by Ivan Stewart Saldajeno/PNA
MANILA — The Navotas Clutch set a Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) scoring record after dropping 120 points on Quezon City Capitals in a 15-point home win at the Navotas Sports Complex on Thursday night.
The Clutch eclipsed the previous record set by the Bulacan Kuyas and was tied by the Imus Bandera after dropping 40 points on the Capitals in the first quarter and 47 more in the third, thanks to 16 triples, which equals another single-game MPBL record.
Navotas already had 103 points after the third period, the first time in league history that a team breached 100 points in just 30 minutes, and led by as much as 27 before settling for the 120-105 scoreline.
Jai Reyes came up just one point short of matching the career-high that he had set in the Clutch’s previous game, a win at the Manila Stars, after making 32 points on 7-of-13 shooting from three-point land with eight assists, five rebounds, and one steal.
Marlon Gomez added a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds with three assists and one steal, as Navotas locked in the sixth seed in the Northern Division playoffs, setting itself up in a Round of 16 series against third-seeded San Juan.
Andoy Estrella put up 23 markers, six boards, four dimes, and one steal, while Mon Mabayo (19 points and 10 rebounds) and Hesed Gabo (15 assists and 12 points) each had a double-double for QC, which will now settle for the seventh seed and a playoff clash with Makati.
In the curtain-raiser, Bataan romped Pasig in a no-bearing match, 105-87, behind a 26-point explosion from Gab Dagangon.
