The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters subdued the Mindoro Tamaraws, 82-73, on Wednesday to bolster their drive in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Powered by Levi Hernandez, Batangas surged ahead, 58-44, in the third quarter then quashed Mindoro’s repeated rallies to notch its ninth win against two losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
Hernandez wound up with 26 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals to earn best player honors. He was supported by Dawn Ochea with 12 points plus 3 rebounds and Jeckster Apinan with 8 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.
Mindoro, which took an early 16-6 lead, tumbled to 4-7 despite four Tamaraws posting twin digits. John Jerrick Caspe tallied 19 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, followed by John Derrick Lopez with 11 points and 7 rebounds, Jordan Rios with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, and Lester Reyes with 10 points and 11 rebounds to go with 2 assists and 2 blocks.
Other games saw Iloilo stun Davao, 85-78, and Rizal XentroMall nip Pangasinan, 76-74.
The Iloilo United Royals banked on homegrown icon Mark Nonoy and RV Berjay to trip the Davao Occidental Tigers.
Nonoy finished with 18 points and 2 steals while Berjay ended up with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Other United Royals who delivered were CJ Cansino with 12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists plus 2 steals, and Clint Doliguez with 11 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
The United Royals rose to 4-7 and pulled down Davao to 8-3 despite the 14-point, 10-assist, 3-rebound effort of Jan Manzo, the 12-point output of Kenneth Ighalo and the 11-point contribution of Bamba Gamalinda.
Alwyn Alday and Kenneth Agovida shone for Rizal with 19 and 18 points, respectively. Agovida, however, emerged as the best player with 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.
Pangasinan got 15 points, 8 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds from Hesed Gabao, 14 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals from Michael Mabulac, 11 points plus 5 rebounds from Ed Daquiaog and 10 points, 6 rebounds from Ian Melencio.
The MPBL returns to the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan on Thursday with Manila tackling Quezon City at 4 p.m, Pampanga battling Negros at 6 p.m., and South Cotabato tangling with Binan at 8 p.m.