By ADRIAN STEWART CO

The Bacoor City Strikers showed their true strength as they walloped the Iloilo United Royals, 92-52, in Game 2 of the 2023 MPBL Southern Division quarterfinals at the Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum in Nueva Ecija on Saturday night, October 14.

Chito Jaime caught fire with four three-point conversions to finish with 16 points to go with seven rebounds as the Southern Division top-seed Strikers tied their best-of-three series at 1-1.

Jhaymo Eguilos chipped in double-double 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Michael Cañete and James Kwekuteye contributed 13 and 11 markers, respectively, for Bacoor.

Negrenses Mark Yee and Jhan McHale Nermal also made their presence felt with the former tallying eight points and eight rebounds, while the latter finished with six points and seven rebounds for the Strikers.

Both teams traded hits early in the first quarter, with Bacoor just slightly ahead at 8-7 before they pulled away at 20-11 behind conversions from Cañete, Eguilos and Alwyn Alday.

Bacoor continued its run in the second quarter with back-to-back triples from Jaime for a 30-15 lead. It grew further to 42-24 at the half with connections from Eguilos and Jimboy Pasturan.

The dominance continued for the Strikers in the second half with connections from Jaime, Eguilos and Kwekuteye, as the lead went up to as high as 40 points in the fourth quarter at 88-48.

Conrad Catapusan was the lone double-digit scorer for the United Royals with 11 points, while Andrey Armenion, Leo Guion II and AJ Madrigal contributed seven, six and five markers, respectively.

It was a disappointing game for the Mc Abolucion-mentored United Royals after pulling off a massive 89-86 upset over the Strikers in Game 1 behind the game-winning triple by Catapusan.

The Strikers and the United Royals will dispute the remaining Southern Division semifinals seat in the do-or-die Game 3 slated at the STRIKE Gym in Bacoor, Cavite on Saturday, October 21.

BACOOR 92 — Jaime 16, Eguilos 15, Cañete 13, Kwekuteye 11, Reyes 8, Yee 8, Nermal 6, Lee Yu 4, Pasturan 3, Jeruta 2, Alday 2, Lopez 2, Villoria 2, Ludovice 0.

ILOILO 52 — Catapusan 11, Armenion 7, Guion 6, Madrigal 5, Flores 4, Basco 3, Larupay 3, Imperial 3, Ongteco 2, Sumido 2, Navarro 2, Sinco 2, Arambulo 2, Nunez 0, Javelosa 0.

Quarterscores: 20-11, 42-24, 67-37, 92-52./ASC, WDJ