Author: John Michael Decierdo Agustin
The Mindoro Tamaraws struggled early in the game against Muntinlupa Cagers ELBURG Paramount in the 6th season of Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) on Thursday, August 29. However, continuous offensive efforts from Jayvee Dela Cruz and Jhon Jerrick Caspe allowed Mindoro to come back from a 17-point deficit and even secure the win.
Mindoro trailed throughout the game due to Muntinlupa’s choking defense and was even down by 17 points at one point in the first period. Turnovers, bad passes, and disrupted passing lanes made the Tamaraws walk on a tightrope. But, with just about 4 minutes left in the third quarter, Mindoro managed to make a 15-to-nothing run, thanks to Caspe, Dela Cruz, and even Brylle Ivan Meca, who made some huge rebounds and second-chance points. Mindoro got the momentum and eventually went away with the win, 79-76.
Best Player Of The Game: Jhon Jerrick Caspe
Caspe had a memorable night, putting up a nice double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds. Meanwhile, Dela Cruz posted 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Meca tallied 7 points, 9 boards, 4 dimes, and an outstanding 5 steals.
On the other hand, despite group effort from Muntinlupa, they have now lost their last six games, currently putting them in the bottom half of the league.
Other Notable MPBL Results
19th-seed Pangasinan Heatwaves easily comes out on top against the 21st-seed Iloilo United Royals, PBA rookie Mark Nonoy’s former MPBL team. It was a pretty close game, but the scoring barrage of Nathaniel Cosejo, Ralph Robin, and Michael Juico was deemed overwhelming for Iloilo. The three players scored a combined 60 points, with Juico and Robin putting up 22 a piece and Cosejo also contributing 16 points for the team.
Meanwhile, the main event of the evening saw John Paul Cauilan bring 31 points for Quezon City Toda Aksyon, including 7 long bombs from behind the arc while shooting an amazing 46.7 3-point field goal percentage.
The Much-Awaited Battle
MPBL will return to Cuneta Astrodome on August 30 and will feature the head-to-head matchup between the top 2 teams of the league, the Pampanga Giant Lanterns (#1) and San Juan Knights (#2).
The Scores:
- Mindoro Tamaraws vs Muntinlupa Cagers ELBURG Paramount (79-76)
- Pangasinan Heatwave vs. Iloilo United Royals (100-78)
- Quezon City TODA Aksyon vs. Valenzuela Classics VACARGO (73-67)
*Photo Credit: MPBL
