JEFFREY Tajonera drilled in a buzzer-beater triple as San Juan stunned Pampanga 74-71 last Saturday in the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika PIlipinas Basketball League) 4th Season Presented by XTreme at the jam-packed Bren Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.
In surviving the see-saw battle, San Juan closed out its elimination round campaign with a 14-7 slate in a tie with Pasig, which bowed to Sarangani, 76-93, in the second game. Pampanga, which wasted two earlier inbound plays, dropped to 13-7.
Tajonera’s long three, his second that accounted for his 6 points total for the night, complemented the efforts of Dexter Maiquez, who posted 26 points, including three straight free throws that knotted the count at 71 with 8.6 seconds left, and 11 rebounds, to earn best player of the game honors. Egie Boy Mojica was the other Knight in twin digits with 11 plus 3 rebounds.
Neither team led in double figures, although Pampanga was in control for more than 28 minutes against San Juan’s 8 minutes.
Pampanga got 13 points and 7 rebounds from homegrown Jayson Castro Apolonio, 10 points and 8 rebounds from Michael Garcia and 10 points plus 4 steals from Archie Concepcion.
Makati pounced on a listless Caloocan side to post an 82-74 shocker in the opener.
Needing a win to stay in contention, the Caloocan Excellence instead played without intensity and fire and bowed out of the playoffs race with a 4-16 card.
Kenz Rei Diokno led Makati to only its second win in 20 starts with 23 points, followed by Kobe Bryant Pableo with 17 and Carlos Morales with 13.
