Health issues, import woes contribute to GlobalPort’s fall
Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
GlobalPort ended its campaign in the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on a positive note but its 125-118 win won’t make its stint much less of a disaster as the Batang Pier were sent into an early exit.
Star guard Terrence Romeo cited a number of factors that led to GlobalPort’s fall.
“Kung napaaga yung dating ng import namin at hindi kami na-injure ni Stanley (Pringle), tingin ko mas malayo yung mararating namin,” Romeo said after the Batang Pier’s victory over the Phoenix Fuel Masters on Friday.
GlobalPort had to switch reinforcements early in the conference, first going with Brian Williams for a pair of games before tapping its import for the Governors’ Cup Calvin Warner for four games as a temporary replacement.
Then came Shawn Taggart, tasked to lead the team, which was 2-4 when he arrived, to the playoffs with only five games left.
Not helping the team’s cause was Romeo missing a couple of games due to a calf injury, and Stanley Pringle spraining his ankle midway through the conference.
Health issues and import woes were two major problems GlobalPort couldn’t recover from, as it stumbled to seven straight defeats.
“Ako mismo, wala sa shape. Ang bilis ko mapagod at hindi ako makatakbo. Wala pa yung timing ng galaw, tsaka nauuna yung tiyan ko eh,” he said.
Still, he got it all together on Friday and unleashed a 25-point first half en route to 40 points while Taggart had a game-high 45.
Romeo knows crying over spilled milk won’t change a thing. He’s just looking forward to the third conference where GlobalPort can start over and bounce back.
“Sana dalhin namin yung kumpyansa at mga positive things na nagawa namin ngayon sa next conference,” he said.
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