South Hills Royals gained share of the top spot in Pool 2, while Tsek Repablik and Chargers got a boost from tight wins in the Next5Hoops Metro Manila South leg games over the weekend.
South Hills Royals fended off hard-fighting Don Bosco Makati 2009, 74-68, to tie with DECA 8990 at the no. 1 seed so far with an identical 4-0 card.
A game-clinching 6-0 run in the final minute and half carried South Hill Royals after a nip-and-tuck fourth quarter which saw both teams take at least a 1-point lead in that stretch.
Reynaldo Malaga scored four of his team-high 20 points in that run to carry South Hill Royals along with nine rebounds. John Paul Redelick, who also scored a crucial two, added 18 points.
Don Bosco Makati 2009 failed to capitalize on its advantage downlow led by the duo of Mauro Lumba and John Estabillo, who had 25 and 15 points respectively and combined for 19 boards, as it dropped to a 0-5.
Tsek Repablik, meanwhile, won its second straight with a 85-78 nipping of Aviso to strengthen its hold of the third place with a 3-1 card.
Leading from start to finish, Tsek Repablik kept a comfortable double-digit lead in the fourth which Aviso tried to trim down but the effort proved to be too little too late.
Dannybelle Diocampo led all players from Tsek Repablik with 19 points while June Crespo and Ricardo Pagusara added 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Chargers hung tough against an undermanned E.T. Homes, 80-79, to pick up its second triumph and bounce back from a heartbreaker loss to Deca 8990 last week.
Trailing E.T. Homes closely for most of the fourth, Chargers finally saw an inch and took the final lead with 1:13 to play on a bucket from Ken Oscar.
Joshua Palacio tried to tie the game for E.T. Homes in the remaining minute but bungled two attempts from the field and heartbreakingly split his freethrows with two ticks left.
Jan Michael Asido led Chargers, who improved to 2-2 good for fourth place, with 19 points while Arem Ayad had 13 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
The valiant seven-man assault of E.T. Homes, meanwhile, was led by Robbie Clemente who finished 28 points while three others wound up with double digits in scoring.
