by Ivan Stewart Saldajeno/PNA
The Quezon City Capitals put the Makati Skyscrapers’ Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) record 15-game winning streak to an end with an 88-77 stunner in Game 1 of their playoff series at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on Wednesday night.
QC, which had an impressive start, held off Makati, which fought back from nine points down and was within one point, 73-74, with 4:44 left, down the stretch with an 11-0 run that gave the latter its largest lead at 12 points, 85-73, with 1:21 to go and never looked back.
Jay Collado put up a career-high 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting with seven rebounds, one assist, and one block for the seventh-seeded Capitals, who, following the third-seeded San Juan Knights’ 81-76 win over sixth-seeded Navotas Clutch earlier Wednesday, were the only lower-seeded team that drew first blood in their best-of-three Round of 16 affair in the Northern Division.
Hesed Gabo and Andoy Estrella each added 15 markers with the latter getting 10 of his points in the fourth quarter, sparking their breakaway.
Rudy Lingganay and Jeckster Apinan each made 15 points of their own for the second-seeded Skyscrapers, who actually set the new record on February 25 with a 102-78 rout of the Capitals.
In the first game, the San Juan Knights limited the Navotas Clutch to just 10 points in the second quarter but just got a sigh of relief in the end as its opponent’s late run came up short.
Mike Ayonayon made 16 points, five rebounds, five assists, and one steal for the Knights, who can close out their series against the Clutch at home next week.
Larry Rodriguez added a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds with three blocks.
Donald Gumaru made 19 points, four boards, two dimes, and one steal for Navotas.
