Games today:
Smart-Araneta
3:00 p.m. – San Miguel vs Meralco
5:15 p.m. – NLEX vs Purefoods
The GlobalPort Batang Pier is off to their best start in franchise history as they logged in their second win in as many games in a 100-76 rout of Blackwater Elite, 100-76, in the PBA Governors’ Cup last night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Top pick Stanley Pringle made his return from injury and had 18 points, four assists and three rebounds in a mere 14 minutes of action while Terrence Romeo led the onslaught with 20 markers.
Ronjay Buenafe added 16 while 7-foot import Patrick O’Bryant had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds along with four steals and two blocked shots.
GlobalPort’s Asian reinforcement, Omar Krayem, had a forgettable scoring evening with just two after debuting with 18 last time out.
The Batang Pier were just up by six, 19-13, after the first but a 15-0 blast changed all that as it hoisted them up, 49-32, at halftime.
GlobalPort kept the pressure up in the third, outscoring its opponents, 30-17, as Romeo and Pringle waxed hot to erect a 79-47 lead.
Blackwater got no closer than 23 points from that point onwards and suffered its second straight defeat in spite of the 24-point, 15-rebound performance of Marcus Douthit.
Aside from the Gilas’ longtime naturalized player, only Reil Cervantes reached double-figures with 11.
BOX SCORES:
GLOBALPORT 100 – Romeo 20, Pringle 18, Buenafe 16, O’Bryant 11, Kramer 7, Mamaril 6, Isip 6, Pinto 4, Jensen 4, Semerad 3, Miranda 3, Krayem 2, Taha 0, Ponferada 0, Caperal 0.
BLACKWATER 76 – Douthit 24, Cervantes 11, Reyes 9, Laure 8, Heruela 7, Celiz 6, Salvacion 5, Golla 2, Gamalinda 2, Acuna 2, Timberlake 0, Erram 0, Bulawan 0, Ballesteros 0.
Quarters: 19-13, 49-32, 79-49, 100-76.