ROMEO SIZZLES AS GLOBALPORT STOPS TNT
After seven failed tries, the GlobalPort Batang Pier finally pulled a first one over the Talk n Text Tropang Texters.
Terrence Romeo sparkled with 30 points and Ronjay Buenafe came through with big shots at the finish as the Batang Pier upended the Texters, 105-97, and gained a piece of fifth place in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Tuesday night.
“Sa wakas nakakuha rin ng big game,” said coach Pido Jarencio of their first win over an established team in this tourney.
“Sabi ko lang sa players namin just believe, stay positive and follow the game plan,” Jarencio also said. “Inayos din namin ang rotation namin at bumalik si Terrence, nag-step up si Ronjay sa second half at nandoon para mag-direct ng plays si Alex Cabagnot.”
In one of their best games ever, the Batang Pier held their own against the Texters and pulled through triumphantly on a key endgame flurry by Romeo and Buenafe.
The spitfirish duo combined for a 15-3 tear from an 89-91 count enabling GlobalPort to tie Talk n Text at fifth place with identical 4-3 win-loss cards.
“Mabigat ang last five games namin starting today. Sabi ko dapat itaas namin ang level ng game namin at nag-respond naman ang team,” said Jarencio.
Next up for GlobalPort is unbeaten frontrunner Alaska on Saturday in Cagayan de Oro.
“Ganon pa rin. We have to prepare. We’ll be ready with our game plan against them,” said Jarencio.
Against Talk n Text, it helped that GlobalPort hit its outside shots, making a franchise best 15 three-pointers.
The Texters, meanwhile, obviously suffered while missing the services of Kelly Williams who’s down with flu. Williams averaged 11.17 points and eight rebounds in their first six games.
Romeo snapped a personal slump, firing five three-pointers and hitting at an 8-19 clip in all. His game went down after a season debut of 33 points.
Stanley Pringle and Buenafe added three triples each and the same totals of 13 points while Cabagnot drained two treys and finished with 10 markers. Rookies Paolo Taha and Roider Cabrera pumped in a triple each.
Romeo and Buenafe rained down four triples in the lethal 15-3 attack that opened a 104-94 spread for GlobalPort with less than two minutes left to play.
In the first half, the Batang Pier led by 11 at 27-16 before Talk n Text unleashed its own searing run to forge a tie at 29-all and set the tone of the seesawing battle. (SB)
The scores:
GLOBALPORT 105 – Romeo 30, Pringle 13, Buenafe 13, Isip 13, Cabagnot 10, Taha 9, Jensen 8, Ponferada 4, Cabrera 3, Baclao 2, Pinto 0, de Ocampo 0, Caperal 0, Semerad 0.
TALK N’ TEXT 97 – Carey 24, De Ocampo 23, Castro 11, Reyes Ryan 9, Alapag 8, Washington 7, Rosser 6, Fonacier 5, Reyes Rob 4, Alas 0, Seigle 0, Aban 0, Espiritu 0, Aguilar 0.
Quarterscores: 24-16, 41-39, 70-76, 105-97
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