Defending champion Davao Occidental-Cocolife held off a furious fourth quarter fightback by Quezon City, carving out an 81-79 decision last Saturday night for its sixth straight win and kept the solo lead in the Manila Bankers Life-Pilipinas Super League Pro Division Second Conference Dumper Cup at the San Andres Gym in Manila.
Beacons forward Raffy Octobre could not complete what could have been a heroic effort in the endgame, missing a three-point try before Jam Jamon also muffed a jumper at the buzzer.
Octobre boomed in a triple that shoved QC to within 79-81 with 15 seconds to go.
Former PBA cager John Wilson totaled 16 points, to go with seven rebounds and two assists for the Tigers, while Marco Balagtas chipped in 11 markers and eight boards.
Billy Robles also had 10 and five for Davao Occidental, which remained untouchable with a 6-0 mark in the tilt presented by Winzir and co-presented by SCD Cosmetics and Dumper party-list, and supported by NET 25, Adcon, Wcube Solutions Inc., MDC, Unisol, Don Benitos, and Finn Cotton.
The Tigers pulled off a similarly hard-earned 78-76 triumph over Nueva Ecija last Dec. 17.
The Beacons absorbed their third loss in a row, counting a 59-83 defeat to the Pampanga G Lanterns last Dec. 29 for a 1-4 slate.
In other games, Pampanga Royce mangled the Slashers 82-61 for a 5-0 card, while Manila improved to 4-3 following an 89-79 victory over Cagayan de Oro-PSP.
Jamon paced QC with 24 points and five caroms, while Germy Mahinay and Aaron Jeruta got 14 and 11 markers, respectively.
The scores
First game
PAMPANGA ROYCE 82 – Mendoza 17, Huang 10, Andrade 9, Navarro 8, Bahio 6, Flores 6, Liwag 6, Tolentino 6, Villapando 5, Baetiong 3, Verano 3, Palencia 2, Cullar 1, Fornillos 0.
NUEVA ECIJA 61 – Ingles 10, Nacpil 10, Cruz 9, De Guzman 7, Mallari 7, Segura 7, Ingel 3, Acop 2, Lagrama 2, Juanico 2, Mancao 2, Bartolo 0, Brutas 0, Ingusan 0, Pascual 0.
Quarters: 31-17, 49-24, 67-40, 82-61.
Second game
DAVAO OCCIDENTAL-COCOLIFE 81 – Wilson 16, Balagtas 11, Sorela 9, Agovida 8, Custodio 7, Rodriguez 6, Calo 5, Jimenez 5, Abundo 2, Subido 2, Dagangon 0.
QUEZON CITY 79 – Jamon 24, Mahinay 14, Jeruta 11, Baracael 7, Javier 7, Hubalde 5, Reyes 5, Arong 3, Lee Yu 3, Casiño 0, Peromingan 0, Santos 0.
Quarters: 24-25, 41-43, 60-54, 81-79.
Third game
MANILA 89 – Hernandez 21, Alcoriza 17, Alban 11, Mangahas 11, Escosio 9, Acibar 8, Acosta 8, Gayosa 3, Arellano 1, Dela Cruz 0, Manalo 0, Morales 0, Wong 0.
CAGAYAN DE ORO-PSP 79 – Dela Cruz 18, Yutuc 18, Lucero 13, Bayla 12, J. Soriano 9, Castillo 5, E. Soriano 2, Mohammad 2, Hilario 0, Larupay 0, Reyes 0, Rojo 0.
Quarters: 20-20, 44-41, 69-62, 89-79.
