BATANGAS leaned on the late third-quarter explosion of Juneric Baloria and trounced Bacoor 70-57 last Saturday to advance to the semifinals of the South division of the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season Presented by Xtreme at the Batangas City Coliseum.
Baloria, former star of the Perpetual Help Altas, poured 11 points in the last two minutes of that decisive period as the Batangas City Embassy Chill Athletics pulled away from the Bacoor Strikers, 54-34.
It was easy sailing for Batangas from there as the Athletics moved beyond recall at 68-45 and clinched their quarterfinal series against the Strikers, 2-1.
Baloria, who continues to wear a protective mask on his face, wound up with 12 points and 4 rebounds, complementing the 13-point, 13-rebound, 4-steal,2-assist output of Cedric Ablaza. Levi Hernandez contributed 10 points for the Athletics of Coach Cholo Villanueva.
The Strikers tried to mount a rally in the fourth quarter behind the 16-point outburst of Jan Jamon, but could not even threaten the Athletics, who drew inspiration from the thousands of Batanguenos who watched the game in the
The Athletics will be facing the Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers in a best-of-3 semifinal series.
