GLOBALPORT FINALLY BREAKS INTO WIN COLUMN
GLOBALPORT may have just given Pido Jarencio a new lease on life.
Avoiding the same meltdown they had in their first game, the Batang Pier beat Barako Bull 91-81 Sunday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Alex Cabagnot, Stanley Pringle and Mark Isip made all the right plays in the fourth quarter, enabling GlobalPort to hang on to the lead despite Barako’s equally determined charge.
As a result, the Batang Pier shook off the bitter memories of a 96-101 loss to NLEX last Tuesday, when the former blew a nine-point lead in the stretch, and improved to a 1-1 record.
“At least natanggal ang jinx kahit papaano,” said Jarencio, reportedly set to be replaced after that loss to the Road Warriors, which was the Batang Pier’s eighth straight since the last conference.
“It was a total team effort,” added Jarencio. “We owe this win to the fans, to the GlobalPort fans. At saka sa management.”
GlobalPort owner Mikee Romero himself said Jarencio is “under assessment” as is the usual practice. “Pero kung nag-0-2 magkakaalaman na,” he added, only half in jest.
Jarencio said he tried hard to just shrug off the reports, which came out in a sports website and social media over the weekend.
“Alam mo naman sa social media, isang ubo lang, ang daming bacteria. Basta ang sabi ng management, mag-coach ako,” related the man whose first two conferences with the team produced identical 1-8 slates. “Ang pressure naman, nandiyan lagi,” added Jarencio. “Basta ako, huwag lang akong magkulang sa ginagawa ko.”
Cabagnot finished with a game-high 21 points and added nine rebounds and four assists, while Pringle wound up with 19 markers and eight boards on a night Terrence Romeo was not as hot as he was in their first game.
Romeo only had nine points on 3-for-13 field shooting, a far cry from his league conference-high 33-point explosion against NLEX.
Isip helped fill up the void with 12 points, including the last two of GlobalPort’s baskets off assists by Cabagnot and Pringle.
It was yet another sorry loss for Barako Bull, which lost a 108-112 double overtime decision to Meralco last Wednesday under new head coach Koy Banal.
Despite some poor field shooting the Energy managed to stage a gritty fightback from a 58-70 deficit and closed in at 67-72.
Barako Bull even came within 81-87, but Isip’s baskets inside the last 2:30 quelled whatever hopes coach Banal’s charges may have had. (NC)
The scores:
GLOBALPORT 91 – Cabagnot 21, Pringle 19, Isip 12, De Ocampo 12, Romeo 9, Jensen 7, Bacalao 6, Semerad 5, Taha 0, Buenafe 0, Duncil 0, Ponferada 0, Nabong 0.
BARAKO BULL 81 – Miranda 16, Garcia 12, Marcelo 12, Fortuna 10, Intal 8, Lastimosa 6, Salva 5, Pascual 5, Lanete 5, Wilson 2, Salvador 0, Paredes 0, Pennisi 0.
Quarterscores: 25-21, 48-47, 74-67, 91-81
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