Defending champion Pampanga battered Manila, 92-63, with a slick running game on Monday, Aug. 26, to remain at the helm of the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Powered by Archie Concepcion, Encho Serrano and Justine Baltazar, the Pampanga Giant Lanterns led by as far as 92-60 en route to their 23rd straight win after an initial loss in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

Concepcion posted 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists to clinch the Daily Fantasy best player honors over Serrano, who tallied 23 points and 3 rebounds, and reigning MVP Baltazar, who barely missed a triple-double with 10 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists on top of 2 steals in a solid match-up against Greg Slaughter.

The 7-foot Slaughter chalked 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Manila SV Batang Sampaloc, who skidded to 17-8 as no other Star was able to contribute in twin digits.

Serrano and Concepcion fired 15 and 11 points, respectively, in the first half to lift Pampanga to a 47-30 spread from which Manila couldn't recover.

Earlier, Mindoro subdued Bacolod, 114-103, to improve to 8-16.

With five players submitting twin digits, the Mindoro Tamaraws surged ahead, 46-22, and proceeded to relegate Bacolod to the cellar at 1-23.

Jayvee Dela Cruz posted 22 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, Lester Reyes tallied 20 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, while homegrown Jhon Jerrick Caspe barely missed a triple-double with 19 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds and 2 steals.

Other Tamaraws who delivered were Rudy Lingganay with 14 points and 5 rebounds and Kint Ariar with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists.

Bacolod got 18 points from Rasham McCarthy, 16 from Yvan Ludovice and 14 from Alfred Sedillo.
The MPBL returns to the Caloocan Sports Complex on Tuesday with games pitting Zamboanga against Bulacan at 4 p.m., Bataan against Quezon at 6 pm., and Rizal against Caloocan at 8 p.m.