Bulacan, San Pedro triumph

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — Koponang Lakan ng Bulacan and San Pedro Laguna-ARS pulled off thrilling escapes against separate foes to rediscover their winning forms in the Manila Bankers Life-Pilipinas Super League Pro Division Second Conference Dumper Cup late Wednesday at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center here.

Bulacan leaned on a Jason Ballesteros free throw with only 11 seconds left and forced Tricky Peromingan to miss a short stab at the buzzer to score a 63-62 victory over Quezon City.

Ballesteros went one rebound shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine boards for Bulacan, while JL de los Santos complemented the former Philippine Basketball Association player with 12 markers, 11 caroms, and six assists.

Joseph Celso also had 12 and seven for Bulacan, which atoned for a 74-81 loss to Manila last week and improved to 4-3 for the eighth spot.

The Beacons failed in their bid to end their woes, dropping their fifth straight game, counting a 65-72 setback to Pampanga Royce also last week, for a 1-6 slate.

Jan Formento’s steady hands at the foul line lifted the Warriors to a pulsating 59-56 decision over Bagong Cabuyao-Homelab Nation.

Cabuyao threatened at 56-57 on two freebies by Crispin Barnedo with 1:57 remaining before Formento made two foul shots that pegged the final count in the last 13 seconds.

Mark Doligon wound up with 15 points and 10 boards for San Pedro, while Eduard Doroteo added 11 markers and eight rebounds.

The triumph allowed the Warriors to halt a six-game slide, including a 73-91 thrashing at the hands of Boracay last 9 January and raised their record to 2-6.

Coming off an 80-107 defeat to Batang Kankaloo-Caloocan also last 9 January, Cabuyao lost for the sixth time in a row and fell to 1-6.

Peromingan was the lone bright spot for Quezon City with 21 points, six rebounds, and two assists.

Francis Abarcar paced Cabuyao with 13 points, while Sancho Vitug and Barnedo combined for 24.