In a thrilling playoff night at the Caloocan Sports Complex, the San Juan Knights and the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo secured their places in the semifinals of the SportsPlus Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) North Division, both overcoming determined opposition on Tuesday night.
The Caloocan Batang Kankaloo triumphed over the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys with a final score of 83-72. Key player Kean Baclaan, a standout former guard from the De La Salle Green Archers, was instrumental, contributing a total of 17 points, with nine of those coming in a crucial fourth quarter. His performance earned him the Best Player award, as he also recorded three rebounds and three assists. In a pivotal moment, Baclaan assisted teammate Kymani Ladi with a two-handed dunk, extending the lead to 73-57. Ladi also had a noteworthy game, amassing 15 points and 11 rebounds, alongside impactful defensive plays with two blocks and two steals.
San Juan also emerged victorious in their quarterfinal match, defeating the Bataan Risers 82-77. Despite Bataan attempting a comeback by reducing San Juan's lead to just four points in the final minutes, San Juan's strategic shift to a smaller lineup, which eliminated the traditional center position, effectively stifled the Risers' rally. Orlan Wamar led the Knights' charge with 16 points, including four critical three-pointers, and contributed significantly on defense with three steals and five assists. Harold Alarcon nearly achieved a double-double with 10 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, while teammate James Kwekuteye added 12 points to the scoreboard.
San Juan's shooting performance from beyond the arc was a mixed bag, making only 8 out of 29 attempts, resulting in a conversion rate of 27.6%. Bataan struggled even more, managing just one successful three-pointer out of 22 attempts, a disappointing 4.5% efficiency. The weaknesses in Bataan’s shooting proved costly as they attempted to keep pace with the Knights' scoring.
The Cowboys, while facing elimination in their series against Caloocan, showed resilience with Allen Mina and Donald Gumaru each scoring 14 points. Charles Barkley Ebona added 11 points, while Arth Dela Cruz and MJ Ayaay each chipped in with 10 points. Despite their efforts, the combination of Caloocan's strong defense and offensive execution was too much to overcome, as they ended the series 2-0 after winning the opener 81-76.
As the semifinal rounds loom closer, San Juan's aim to reclaim the MPBL national title they last won in 2019 adds an exciting layer to their upcoming matches. Meanwhile, the South Division playoffs are set to continue, with the Zamboanga SiKat facing off against the reigning division champion Quezon Province, followed by a matchup between Batangas City and Cebu. Both Quezon and Cebu are looking to secure 2-0 sweeps for a chance to advance to the semifinals.