Bacoor City stretched its winning run to eight games after outlasting Bulacan, 78-76, Tuesday in the 2019-20 Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.
The Strikers improved to a 23-5 win-loss record, keeping in step with South division top seed Davao Occidental-Cocolife at 22-4
Bulacan took a five-point advantage after JR Alabanza’s layup on the fastbreak with 3:57 left in the fourth quarter, 71-66, but Bacoor countered with eight unanswered points to regain the lead, 74-71.
With 54.7 ticks left on the clock, Stephen Siruma drained a huge trey to cut their deficit to just a point, 77-76, before Oping Sumalinog split his freebies with 11.2 seconds remaining.
With one final chance to tie or win the game, JR Taganas fired a three-pointer from the right-wing but missed, handing Bacoor the victory.
“We didn’t shut down when Bulacan made a tremendous run, we made the plays we needed to make, we got the steals that we needed in the endgame,” said Bacoor coach Chris Gavina.
The Strikers used a huge second period, which it saw them outscore their opponents 30-16, to turn a close 20-19 affair to a 50-35 advantage come halftime.
But the Kuyas came out strong in the third frame, limiting Bacoor to just nine points while scoring 22 to trim the deficit to just two entering the fourth quarter, 57-59.
Ian Melencio stepped up in Gab Banal’s absence with 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists without committing a single turnover. Banal is in the Middle East for Mighty Sports’ tournament in the 2020 Dubai International Basketball Championship.
Fil-Am guard Nick Demusis, Mark Pangilinan and, Sumalinog all contributed 11 points apiece for the Strikers.
Siruma paced the 18-10 Bulacan with 13 points and four dimes, while Alabanza and Dennis Santos chipped in 12 markers apiece with the latter adding five rebounds and four blocks.
The Scores:
Bacoor City 78 – Melencio 13, Demusis 11, Pangilinan 11, Sumalinog 11, Mabulac 9, Montuano 6, Ramirez 6, Cañete 5, Acuña, Aquino 2, Destacamento 2, Acidre 0.
Bulacan 76 – Siruma 13, Alabanza 12, Santos 12, Taganas 9, Dela Cruz 7, Alvarez 6, Arim 5, Nermal 5, Capacio 3, Escosio 2, Diputado 2.
Quarterscores: 20-19, 50-35, 59-57, 78-76.
Story by Justin Valencia
Photo by Thel Suliva
