By Ivan Stewart Saldajeno/ PNA
MANILA — The second divisional semifinal series in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) playoffs was set on Monday night as the Quezon City Capitals and San Juan Knights completed a sweep of their first-round series at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
The Capitals shocked the Makati Skyscrapers anew, 77-74, to cap off the major playoff upset in the curtain-raiser.
QC banked on a 27-point second quarter blast to take control of the game before holding off Makati down the stretch.
Andoy Estrella went for 19 points, one rebound, and six assists while taking over in the fourth quarter for the seventh-seeded Capitals.
Jomar Santos added 18 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, and one steal off the bench.
Ced Ablaza and Jaycee Asuncion each made 15 markers for the Skyscrapers, who lost back-to-back games after an MPBL record 15-game winning streak.
In the nightcap, the Knights finished off the Navotas Clutch at home, 75-69.
San Juan was in control for most of the game, limiting Navotas to just 11 points in the first quarter and 26 the entire first half and even leading by as much as 16 points, 63-47, early in the fourth quarter.
The Knights, however, still had to endure yet another endgame run by the Clutch as the latter came to within four points, 69-73, with 47.3 seconds left.
They even had a chance to inch closer as Donald Gumaru picked Mike Ayon-Ayon’s inbound pass, but Gumaru’s intended pass to Samboy de Leon was too strong and John Wilson got the steal, leading to the insurance free throws from him with 37.3 seconds left.
Wilson and Mac-Mac Cardona each chipped in 13 points for San Juan, whose league quarterfinal series against QC is set for next week depending on how the remaining first-round series would end up.
Michole Sorela put up 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists for Navotas.
