Globalport blows by Mahindra for 1st season opener win
GLOBALPORT’s retooled personnel responded to a more active involvement by new head coach Franz Pumaren by manhandling Mahindra 97-75 Friday at the start of their PBA Philippine Cup campaign at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Terrence Romeo scored 29 points and issued six assists, backcourt partner Stanley Pringle notched 16 and five while JR Quinahan and Nino Canaleta made significant contributions and led the new acquisitions who helped in the Batang Pier’s wire-to-wire win.
Still, it cannot be denied that it was Pumaren who made GlobalPort click as one cohesive unit as the team started its bid to at least duplicate its fourth place finish in the tourney last season on a very bright note.
Batang Pier officials, led by owner and current league chairman Mikee Romero, got Pumaren released from the remainder of a two-year contract with Adamson University only Thursday evening.
“We would like to thank Adamson for allowing Franz to handle the team,” said GlobalPort alternate governor and AirAsia executive Erick Arejola, who initially led the talks with Pumaren, fresh from guiding the Falcons to fourth in the UAAP.
“We hope Franz can achieve what had just accomplished for Adamson in the UAAP,” added Arejola.
“It’s good to be back,” said Pumaren, who last coached Air21 from 2011 to 2014 and acted as active consultant last season.
Pumaren downplayed the win, pointing out Mahindra’s eight new players are just one more than his team’s.
“Mahindra is just like us. They’re just adjusting to each other… and we’re still groping for form,” added Pumaren. “It’s still a long way. We have seven new players and this is entirely a new GlobalPort team.”
New acquisition Alex Mallari came off the bench for 17 points and reactivated Jason Deutchman notched 14 for Mahindra, which struggled to find the lethal form it displayed when it wound up fifth in the last Governors Cup.
The defense-oriented approach Floodbusters shots-caller Chris Gavina also wanted was hardly there, resulting in the team trailing by as many as 27 points twice.
No such problems bugged GlobalPort, which made half of their 74 shots from the field, including 12-for-20 from beyond the arc, while limiting Mahindra to just 28-for-82. The latter also missed 13 of their 27 charity tries.
There was little doubt as to the outcome after triples by Pringle, Romeo and Mick Pennisi made it 61-34 and Anthony Semerad’s own trey and layup pegged a 72-45 count. Mahindra would come no closer than 17 the rest of the way.
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