Bataan Risers vs Mindoro Tamaraws. MPBL PHOTO
ANGELES CITY – North division squads Pampanga and Bataan ended their losing slides with contrasting victories Saturday night in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Lakan Season at AUF Gym here.
Mark Cruz and Reil Cervantes finished with 14 points each as the Giant Lanterns overcame the Bulacan Kuyas, 69-63, in their first home game of the season, while the Risers coasted to a wire-to-wire 97-87 win over expansion team Mindoro Tamaraws.
Cruz, the former Letran standout, reeled off five straight points in a crucial fourth quarter run, before Cervantes knocked down a triple with 15 seconds remaining to seal the win for the Lanterns, who ended a two-game losing streak.
Toto Villarias found his range from beyond the arc, hitting five triples to help keep the Tamaraws at bay in the second half. He finished with 19 points that went with five rebounds and four assists for the Risers.
The victories pushed Pampanga and Bataan’s records to 2-2, while Bulacan fell to 3-2. Mindoro absorbed its second loss in three games.