Rhaffy Octobre launched the lethal missiles as Batangas ended Pampanga’s dominant run, 95-92, in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Batangas State University Gym in Batangas City on Thursday, which was filled with people.
The 6-foot-4 utility forward from the University of the Visayas and Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, scored eight points for the Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers. His performance powered them to victory over the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, who finally experienced defeat after 17 consecutive wins in the elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
Octobre earned the best player honors for his clutch hits and a total of 19 points, narrowly surpassing Batangas’ top scorer, Levi Hernandez, who also finished with 19 points.
Juneric Baloria contributed 14 points, while John Ambulodto added 12 points, including a reverse lay-up in the final 20 seconds. Dawn Ochea sealed Batangas’ 14th win against 4 losses with two free throws, making it 95-89 with only 7.1 seconds left, before Kurt Reyson scored a triple for the final count.
Pampanga’s Encho Serrano recorded 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Justine Baltazar, the leading contender for the MVP title, posted 17 points, 22 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks.
Archie Concepcion contributed 15 points in the tightly contested game, which witnessed neither team taking a lead of more than 9 points, along with 21 lead changes and 14 ties.
In the first game of the triple bill, Makati dominated Sarangani, winning 115-88. Negros also triumphed over Bacolod, with a score of 102-88.
The games started an hour late at 5 p.m. due to traffic caused by floods, which affected league personnel and some teams coming from Metro Manila.
Emman Calo scored 18 points, and four other players reached double digits as the Makati OKBet Kings boosted their playoff campaign with a 12-6 record.
Keith Agovida supported Calo with 15 points and 9 rebounds, followed by Billy Robles with 12 points and 9 rebounds, and Rob Celiz and RJ Ramirez with 11 points each.
The Negros Muscovados relied on Jason Melano’s 23 points and 11 rebounds to defeat the Bacolod Maskaras 102-88 in the Battle of Panay.
Jun Manzo contributed 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Bernie Bregondo scored 12 points and grabbed 8 boards for Negros, which caught up to their opponent at 7-12.
Despite Rommel Calahat’s impressive performance of 26 points and 13 rebounds, Sarangani slipped to an 8-11 record.
On Friday, the MPBL will take place at the FIloil Ecooil Centre in San Juan with a triple bill: GenSan versus Bicol at 4 p.m., Quezon City versus Rizal at 6 p.m., and Bulacan versus San Juan at 8 p.m.
