By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Bacolod City of Smiles failed to finish their 2024 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Season campaign on a winning note after a 130-127 defeat to the Imus Agimat VA Drones at the Caloocan Sports Complex.

A go-ahead three-pointer from Jameson Hiro became the separation as the VA Drones finished the season with a 2-26 win-loss slate.

Bacolod, for their part, dropped to a 1-27 mark.

Imus started the match strong as they jumped to a 43-28 first quarter advantage, but Bacolod turned things around in the second period to cut the deficit to 60-63 at the half.

Bacolod waxed hot in the third period as they took their biggest lead of seven points, but Imus kept the match close until they broke a 127-all deadlock with a Hiro triple with seven seconds left.

Richard Albo, who previously played for the Bacolod squad, finished with a season-high of 40 points, including six three-pointers, to go with 12 rebounds and three assists to lead Imus.

Hiro chipped in 35 markers, 11 assists and eight rebounds, Nemesis dela Cruz contributed 25 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while Carlo Velasco and Kenneth Estabillo contributed 17 and 10 points, respectively.

Ian Pardo led Bacolod with 25 points, while Alfred Sedillo and Danny Marilao added 23 and 21 markers, respectively.

Louie Vigil had a double-double of 17 points and 18 rebounds, while John Lopez and Jamel Ramos ended with 13 and 10, respectively./ASC, WDJ

IMUS 130 — Albo 40, Hiro 35, Dela Cruz 25, Velasco 17, Estabillo 10, Camacho 3, Gimpayan 0, Gonzaga 0, Nicodemus 0, Rosales 0.

BACOLOD 127 — Pardo 25, Sedillo 23, Marilao 21, Antiporda 18, Vigil 17, Lopez 13, Ramos 10.

Quarterscores: 43-28, 63-60, 94-93, 130-127.