San Juan, Muntinlupa and Marikina trod separate paths toward victories in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season on Monday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
The San Juan Knights clobbered the Laguna Heroes, 110-63, while the Muntinlupa Cagers stunned the Pasig MCW Sports, 87-84, in overtime.
The Marikina Shoemasters, on the other hand, banked on the hot hands of homegrown Eloie Tan in the fourth quarter to nip the Manila Stars, 79-77, in the triple bill opener.
Drawing firepower from Orlan Wamar and AC Soberano, the Knights led from the start and by as far as 108-61 to climb to a 15-3 record in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.
Wamar hit seven of 10 triple ties en route to a game-high 23 points plus 6 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 assists as the Knights extended their winning run to eight.
Soberano contributed 18 points, followed by Rhinwill Yambing with 12 points plus 6 rebounds, and Adrian Clarence Nocum with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals.
Laguna, which got 14 points from Jerome Garcia, 11 from Paolo Pontejos and 10 from Kenneth Acibar, tumbled to 3-16.
Muntinlupa leaned on Reneford Ruaya and John Louisse Delos Santos in extra time to foil Pasig and rise to 11-7.
Delos Santos posted 11 points, 13 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals to complement the 20-point effort of John Cedrick Abis and earn best player honors. Ruaya, Chad Alonzo and John Amores tallied 12 points each with Amores adding 11 rebounds.
Pasig, which fell to 12-7, got 20 points from Robbie Manalang, 16 points plus 16 rebounds from Jason Ballesteros, 15 points plus 8 rebounds from Michael Maestre, 12 from Kenny Roger Rocacurva and 10 from Ryan Paule Costelo.
Tan poured 13 points, including 8 in a telling 14-point salvo in the last 10 minutes that pushed the Shoemasters ahead, 74-66, on the way to a 9-10 card.
Marwin Dionisio also shone for Marikina with 24 points and so did actor Gerald Anderson with 13 points.
Manila, which dropped to 3-16, got 12 points each from brothers Allan and James Mangahas and Jason Vincent Mancao.
The MPBL visits the Bacoor Strike Gym on Tuesday, July 11, with Nueva Ecija tackling Oriental Mindoro at 4 p.m., Zamboanga battling Iloilo at 6 p.m., and Paranaque testing Bacoor at 8 p.m.
