Bacoor blasts Zamboanga

Bacoor blasted Zamboanga, 83-75, to notch its fourth straight win in the MPBL Lakan Season even as Bicol and Davao Occidental posted contrasting victories late Monday night at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The Strikers of Bacoor put one over a Zamboanga team that is orphaned by its head coach, who served a one-game suspension for misconduct.

Ex-pros Michael Mabulac and fellow All-Star and reigning league Most Valuable Player Gab Banal combined forces while team captain Oping Sumalinog also hit clutch baskets in towing the Strikers to their fourth consecutive win.

Bacoor improved its win-loss record to 4-1 in the third season of the fastest growing regional amateur basketball league put up by Senator Manny Pacquiao with PBA legend and former MVP Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner.

Mabulac, the team’s premier big man, finished with a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds.

Banal also came away with a double-double showing of 10 points and 11 boards while Sumalinog, a former standout of Alab Pilipinas in the ABL, added 12 markers.

Bai Cristobal took over as head coach of Zamboanga in lieu of suspended coach Raymond Valenzona, but the Strikers were not ready to give the veteran bench tactician a warm welcome as they dealt him and his team a sound beating.

Davao Occidental turned to Billy Robles, who sank the game-winning lay up just in the nick of time, towing the Tigers to a scary 69-67 victory over host team Pasay.

Robles’ game-winner catapulted the Cocolife-backed Tigers to their third win in four games.

Bicol, on the other hand, outlasted Imus in overtime, 81-78, as Ronjay Buenafe scored five points in the extra period, helping the expansion squad Volcanoes to their third win in five games and their first back-to-back victories this season.