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Pasig derails Biñan City's playoff bid with crucial road win

Josan Nimes fired 30 points for the Realtors. MPBL
By Ivan Saldajeno

BIÑAN—Biñan City's late surge in the MPBL playoff race suffered a huge hit right at its final home game of the regular season as Pasig stole an 82-75 win at the Alonte Sports Arena on Tuesday night.

In a game with huge playoff bearings for both teams, the Realtors, who were shut down in the second quarter, came alive late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, dropping a 23-1 run that put them ahead, 76-59, with 5:22 left.

Jed Mendoza and James Mangahas put up one last stand for the Heroes, conniving on a 14-4 run to finish the game, but the comeback still fell short as their six-game winning streak that catapulted them to the playoff picture came to an end.

After Jeric Teng scored back-to-back 30-point games last week, it was Josan Nimes' turn to drop exactly 30 for Pasig along with 11 rebounds, two assists, and three steals.

Teng added 18 points, four rebounds, five assists, and one steal as his team now has its own winning streak with back-to-back victories to go up to 16-11.

Pasig, currently in seventh place in the Northern Division, is one game behind Bataan for sixth place, 1.5 games behind Pampanga for fifth place, and 2.5 games behind Bulacan for fourth place.

Mendoza finished with 16 markers, seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal for Biñan City, which slipped to 12-15, two games behind Bicol, which won over Sarangani earlier Tuesday, for eighth place in the Southern Division.

Macky Acosta added 14 points and six rebounds, while Mangahas had 12 points, 11 caroms, and two dimes.

The Scores:

Pasig-Sta. Lucia (82) – Nimes 30, Teng 18, Najorda 9, Mendoza 9, Gotladera 6, Velchez 4, Manalang 2, Chavenia 2, Tamayo 2, Medina 0, Grealy 0

Biñan City-Luxxe White (75) – Mendoza 16, Acosta 14, J. Mangahas 12, Bautista 9, Villanueva 7, Parala 7, A. Mangahas 6, Neypes 2, Stevens 2, Castanares 0, Justiniani 0

Quarterscores: 24-20, 36-41, 65-58, 82-75

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno