GlobalPort nips Rain or Shine as Pringle nails game-winner
Stanley Pringle broke through Rain or Shine’s helping defense with a shifty attack in the closing seconds as Globalport pulled off a 113-111 thriller of a win to force a four—way logjam atop the heap in the Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup at Philsports Arena Friday night.
The Elasto Painters had a chance to send the game into overtime but Jeff Chan missed a fade-away jumper at the buzzer, allowing the Batang Pier to nail a third straight win in the all-Filipino tourney.
Globalport, with big games from Pringle, Terrence Romeo and Keith Jensen, stopped Rain or Shine’s three-game romp and forged a tie in the lead among the Batang Pier, the E-Painters, the Alaska Milk Aces and the San Miguel Beermen at 3-1.
Pringle came through with a game-high 27 points, Romeo (playing through a nasty cut on left eye brow in the fourth quarter) got away with 25 and Jensen added 21, counting five three-pointers, as they overcame the E-Painters in the highest-scoring duel in the season thus far.
Beau Belga, Jeff Chan and Raymond Almazan combined for 50 points off the bench while Jericho Cruz and Jewel Ponferada delivered 15 and 11 points, respectively, while starting in their respective spots for ROS.
Belga, the leading scorer of the team in the season, lived up to the role, firing away 21 points, including two free throws that tied the count at 111 with 14 ticks to go.
In an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation, the Batang Pier didn’t blink though, going to Pringle for the winning basket.
In their final play, the Fil-Am guard first shook off the defense of Chan, got by Cruz before defying Belga and Almazan for the basket that sent the crowd up on their feet.
Both teams came out with their guns ablaze.
With more three-pointers, the Batang Pier led, 62-57, in an explosive first-half battle.
In the first 24 minutes, Globalport drew six treys from starters Pringle, Joseph Yeo and Jensen and six from relievers Romeo, Jay Washington and Jonathan Uyloan.
The Elasto Painters stayed right behind the Batang Pier with a 30-18 advantage on points inside the paint.
Belga struck from inside and out to pace the E-Painters’ balanced game with 12 points in the first half where Pringle, Romeo, Jensen and Washington carried the bulk of the points for the other side.
Chan scored buzzer-beating trey to close the first half then Cruz, JR Quinahan and Belga made a run to start the final half, getting the E-Painters ahead at 66-64.
The two teams battled fiercely to the finish.
The Scores:
GLOBALPORT 113 – Pringle 27, Romeo 25, Jensen 21, Yeo 11, Washington 10, Kramer 6, Mamaril 4, Maierhofer 3, Paniamogan 3, Uyloan 3, Pena 0, Sumang 0.
RAIN OR SHINE 111 – Belga 23, Chan 17, Cruz 15, Almazan 12, Ponferada 11, Quinahan 8, Norwood 7, Teng 7, Trollano 4, Ibanes 3, Ahanmisi 2, Matias 2, Nimes 0, Tiu 0.
Quarters: 30-29, 62-57, 87-83, 113-111.
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