Arboleda flirts with triple-double as Patriots repel Pirates

BACOOR, Cavite — Harold Arboleda barely missed a triple-double as he powered the Paranaque Patriots past the Pasig Pirates, 87-69, Wednesday night in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Datu Cup at Strike Gymnasium here.

The 6-foot-2 Arboleda, former star of the University of Perpetual Help Altas, tallied 23 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists as the Patriots overwhelmed the Pirates in the second half to storm ahead, 87-64, and climb to 6-5.

Also doing their share for the F2 Logistics-backed Patriots of were Robin Rono, who scored 22 points, and Mac Montilla, who chipped in 16 points apart from 4 rebounds, 4 steals and blocks.

The Pirates, drawing firepower from Martin Gozum and Marlon Monte, held fort up to the first half, 41-36, but eventually crumbled to their ninth loss in 10 starts in the wake of the Patriots’ repeated assaults.

In the nightcap, the Bacoor Strikers leaned on the game-long heroics and steady free throw shooting of Gab Banal to thwart the Navotas Clutch, 81-65, and climb to 6-4.

The versatile 6-foot-3 Banal went four-of-four from the charity stripe in the last 15 seconds, capping an MPBL career-high 30 points and 10-rebound performance for the Strikers of coach Buddz Reyes.

Bacoor led by as many as 21 points, 64-43, but Navotas persevered to threaten at 75-71 with still 1:13 to go.

Christopher Sumalinog and Mark Montuano accounted for 11 points each, while Raymond Macoconido added 10 for the Strikers.

Navotas, which got 20 points from Kristoffer James Porter and 15 from Gino Jumao-as, fell to 4-6.

The MPBL visits Valenzuela on Thursday with a doubleheader pitting Pampanga against Bataan at 7 p.m. and Valenzuela against Marikina at 9 p.m.