The Meralco Bolts (1-0) dominated the middle quarters and rolled to a convincing 109-88 win over the Converge FiberXers (1-2). Meanwhile, the Terrafirma Dyip (3-0) surged past the Blackwater Bossings (0-2) with a 99-88 victory on March 18.
Here are the players who made the biggest impact and the stats to prove it.
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE DAY:
Mubashar Ali TER C 22 PTS | 23 REB | 1 BLK | 51.1 FPS
The big man keeps on dominating, posting his second straight 20-rebound performance while shooting 50% or better and averaging 33 points in three games. He’s clearly the best player in the league right now, leading all players in scoring while ranking fourth in rebounding and should be poised for more of these performances moving forward.
Marvin Jones MER C 29 PTS | 8 REB | 3 AST | 41.1 FPS
By import standards, this was a fairly modest game for the big man. But he still turned in a solid offensive performance, finishing with a game-high in points while converting 10-of-15 from inside the arc. He can definitely score at a high level, but consistency has been an issue in his recent international stints.
Paolo Jose Hernandez TER SG 20 PTS | 5 REB | 2 BLK | 40.5 FPS
Hernandez had a breakout campaign last conference, averaging 13.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals. He’s really capable of getting it done on both ends and should continue to be an important piece of the team in the games ahead.
Crispin John Cansino MER SF 23 PTS | 8 REB | 1 BLK | 39.1 FPS
CJ also had a career performance in the Phil. Cup, averaging 18.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steals. He’s proven himself as a high-level offensive player, reaching the 20-point mark for the ninth time since last conference with a highly efficient performance today, knocking down 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Justine Baltazar CON PF 12 PTS | 15 REB | 2 STL | 35.5 FPS
Baltazar recorded his third double-double in as many games this conference, but with the team struggling, he’ll need to do more on offense. Last conference, he showed flashes of that potential, scoring at least 19 points three times.
Christopher Elijah Newsome MER SG 19 PTS | 5 AST | 2 STL | 34.9 FPS
The star guard continues to be dependable on offense. He caught fire from distance, knocking down 5-of-9 while also delivering solid playmaking. Last conference, he averaged 15.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.
Justin Arana CON C 16 PTS | 11 REB | 4 AST | 34.2 FPS
This marked his first double-double of the conference; in the previous conference, he had six. He may not be able to maintain this production but the team will certainly need him to keep contributing at this level on offense.
Sedrick Barefield BWB SG 25 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 33.5 FPS
Barefield is clearly one of the league’s better scorers, and he delivered again today with a game-high in scoring. This marks the seventh time since the last conference that he’s scored at least 18 points.
Alec June Stockton CON SG 18 PTS | 3 AST | 3 STL | 31.7 FPS
Stockton continues to excel as a two-way threat, averaging 16 points and 3.7 steals in three games this conference.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE DAY:
Jason Brickman MER PG 3 PTS | 2 REB | 5 AST | 11.9 FPS
The MPBL Finals MVP struggled badly in his debut, going 1-for-9 from the field, but he was still impactful as a playmaker and should eventually find his rhythm.
