MANILA –– Muntinlupa secured the last seat in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Anta Rajah Cup Finals after beating Parañaque, 81-70, in Game 3 of the conference semifinals at the Muntinlupa Sports Center in Muntinlupa on Tuesday night.
Following a slow start, the Cagers gradually got back into the ballgame and finally eliminated the Patriots through a 50-point second half outburst to the delight of their home city fans.
Chito Jaime led the third-seeded Muntinlupa, which will face top-seeded Batangas City in the Finals starting Thursday night at the Batangas Sports Center, with 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, and one block.
Allan Mangahas added 18 points, six rebounds, five assists, and one steal.
Harold Arboleda’s near triple-double of 18 points, 14 rebounds, and seven came up short as the seventh-seeded Parañaque’s Cinderella run that saw the team shocking second-seeded Bulacan in the quarterfinals came to an end. (Ivan Stewart Saldajeno/PNA)
