NO STOPPING GLOBALPORT
GLOBALPORT is sending out a clear message to the rest of the PBA Governors Cup field, that it is a team to really contend with.
With their dreaded backcourt making the biggest plays in the stretches that mattered most the Batang Pier finally solved the big puzzle that is the Star-Purefoods franchise with a nail-biting 91-89 victory Tuesday in the PBA Governors Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
None of GlobalPort’s shots were bigger than the go-ahead layup by Terrence Romeo and the insurance jumper by Stanley Pringle, both coming inside the final 1:51 of the game that enabled the Mikee Romero-owned franchise to break a nine-game losing streak to the Hotshots since its 2012 debut.
Its third victory in as many games also stretched GlobalPort’s best-ever start to 3-0, breaking it out of its erstwhile leadership tie with Alaska and Barako Bull.
“I give credit to my players,” said Batang Pier head coach Pido Jarencio.”First time naming nanalo against Purefoods. Para sa mga fans ng GlobalPort ‘to.”
Omar Krayem came off the bench to topscore for GlobalPort with 20 points, with his 4-for-7 three-point shooting powering GlobalPort’s surges, while Romeo added 17 and Pringle 15, also as a reliever.
Steven Thomas, who replaced the bland Patrick O’Bryant, had a decent outing with 12 points and 16 rebounds despite not being in full sync with the team system.
Jarencio said the 6-9 Thomas, who powered Air21 to a runnerup finish behind Ginebra in the 2008 Fiesta Conference, is just standing in for former Meralco reinforcement Jarrid Famous.
Famous is expected to plane in over the weekend in time for GlobalPort’s game against San Miguel Beer on Sunday.
The loss dropped Star to an even 1-1 slate, tying it with Meralco.
Jarencio took time to express his sadness over the untimely demise earlier Tuesday of former Barangay Gunebra company brass and long-time team benefactor Rep. Henry Cojuangco.
“Condolence sa family ni Boss Henry,” said Jarencio. “Nakasama ko siya sa national team, sa national program sa San Miguel group.”
Marcus Blakely notched 19 points and 17 rebounds for Star and his followup brought the Hotshots within 89-91, still 7.9 seconds left.
Whatever hopes Star may have had of at least tying the game vanished when its press on the ensuing sideline inbound off a timeout by GlobalPort resulted in a scramble that had the referees ruling in favor of the Batang Pier, time down to 2.9 seconds.
That caused Star head coach Tim Cone to vehemently plead his team case and, notwithstanding a warning, even staying on-court as GlobalPort dribbled away the remaining time.
“Alam naman natin si coach Tim,” said Jarencio. “Siguro may mga calls na ‘di aprub sa kanya, pero part of the game eh.”
What gladdens Jarencio more is the fact his team kept its poise despite trailing by 10 points in the third quarter, a far more scary experience than in their first two games which they won by an average of 23.5 points.
“Bago ‘yung team sa pressure game sa endgame,” said Jarencio. “Suwerte lang din kami, nalampasan namin ‘yun.”
Hastening Star’s loss is its continuing struggles from beyond the arc. After making just three of 14 tries in an 89-85 win over NLEX, the Hotshots shot 1-for-13 this time. In contrast, GlobalPort went 14-for-32.
James Yap scored 12 points but only on 5-for-14 field shooting, Alex Mallari 11 and PJ Simon 10.
Despite the discrepancies it was still a gut-wrenching game where there were just four deadlocks and the protagonists trading surges for practically the entire game.
Perhaps the most telling was when GlobalPort rattled off three straight triples–one from Romeo and two from Krayem–that gave the Batang Pier an 86-82 edge, which soon evaporated but gave them confidence in the stretch.
Pringle, who sat out the last three games of the Commissioner’s Cup and the first game in this season-ending tournament due to a badly sprained foot, was at his hottest during the third period.
The leading Rookie of the Year contender had nine points, all off treys, in the third quarter and Krayem added seven and Romeo five markers as GlobalPort trimmed the deficit to just 65-68 going to the final frame.
Romeo missed nine of his first 10 tries from the field before converting on a mini alley-oop off Thomas’ feed just before the halftime buzzer that closed GlobalPort within 38-43.
Thomas was already on the verge of a double-double after the first 24 minutes of play with 11 and nine.
Blakely took only four attempts for six points, but already had 11 boards and four blocked shots.
The do-it-all workhorse need not score much as the other Star locals took care of that end, led by Justin Melton, who came off the bench for eight points during a 19-2 run that plucked the Hotshots out of a 16-25 bind and into a 35-27 lead.
Allein Maliksi and Simon scored four points each in that surge while Mick Pennisi boomed in a corner 3, giving Star its 10-point bubble. (NC)
The scores:
GLOBALPORT 91 – Krayem 20, Romeo 17, Pringle 15, Thomas 12, Buenafe 8, Kramer 7, Semerad 3, Miranda 3, Mamaril 2, Isip 2, Jensen 2, Taha 0, Ponferada 0, Pinto 0, Hayes 0.
STAR HOTSHOTS 89 – Blakely 19, Yap 12, Mallari 11, Simon 10, Barroca 9, Melton 8, Pingris 6, Devance 5, Pennisi 5, Maliksi 4, Reavis 0, Gaco 0, Allado 0, Alvarez 0.
Quarterscores: 23-16, 38-43, 65-68, 91-89
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