Manila paraded Greg Slaughter and emerged triumphant over Binan, 79-63, on Friday in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
The 7-footer Slaughter delivered 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists to negate 5 turnovers and was chosen best player on his first stint in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
It was far from being a Slaughter show, however, as Carl Bryan Cruz and Jan Jamon also shone for Manila SV Batang Sampaloc, which notched its 6th win against four losses.
Cruz posted 21 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block, while Jamon notched 14 points, including the dagger 3 that pushed Manila away, 66-54, with 4 minutes and 25 seconds to go.
Cruz then sealed Binan’s first loss after 6 wins by sinking 2 free throws, capping Manila’s 12-point cluster, 68-54, with only 4 minutes and 6 seconds left.
Binan got 15 points and 5 rebounds from Jimboy Estrada and 11 points from Nino Canaleta.
Earlier, Rizal XentroMall nipped Bataan, 87-85, to rise to 6-3.
Kraniel Villoria starred anew for the Rizal Golden Coolers with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals in 34 minutes and 3 seconds of play. He was ably supported by Keith Agovida with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, Charles Dela Cruz with 15 points and 5 rebounds, Marco Balagtas with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists plus 2 steals, and homegrown John Apacible with 11 points and 3 rebounds.
The Bataan Risers, who dropped to 3-6, got 14 points each from Mitchelle Maynes and Dante Paguio, 13 points plus 8 rebounds from Rhaffy Octobre, and 12 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists from Robbi Darang.
Neither team led by double digits in the tight game that saw 11 lead changes and 7 deadlocks.
Davao survived a fiery rally by Pangasinan to prevail, 64-62, in the opener.
Coasting along, 61-53, the Davao Occidental Tigers watch as the Pangasinan Heatwaves threaten at 61-62 following a 9-point cluster by Ralph Robin.
Davao’s Jun Manzo split his two free throws for the final count as Pangasinan’s Hesed Gabo missed an ill-advised 3-pointer before the buzzer.
The Tigers, who drew 17 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists from Bambam Gamalinda, climbed to 7-2 while the Heatwaves fell to 2-7. Manzo finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
Pangasinan got 17 points from Robin, 16 from Ed Daquiaog, and 12 points from Michael Mabulac.
The MPBL visits the Quezon Convention Center on Saturday with Mindoro battling Pasay at 4 p.m., Iloilo tackling Quezon City at 6 p.m. and Batangas tangling with Quezon.
Caption: Greg Slaughter delivers for the Manila Stars.