GLOBALPORT MAKES IT TWO IN A ROW
GLOBALPORT swept past hapless Blackwater, 87-72, Sunday to continue its rise from the depths of the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ronjay Buenafe scored a game-high 17 points, rookie Anthony Semerad wound up with a new career-high 16 points and Alex Cabagnot came back from sick bay to finish with a near-triple double as the Batang Pier took full control right in the third quarter.
Before GlobalPort’s onslaught was through, it led by as much as 84-60 before coasting to their second straight win that was the Batang Pier’s third in five games overall.
It was the most lopsided win ever by the team that took over the old Coca-Cola/Powerade franchise in 2012 and the first back-to-back wins under Jarencio, beating their previous mark in a 114-100 win over Air21 in last season’s Philippine Cup.
Not bad at all for a team that started the tournament by losing two of its first three games.
“It’s a total team effort,” said Jarencio. “Sana tuloy-tuloy na ito para talagang magkaroon ng kumpiyansa ang mga players at maging lalong maging fluid ang takbo namin.”
Jarencio said the much-needed confidence and cohesion started coming to the fore in their breakthrough win over Barako Bull and again over Kia last Wednesday.
“Nagkaroon ng konting kumpiyansa, na p’wede palang manalo ng sunod-sunod,” said Jarencio. “Kahit sabihing expansion team lang ang Blackwater, marunong ring mag-basketball ang mga iyan.”
Terrence Romeo did not suit up due to illness, but Cabagnot more than made up with nine points, as many rebounds and 11 assists and so did Stanley Pringle with 14 points, five rebounds and as many dimes.
Bryan Faundo notched his own career-high with 16 points to go with 10 rebounds and three other Blackwater players scored at least 10 points each. But the Elite still dropped to a 0-5 slate.
Blame it all on Jarencio and his charges hitting their pre-game target of holding Blackwater below 80 points.
“Iyung defense naming talagang na-limit sila,” said Jarencio.
Solid proof is how GlobalPort held Blackwater to a 29-for-76 field shooting and lording it over the boards 51-39 and blocks department 5-0. The Batang Pier also forced 19 turnovers on the Elite.
Those discrepancies started showing full results in the third period as GlobalPort unleashed an 11-2 run from a 45-40 count and even led by 68-50.
The Elite trimmed the deficit to just 13 points going to the fourth quarter, but Buenafe and Keith Jensen promptly defused the threat by combining for 11 points in a 14-7 exchange that pegged the count at 84-60, 5:31 to go. (NC)
The scores:
GLOBALPORT 87- Buenafe 17, Semerad 16, Pringle 14, Jensen 14, Cabagnot 9, Isip 8, Baclao 3, Caperal 2, Ponferada 2, De Ocampo 2, Pinto 0, Taha 0, Nabong 0.
BLACKWATER 72 – Faundo 16, Gamalinda 15, Artadi 11, Salvacion 10, Erram 6, Rodriguez 6, Laure 5, Ballesteros 2, Nuyles 1, Timberlake 0, Tiongson 0, Menor 0, Cawaling 0, Austria 0.
Quarterscores: 19-20, 45-40, 70-53, 87-72
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