San Juan Game Log #25: Wilson gets scoring milestone as Knights dispatch Pasig to boost top seed drive

San Juan had their drive at the overall top spot in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League go the higher gear as they used the long range to dispatch the Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors 109-99 Saturday evening at the FilOil FlyingV Centre.

The defending National Champions leaned on their hot shooting from beyond the arc, as they moved closer in sealing the number one seed in the Northern Division by moving to 22-3 in the Lakan Season, with leading scorer John Wilson making history in the MPBL as the first player to score 1,000 points.

Needing just four points to breach the mark, Wilson hit the first of his six triples at the 4:35 mark of the opening period to get his fifth point of the game to enter the history books, as he finished with 24 points in the process to lead the Knights.

After the half-time buzzer, Wilson had 17 points with San Juan firing 11/19 (57%) from beyond the arc to pull away with an eleven point lead, which was extended to 16 late in the game courtesy of Jeff Tajonera's corner pocket three-ball.

Overall, San Juan fired 51% (17/33) from the long line compared to just 5/20 for Pasig, and had eleven more assists than the visitors.

The bench contributed to the champions' great game, as Jhonard Clarito, Art Aquino and Orlan Wamar pitched in a dozen each as the Knights had 16 more points than the Realtors' reserves as they pulled away in the second .

Jeric Teng had a game-high 31 points for Pasig who fell to 14-11.

The scores:

SAN JUAN 109 -- Wilson 24, Ayonayon 18, Clarito 12, Wamar 12, Aquino 12, Rodriguez 7, Tajonera 6, Ubalde 5, Victoria 3, Subido 3, Bonifacio 2, Reyes 2, Isit 2, Estrella 2, Bunag 0

PASIG 99 -- Teng 31, Najorda 21, Nimes 13, Gotladera 13, Manalang 8, Mendoza 7, Velchez 2, Chavenia 0, Tamayo 0, Medina 0

Quarter scores: 25-23, 56-45, 80-69, 109-99

Photo by Harold Biado/San Juan Knights