MPBL: Caloocan spoils Alex Cabagnot's debut, beats Bacolod for 1st win

Veteran Reil Cervantes shines for Caloocan. MPBL

By Dugout Philippines

MANILA--Caloocan piled a big lead then coasted to an 80-73 wire-to-wire victory over Bacolod City of Smiles on Monday in the MPBL Sixth Season at the San Andres Sports Complex.

Banking on Joel Lee Yu and homegrown Achie Inigo, the Batang Kankaloo erected their biggest spread at 64-41 before the third quarter ended.

The Bacolenos, led by JJ Espanola, mounted a rally behind a 31-point fourth-quarter explosion but fell short of overtaking the Batang Kankaloo, who rebounded from a 66-69 loss to Manila on their debut on April 23.  

Bacolod skidded to 1-4 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

Veterans Reil Cervantes and Gabby Espinas paced Caloocan with 14 and 10 points, respectively, followed by Joco Tayongtong with 9.

Silent in the other quarters, Inigo finished with 7 points and Yu ended up with 6 for Caloocan being coached by Alex Angeles.

Bacolod got 13 points, 10 rebounds and 4 steals from Danny Marilao, and 11 each from Espanola, who poured 10 points in the fourth quarter, and Tricky Dyn Peromingan.

Batang Kankaloo took a 68-54 spread halfway through the fourth quarter to spoil the coaching debut of Alex Cabagnot for Bacolod.

Box Scores:

CALOOCAN 80 - Cervantes 14, Espinas 10, Tayongtong 9, Inigo 7, Palencia 7, Matias 6, Sanga 6, Lee Yu 6, Lasco 4, Casin 4, Calahat 3, Manalang 2, Sumoda 2, Bonsubre 0, Valin 0.

BACOLOD 73 - Marilao 13, Casinillio 12, Espanola 11, Peromingan 11, Calicia 8, Galit 6, Pastias 5, Ramos 4, Sabellina 3, Solomon 0, Salcedo 0, Sedillo 0, Canal 0, Manalang 0, Partosa 0.

Quarterscores: - 26-14, 44-28, 64-42, 80-73

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