By JEROME LAGUNZAD
Game Tomorrow (Muntinlupa Sports Complex)
7 p.m. – Parañaque vs Muntinlupa
Top-ranked Batangas City repeated over fourth-seeded Valenzuela, 89-64, behind a strong second half on Saturday night to reach the 2018 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Anta Rajah Cup finals.
Former pro Val Acuña spearheaded a balanced attack with 16 points, while guard Lester Alvarez added 15 as the Athletics swept Valenzuela in their best-of-three semifinal series.
The Athletics won their first match, 80-75, last Thursday.
In the other semifinal match, third-ranked Muntinlupa pulled off a 66-56 win over seventh-seeded Parañaque to force a sudden-death showdown tomorrow.
Former pro Chito Jaime led all scorers with 26 points, including three triples, while adding 13 rebounds, three assists.
Dave Moralde and Pari Llagas tallied 13 points each while undersized big man Felix Apreku hauled down 14 rebounds.
Jaime, however, made the biggest difference, setting the tone with 11 points in the first period before ramming in his last eight points down the stretch to help Muntinlupa avenge an 84-59 setback in the opener.
Meanwhile, league founder Senator Manny Pacquiao offered P1.5 million for eventual finalists aside from the 24-inch trophy for the inaugural conference champion.
According to commissioner Kenneth Duremdes, the eventual champion will take home P1 million while the runner-up will settle for P500,000.
