SAN FERNANDO — Koponang Lakan ng Bulacan and San Pedro Laguna-ARS pulled off Houdini-like escapes against separate foes last Wednesday to rediscover their winning ways in the Manila Bankers Life-Pilipinas Super League Pro Division Second Conference Dumper Cup at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center here.
Bulacan leaned on a Jason Ballesteros free throw, only 11 ticks left, and forced Tricky Peromingan to miss a short stab at the buzzer to score a 63-62 victory over Quezon City.
Ballesteros went one rebound shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine boards for Bulacan, while JL Delos Santos complemented the former PBA player with 12 markers, 11 caroms, and six assists.
Joseph Celso also had 12 and seven for Bulacan, which atoned for a 74-81 loss to Manila last week and improved to 4-3 for eight in the joust 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, with PBA and Gilas Pilipinas great Marc Pingris serving as Commissioner.
The Beacons failed in their bid to end their woes, dropping their fifth straight game, counting a 65-72 setback to Pampanga Royce also last week, for a 1-6 slate.
Jan Formento’s steady hands at the foul line lifted the Warriors to a pulsating 59-56 decision over Bagong Cabuyao-Homelab Nation.
Cabuyao threatened at 56-57 on two freebies by Crispin Barnedo with 1:57 remaining before Formento made two foul shots that pegged the final count in the last 13 seconds.
Mark Doligon wound up with 15 points and 10 boards for San Pedro, while Eduard Doroteo added 11 markers and eight rebounds.
The triumph allowed the Warriors to halt a six-game slide, including a 73-91 thrashing at the hands of Boracay last Jan. 9, and raised their record to 2-6.
Coming off an 80-107 defeat to Batang Kankaloo-Caloocan also last Jan. 9, Cabuyao lost for the sixth time in a row and fell to 1-6.
Peromingan was the lone bright spot for QC with 21 points, six rebounds, and two feeds.
Francis Abarcar paced Cabuyao with 13 points, while Sancho Vitug and Barnedo combined for 24.
The Scores
First game
SAN PEDRO LAGUNA-ARS 59 – Doligon 15, Doroteo 11, Callano 9, Chan 7, Formento 6, Orada 4, Singh 3, Kadir 2, Matias 2, Almaden 0, Gonzaga 0, Samonte 0.
BAGONG CABUYAO-HOMELAB NATION 56 – Abarcar 13, Barnedo 12, Vitug 12, Pontejos 8, Galabin 6, Cadua 3, Capara 2, Jolangcob 0, Obuyes 0, Velasquez 0, Villapando 0.
Quarters: 17-22, 30-31, 51-45, 59-56.
Second game
KOPONANG LAKAN NG BULACAN 63 – Ballesteros 13, Celso 12, Delos Santos 12, Pangilinan 6, Serrano 5, Tan 4, Biteng 3, Malabag 3, Santos 2, Payongyong 0, Salamat 0.
QUEZON CITY 62 – Peromingan 21, Lee Yu 8, Jamon 7, Arong 6, Jeruta 5, Mahinay 5, Najorda 3, Casiño 2, Javier 2, Octobre 2, Reyes 2, Santos 2, Baracael 0.
Quarters: 12-11, 23-26, 45-42, 63-62.
