Makati stunned Pampanga, 102-97, in overtime, while Caloocan rallied to nip Muntinlupa, 81-80, on Friday in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.
Keith Agovida scored six points for Makati OKBet’s 10-point comeback in the extension period, handing the Kings their 16th win against six losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
On the other hand, Paul Sanga scored on a drive with 14 seconds left to complete Caloocan’s fightback from 13 points down in the fourth quarter and climb to 16-7.
Reliving his reputation as an explosive scorer, Agovida, the former NCAA Juniors Rookie of the Year who once scored a record 82 points for the Jose Rizal University Light Bombers, ended with 21 points and 7 rebounds to complement Emman Calo’s 31-point, 5-rebound effort, and Rob Celiz’s 20-point, 14-rebound, 4-assist output.
Agovida also forced the extension at 87-87 following a clutch triple with 53 seconds to go.
Pampanga, which absorbed only its second loss in 22 starts, was still ahead, 97-92, with 1 minute and 49 seconds left behind Justine Baltazar’s inside forays but went silent the rest of the way.
Baltazar registered his 21st-straight double-double with 31 points and 18 rebounds, along with 8 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, but fellow offensive marvel Encho Serrano was held to 13 points, and he also missed two crucial free throws in the homestretch.
Trailing 67-75, Batang Kankaloo unleashed 13 points behind Gabby Espinas and Irven Palencia against a lone triple by Val Acuna to tie the count at 78.
Ian Melencio made two free throws to restore Muntinlupa’s lead, but Palencia was able to split his two free throws before Sanga delivered the lethal basket, pushing Caloocan to 16-7.
Espinas emerged as Caloocan’s top performer with 13 points and 9 rebounds, while Acuna was the lone double-digit scorer for Muntinlupa, which fell to 12-9.
GenSan dumped Valenzuela, 109-86, and improved to 17-5 behind Kyt Jimenez’s triple-double and the sharpshooting of Mark Cruz and John Wilson.
Jimenez posted 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists to complement Cruz’s 26 points, highlighted by 6 triples, and Wilson’s 23 points, laced with 6 triples.
Valenzuela fell to 3-19 despite AJ Benson’s 28-point, 6-rebound, 4-assist effort.
The MPBL returns to the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan on Saturday with a triple bill pitting Quezon City against Iloilo at 4 p.m., Negros against Pasay at 6 p.m., and Zamboanga against San Juan at 8 p.m.
