Davao Occidental repels Muntinlupa for 20th win

MUNTINLUPA — The Davao Occidental Tigers merely wanted to show that they’re the South division’s best team in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Datu Cup.

Starting strongly and showing better coordination, the Tigers bested the Muntinlupa Cagers, 88-82, Wednesday night to finish the elimination round with an unreachable 20-win, 5-loss slate Wednesday night at Muntinlupa Sports Complex.

Leo Najorda turned in one of his best performances in the league with 23 points, while MVP candidate Mark Yee added 19 points and 13 rebounds as the Tigers improved their record to 20-5, way ahead of their victims, the Batangas City Athletics and the General Santos City Warriors, who are both at 14-10.

The Cocolife-supported Tigers pulled away, 78-65, in the fourth quarter before coasting along to victory that pulled down the Cagers’ record to 14-10.

Other Tigers who delivered were Bonbon Custodio with 14 points and Arnold Adormeo with 10 points.

Earlier, the General Santos City Warriors notched their second straight win on the road with a 93-89 conquest of Mandaluyong El Tigre.

Flashing the form that gave them an 82-71 victory over the Bacoor Strikers on Monday, the Warriors surged ahead, 49-28, but needed to thwart a fierce rally by El Tigre to tally their 14th win against 10 losses that tied them with the Athletics in the South division.

Back-to-back triples by Jojo Cunanan enabled El Tigre to tie the count at 57, but the Warriors responded with a seven-point cluster to regain the lead and never looked back.

Cristopher Masaglang led the Warriors with 19 points, followed by John Orbeta with 17, Mark Racho and Rodulfo Villaruel with 14 each and Leomer Losentes with 10 plus 12 assists.

El Tigre, out of playoffs contention, fell to 8-16 despite the 21-point effort of Gian Abrigo and the 20-point output of Cunanan.

On Thursday, the MPBL visits the Navotas Sports Complex with a doubleheader pitting Pasig against Bataan at 7 p.m. and Navotas against Quezon City at 9 p.m.