Caloocan continued its come-from-behind playoff drive as it booked a 76-69 win over Muntinlupa in the OKbet-Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League 4th Season late Tuesday at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.
Riding the crest of a morale-boosting 86-82 upset of powerhouse Batangas City on 29 September, the Excellence raced to a 33-16 spread en route to their sixth victory in 19 games in the elimination round of this 22-team tournament.
With the win, Caloocan is now locked in a three-way battle with Marikina (6-13) and Manila (6-14) for the eighth and last quarterfinal slot in the North Division.
Jomar Santos fired 16 points while Reil Cervantes added 14, James Martinez with 12 and Damian Lasco with 10 for Caloocan, which have to win over also-ran Makati and South Division qualifier Sarangani to formalize its quarterfinal entry.
Also emerging victorious are qualifiers Zamboanga and General Santos City, which trounced lightweights Mindoro, 110-70, and Laguna, 84-49, respectively.
Zamboanga drew 16 points from Chris Dumapig and 15 markers from homegrown Jul-Ashri Ignacio in dumping Mindoro and catching up with Batangas at 16-3 in the South division.
The Warriors, meanwhile, banked on Niko Elorde, Christopher Masiglang, Marlon Gomez and Christian Fajarito in disposing of the depleted Laguna Krah Asia Heroes and rising to 14-6 in the South division.
Elorde wound up with 14 points, Masiglang 12, Gomez 11 and Fajarito 19.