GlobalPort’s Terrence Romeo dishes off a pass to import Mike Glover in the Batang Pier’s 139–126 win over Blackwater last night in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center.
(PBA IMAGES)
With Joseph Yeo coming off the bench to lead a balanced attack, the Batang Pier trumped Blackwater 139–126 last night to end their campaign in the PBA Governors Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Yeo finished with 37 points, Mike Glover 34 on top of 18 rebounds and Terrence Romeo 28 markers and nine assists as GlobalPort really poured on the heat in the second half of a battle between two teams long out of the running for quarterfinals berths.
Their 4–7 slate was a game better than what the Batang Pier wound up with for 12th and last in the Commissioner’s Cup, but this one could push them as high as ninth, depending on the outcome of 4–6 Rain or Shine’s duel with Star on Friday.
Definitely, it is one placing the Mike Romero–owned franchise is all too willing to settle for, considering it started the season-ending conference at 0–4 and hardly recovered from the spate of injuries that plagued the team.
“It’s just about pride and effort,” said Cholo Villanueva, an assistant to interim head coach Johnedel Cardel, who sat on the team bench but allowed his staff to do most of the work since he has barely recovered from kidney surgery.
“Whoever has the pride and effort in this type of game will eventually get the win,” added Villanueva.
The Batang Pier, who made their first-ever semifinals in the Philippine Cup, did come up with a sterling all-around effort and emerged not only with the league’s season high in points but also the franchise best.
The two teams also combined for the highest single regulation game total since Barako Bull beat Talk N Text 135–133 in the 2009 Fiesta Conference.
After making 56 of 102, or 54 percent, field goal attempts, GlobalPort also totaled 35 assists, the most ever for the team and for the league this season.
Blackwater also put up its highest output ever after making 54 of 112 shots but could not match GlobalPort’s pace when it mattered most and thus dropped to 1–9.
The Elite could avoid falling to their third 12th-place finish in six conferences with the league should they prevail over defending champion San Miguel Beer at eliminations end on Sunday.
Keala King finish with 28 points, doubling his output when he debuted in an 81–93 loss to Phoenix last week, and also had 15 rebounds. Roi Sumang set a new career-high 22 points, and Art dela Cruz added 21 markers.
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