By Ivan Saldajeno
MANILA--San Juan came alive in the final period to hold off Navotas, 81-74, in the MPBL Datu Cup at the STRIKE Gymnasium in Bacoor on Tuesday night.
In a highly physical game that even saw Larry Rodriguez getting hurt twice and Mac-Mac Cardona getting ejected due to two unsportsmanlike fouls, John Wilson sizzled to lead the Knights's final attack to defeat the upset-seeking Clutch.
Down by 11, 50-61, at the end of the third period after Navotas limited San Juan to just 10 first quarter points and scored 25 in the third, the latter went on a 12-0 run with Wilson scoring the first 10 points to go up, 62-61.
The game went back and forth midway through the fourth, but the Knights finished off the Clutch with an 11-2 run in the final five minutes.
Wilson outscored the entire Navotas team in the fourth quarter, 16-13, and finished with an MPBL career-high 28 points alongside 10 rebounds, two assists, and three steals to lead San Juan, which tied Bataan again in first place in the Northern Division at 8-1. Overall, San Juan scored 31 fourth quarter points.
Kris Porter made 18 points, two rebounds, and one assist for Navotas, which slipped to 4-5.
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