TAGUIG made it  three wins in a row with an easy 85-67 win over Pateros even  as Manila and Valenzuela  solidified  their chances with crucial victories in the  Metro League  basketball  championship at the  Dapitan Sports Complex, Manila.

Paulo Miguel Cambaya, Lerry Jhon Mayo and ex-PBA star John Ferriols scored almost at will  during the Generals’  decisive breakaway in the second period that saw them turn  an 18-22 deficit into a  commanding 47-29 lead at halftime.

The Generals were never seriously  threatened from there.

Cambaya finished with 16 points  spiked  by  5-of-7 shooting in three-point arc, while Mayo added 10  points and  four rebounds for the  Generals  of Mayor Lani Cayetano and coach Bing Victoria.

Ferriols, one of several PBA players trying  to make the most of the opportunity given them, was one of seven Taguig players with six points or more.

Ferriols, who was cited with the Excellent Noodle  “Move of the Game”, also had 11 rebounds and four assists.

Pateros gunner Rickson Gerero  finished with 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting in 32 minutes.

But Gerero,  who also played   in  an invitational league  in  Laguna earlier in the day, managed only three points in  the second  quarter  and  went  scoreless in the third  period when Taguig opened up as many as 26-point lead, 56-30.

No other players scored in double figures for Pateros.

Overall, Taguig shot better with 25-of-45 shooting (55 percent) from the field and 9-of-24 (37 percent)  from  the three-point area compared to Pateros' 22-of-51 (43 percent) and only 2-of-17 (11 percent) from the rainbow territory.

Manila outsteadied San Juan, 88-86, to take solo lead with 5-1 record, and Valenzuela routed Las Piñas, 111-76, for a 4-1 slate.

Manila went to Mark Christian Yu, who finished with 19 points, five rebounds and four assists and Jay Mark Mallari, who added 18 points, including 12 in fourth quarter, to go along with eight steals, seven assists and four rebounds.

Jayford Rodriguez had 16 points and four rebounds for the All Stars of  coach Adoe Salazar.

Andrei Simoun Dada led San Juan with 16 points.

Later, Erwin Sta. Maria led a balanced  attack for Valenzuela with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, nine rebounds and three assists.

Allan Richard Martin and Gianne Rivera had 16 points apiece for coach Gerry Esplana.

Las Piñas dropped to 0-7 in the event  organized by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and supported by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).