GlobalPort ousts Ginebra in wild overtime finish
Game today
Mall of Asia Arena
7 p.m.- Rain or Shine vs. Talk ‘N Text
The GlobalPort Batang Pier sealed their first-ever trip to the semifinal round with a controversial 84-83 overtime win over the Barangay Ginebra Kings last night in their do-or-die quarterfinal showdown of the 41st PBA Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Winning for the first time in a sudden-death match, the Batang Pier forged a date with the Alaska Aces in a best-of-seven semifinal series which will start January 4 next year.
PBA / DEcember 27,2015
LA Tenorio of Ginebra goes for a layup off Stanley Pringles of Globalport , at the MOA arena .
INQUIRER PHOTO /AUGUST DELA CRUZ
The tightly fought contest came to a controversial end when Ginebra protested what they deemed a five-second ball-hogging committed by GlobalPort’s Stanley Pringle that was not called.
GlobalPort had an 84-83 lead when they inbounded the ball with eight seconds left.
Jay Washington got the inbounds pass before passing the ball to Stanley Pringle near the centercourt.
Sol Mercado and Greg Slaughter then tried to trap Pringle, who held onto the ball for a few a seconds before flipping a pass to Terrence Romeo as time ran out, giving the Batang Pier the hairline victory.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone was jumping up and down during the play while begging referees to call a five-second ball-hogging violation.
Ginebra stayed in the court for a few minutes even after the final buzzer.
“We all know Ginebra is a tough team and coach Tim (Cone) is a good coach, pero breaks of the game yun eh. Credit to the boys. They deserve na makapasok ng semis,” said GlobalPort coach Pido Jarencio, who steered the team to its first semifinal appearance since joining the league in 2012.
Pringle and Romeo once again carried the Batang Pier on their shoulders as the duo fired 25 points and 23 markers, respectively.
Billy Mamaril provided the Batang Pier some heroics.
He made a lay-up that tied the contest at 74-all with 4.1 seconds left then blocked LA Tenorio’s potential game-winning shot and sent the game into overtime.
Greg Slaughter finished with 25 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Kings, who failed to make it to the semifinals in their first conference under the multi-titled Cone.
Meanwhile, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters clash in another do-or-die game today for the last semifinal slot.
Winner in today’s match will next play the San Miguel Beermen in a race-to-four series.
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