GLOBALPORT NOTCHES FIRST-TIME 2ND WIN UNDER JARENCIO
Just four games into the season, GlobalPort pulled off something it failed miserably at twice before under head coach Pido Jarencio – post a second victory in a single conference.
The Batang Pier shrugged off the absence of top playmaker Alex Cabagnot Tuesday night, turning back the Kia Sorento, 84-79, to improve to 2-2 and move up the standings in the company of Talk ‘N Text and Rain or Shine in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Cabagnot, who is averaging a team-best 18.7 points per game aside from 6.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals a game, spent the night before in a hospital with a severe case of pharyngitis and sat out the game, allowing Ronjay Buenafe and rookies Stanley Pringle and Anthony Semerad to bask in the spotlight.
Buenafe, usually a third-option gunner for GlobalPort, scored 19 points with four 3-point shots while Pringle, the No. 1 draft pick, added 13 and Semerad 12, six coming in the fourth quarter where he showed no signs of the pummelling he got late in the first quarter from Kia’s Chad Alonzo.
The game only had four lead changes and four deadlocks but the Batang Pier took nearly all day long to grab a pivotal edge with 5:10 left after neophyte John Pinto, who had missed his first three triples, buried one from top-of-the-key to break a 69-all tie. Kia never got the advantage back and fell to 1-3 at solo 10th place in the standings.
Jarencio, rumored to be on his way out before GlobalPort earned its first win against Barako Bull earlier, was all smiles walking to the post-game interview.
“Sa wakas naka-dalawa rin,” said the former Santo Tomas U star, who went 1-8 win-loss in each of his two conferences with Globalport last season. “Alam ko darating din ito para sa mga bata. Ayaw na namin nasa ilalim; nakakapagod din eh.”
Still the Batang Pier needed some locker room persuasion from their head coach to get serious after a lackadaisical 24 minutes as they trailed, 47-36, at halftime.
GlobalPort used a 9-point run in the third quarter, where Buenafe had eight points, to seize the lead, 62-61, entering the last 12 minutes.
Asked whether reports were correct a white diagram board took the brunt of his rage in the dugout, Jarencio said grinning, “Medyo masakit nga tong kamay ko eh. Kaya nga hihintayin ko na lang siguro yung bill.”
The absence of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao may have emboldened some players to show off their non-basketball moves.
With 48.6 seconds remaining in the first period and Kia on the way to a 19-13 lead, Alonzo, the former Adamson Falcon, figured in a wrestling-like skirmish with Semerad as the ex-San Beda Red Lion lay prostrate on the floor after the two had tangled in a rebound battle.
After an exchange of second motions, both players were separated by the referees who slapped both with technicals. Alonzo, however, was caught on TV laughing and mimicking to a teammate the shots he dealt the GlobalPort rookie in what could be a more brazen act to PBA commissioner Chito Salud who summoned both players to his office Wednesday.
Also facing possible sanctions are Kia’s Hans Thiele and Globalport’s Jewel Ponferada, who also figured in a physical baseline scramble early in the fourth quarter.
It isn’t likely any of the furious exchange would have merited even a yawn from Pacquiao however after his team has now lost three in a row. (WJRHT)
The scores:
GLOBALPORT 84 – Buenafe 19, Pringle 13, Semerad 12, Isip 10, De Ocampo 8, Ponferada 6, Jensen 5, Pinto 4, Taha 3, Romeo 2, Baclao 2, Caperal 0, Nabong 0.
KIA 79 – Thiele 19, Cervantes 15, Padilla 11, Jaime 9, Buensuceso 7, Raymundo 7, Alvarez 4, Dehesa 4, Lingganay 3, Revilla 0, Alonzo 0, Saldua 0, Pascual 0.
Quarterscores: 13-19, 36-47, 62-61, 84-79
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