Marco Balagtas with 11 points and four rebounds.

South Cotabato, which skidded to 2-2, got 19 points and five rebounds from Val Acuna, 14 points from Mark Cruz, 12 points from John Wilson and 10 pointsand rebounds from Kyle Tolentino.

Orlan Wamar was the leading man in San Juan’s easy victory over Iloilo.

Wamar, at 5-6 one of the smallest players on the floor, tallied game-highs 24 points, nine assists, eight rebounds plus four steals for San Juan of Sen.Jinggoy Estrada.

Wamar also joined the MPBL 1,000-point club and was rewarded by Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes with the ball he used to score the pivotal points.

Other Knights in the sciring parade were AC Soberano with 13 points, Zach Huang with 12 points and Marwin Taywan, AC Soberano and Reyniel Hugnatan with 11 each.

Iloilo, which tumbled to 1-3, got 19 points from CJ Cansino, 11 points from Ry Aijr De La Rosa and 10 from Clint Doliguez.

The scores:

First game

Rizal (92) –Alday 22, Villoria 19, Apacible 12, Balagtas 11, Agovida 9, Alonzo 8, Serrano 5, Argente 3, Casino 3, Bernardo 0, Jimenez 0, Timajo 0, Davis 0, Pingoy 0, Lao 0.
South Cotabato (81) – Acuna 19, M.Cruz 14, Wilson 12, Tolentino 10, Dionisio 7, Elorde 6, Mahaling 4, Sorela 3, Rodriguez 2, Joson 2, J.Cruz 2, Cosip 0, Dumapig 0, Lantaya 0, Apreku 0.
Quarterscores: – 31-11, 52-31, 73-56, 92-81

Second game

Pasay (65) — Sleat 15, Bonifacio 14, Victoria 12, Reverente 7, Caballero 6, Inigo 5, Ramirez 3, Aguirre 2, Coronel 1, Sienes 0, Salenga 0, Chan 0, Tabi 0, Hillario 0, Lustina 0.
Batangas (64) – Ablaza 18, Hernandez 10, Dela Virgen 8, Apinan 7, Baloria 6, Cruz 5, Ramirez 4, Porter 4, Ochea 2, Isit 0, Oliva 0, Lunor 0, Arim 0, Alarcon 0, Importante 0.
Quarterscores: – 13-17, 28-26, 34-47, 65-64.

Third game

San Juan (106) — Wamar 24, Soberano 13, Huang 12, Maiquez 11, Taywan 11, Hugnatan 11, Galinato 6, Miranda 5, Malonzo 4, Soriano 4, Mojica 3, Ando 2, Gamboa 0, Panganiban 0, Ubalde 0,
Iloilo (78) — Casino 19, De La Rosa 11, Doliguez 10, Jeruta 8, Rangel 7, Imperial 6, Catapusan 6, Ongteco 6, Nonoy 3, Larupay 2, Gomez 0, Etrata 0, Madrigal 0, Beltran 0, Diaz 0.
Quarterscores: – 28-17, 50-37, 80-60, 106-78.