SAN JUAN GAME LOG :#8: Home sweet home for the Knights as they dispatch QC

Finally, home sweet home it is.

After a month away from the FilOil FlyingV Centre, the San Juan Knights didnt miss a beat as they took care of business against the Quezon City Capitals with an 89-71 beatdown Monday night.

Coming from their July road trip where they managed to sweep all five games, not even the downpour from the heavens could deter the home crowd in Santolan in turning up as they filled The Arena moments before tip-off, and the defending national champs duly delivered as they extend their hot start to eight straight wins, their first at home since their June 28 thriller against Pasay.

The dynamic veteran duo of John Wilson and Larry Rodriguez led the Knights as they picked up double-doubles as they hauled down ten rebounds each, with the former NCAA MVP letting it rain from the long line to lead all scorers with 21 points on five triples.

While Wilson was dropping bombs from the outside, the former Rain Or Shine big man had put Mon Mabayo back to school as he shot 60% en route to 13 points.

San Juan's depth was evident in the entire game, with all but one of the dozen Knights fielded in by coach Randy Alcantara chipped in at least a field goal.

Overall, the Knights had shot almost 39% from the field and outrebounded QC by a dozen boards for a dominating performance.

Despite the Caps ending the opening frame with a one-point lead, that was the best that they could muster as San Juan took over from there, taking a four-point lead at the half.

What blew the game wide open happened in the third period, as San Juan fired a 9-0 run to turn a close three-point lead into a 57-45 margin to put the game away.

The final frame was just a mere formality, with Wilson's three-ball hiking their biggest lead to 22, 80-58 before fan favorite Joseph Ubalde fired in five in the dying minutes of the game, much to the delight of the faithful at FilOil.

The scores:

SAN JUAN 89 -- Wilson 21, Rodriguez 13, Ayonayon 9, Reyes 8, Cardona 8, Clarito 7, Isit 6, Aquino 5, Ubalde 5, Tajonera 4, Pelayo 3, Estrella 0

QUEZON CITY 71 -- Derige 19, Mabayo 14, Black 12, Santos 11, Caranguian 5, Gonzaga 5, Carongoy 3, Barua 0, Castro 0, Tayongtong 0, Sison 0

Quarter scores: 14-15, 41-37, 61-50, 89-71

(photo by the San Juan Knights)

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