Manila paraded Greg Slaughter and emerged triumphant over Binan, 79-63, on Friday in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
The big man who previously played for Fukuoka in the B.League delivered 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists to offset 5 turnovers and was chosen as the best player in his first stint in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
It was far from being a Slaughter show, however, as Carl Cruz and Jan Jamon also shone for Manila SV Batang Sampaloc, which notched its 6th win against four losses.
Cruz posted 21 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block, while Jamon notched 14 points, including the dagger 3-pointer that pushed Manila ahead, 66-54, with 4 minutes and 25 seconds to go.
Cruz then sealed Binan’s first loss after 6 wins by sinking 2 free throws, capping Manila’s 12-point cluster, 68-54, with only 4 minutes and 6 seconds left.
Binan got 15 points and 5 rebounds from Jimboy Estrada and 11 points from KG Canaleta.
Earlier, Rizal XentroMall nipped Bataan, 87-85, to rise to 6-3.
Kraniel Villoria starred again for the Rizal Golden Coolers with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 steals in 34 minutes and 3 seconds of play. He was ably supported by Keith Agovida with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, while Charles Dela Cruz had 15 points and 5 rebounds.
Marco Balagtas with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, and homegrown John Apacible with 11 points and 3 rebounds.
The Bataan Risers, who dropped to 3-6, got 14 points each from Mitchelle Maynes and Dante Paguio. They also had 13 points plus 8 rebounds from Rhaffy Octobre, and 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists from Robbi Darang.
Neither team led by double digits in the tight game that saw 11 lead changes and 7 deadlocks.
Davao survived a fiery rally by Pangasinan to prevail, 64-62, in the opener.
Coasting along, 61-53, the Davao Occidental Tigers watched as the Pangasinan Heatwaves threatened at 61-62 following a 9-point cluster by Ralph Robin.
Davao’s Jun Manzo split his two free throws for the final count as Pangasinan’s Hesed Gabo missed an ill-advised 3-pointer before the buzzer.
The Tigers, who drew 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists from Bambam Gamalinda, climbed to 7-2 while the Heatwaves fell to 2-7.
Manzo finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Pangasinan got 17 points from Robin, 16 from Ed Daquiaog, and 12 points from Michael Mabulac.
The MPBL visits the Quezon Convention Center on Saturday with Mindoro battling Pasay at 4:00 PM, Iloilo tackling Quezon City at 6:00 PM, and Batangas tangling with Quezon at 8:00 PM.
