Sarangani Province makes their first!

Playing their first home game before an overflow crowd and their benefactor, the Marlin stunned the Quezon City Capitals, 78-74, at Sarangani Capitol Gym to cut a string of 21 losses, all but one coming when they still carried the SOCCKSARGEN banner.

All the Marlins needed was an 11-point salvo in the last two minutes to erase a 65-72 deficit and give local fans and Senator Manny Pacquiao, founder and CEO of MPBL which took over the franchise following allegations of game-fixing, something to cheer about.

Pari Llagas sparked that lethal salvo with a layup, followed by a triple and a 3-point play by Miko Estrellante and capped by a triple by Jorem Morada, to earn best player honors.

The 6-foot-4 Llagas, former star of the San Sebastian College Stags, ended up with 17 points, followed by chief gunner Orin Catacutan with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Morada contributed 11 points, John Mark Trinidad 10 and Estrellante 8 for Coach Manny Torralba’s charges who are mired at the bottom of the South division and the 31-team league.

The Capitals tumbled to 9-14 in the North division despite five players, led by Clark Derige with 16 and Joco Tayongtong with 15, scoring in double figures.

Sarangani’s breakthrough win overshadowed the Pampanga Giant Lanterns’ 82-63 trouncing of the Paranaque Patriots in the opener.