MANILA – NorthPort Batang Pier wasted a double-digit edge before pulling off a 113-110 quarterfinals victory over Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots to reach the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals last night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
Ahead at 101-87 with over five minutes left, the Batang Pier saw their lead cut to 106-107 courtesy of consecutive four-point shots from Hotshots’ Paul Lee before NorthPort’s Kadeem Jack stopped the run with an inside conversion.
The Hotshots cut the deficit anew to 108-109 on two free throws by Lee, but an inside basket from Arvin Tolentino followed by split free throws from Fran Yu and Allyn Bulanadi sealed the win for the Batang Pier.
Jack finished with a double-double of 30 points and 10 rebounds, while Tolentino chipped in 25 markers for the Batang Pier, which entered the PBA semifinals for the first time in six years.
William Navarro and Bulanadi came off-the-bench to deliver 15 and 12 markers, respectively, while Evan Nelle and Cade Flores had 12 and 10 markers for the Batang Pier.
Andy Mark Barroca tallied 26 points and 10 assists, Lee and Ricardo Ratliffe added 22 markers apiece, while Zavier Lucero contributed 13 markers as the Hotshots exited the tournament with the loss.
On Wednesday night, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings wasted an early lead before pulling off a 100-92 victory over Meralco Bolts in Game 1 of their best-of-three quarterfinals series.
Earl Scottie Thompson tallied a conference-high of 23 points to go with seven rebounds, six assists, four steals, Justin Brownlee added 23 points, while Japeth Aguilar and Rhon Jay Abarrientos contributed 19 and 14 markers, respectively, for the Gin Kings.
After seeing their early 12-point lead cut to 89-90 in the fourth quarter, the Gin Kings went on an 8-1 scoring run behind Brownlee, Abarrientos, and Thompson to establish a 98-90 lead.
The Bolts responded with a basket from Chris Newsome to cut the deficit to 92-98, but the Gin Kings answered with an inside conversion from Aguilar for a 100-92 count with 2:55 left in the game./PN
BOX SCORE:
NORTHPORT 113 – Jack 30, Tolentino 25, Navarro 15, Nelle 12, Bulanadi 12, Flores 10, Munzon 5, Yu 4, Tratter 0, Taha 0.
MAGNOLIA 110– Barroca 26, Ratliffe 22, Lee 22, Lucero 13, Sangalang 7, Dionisio 6, Abueva 6, Lastimosa 4, Dela Rosa 4, Alfaro 0, Ahanmisi 0.
Quarterscores: 25-32, 47-61, 83-76, 113-110.
