B Pier smother Picanto, keep quarters bid alive

Games Wednesday (MOA Arena) 

4:15 p.m. – Alaska vs Blackwater

7 p.m. –  Star vs Phoenix

MANILA, Philippines - GlobalPort bucked the absence of playmaker Terrence Romeo and finished strong coming off a long break as it trounced winless KIA, 102-90, yesterday to keep its slim quarterfinal hopes alive in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

Murphey Holloway overcame foul woes and came through with 29 points and 18 rebounds while Stanley Pringle more than picked up the slack left by Romeo, firing 21 points, snaring seven rebounds and dishing off four assists to power the Batang Pier to their second win against the same number of losses. 

“I’m not trying to use it as an alibi, but the three-week layoff was hard on our part and we were a bit sluggish and rushing things,” said GlobalPort coach Franz Pumaren, whose charges fell to Barangay Ginebra, 108-124, last July 30 before taking a long respite.

With Romeo still with Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon and with a couple of new players in the team, Pumaren said they’re still in the period of adjustment.

Mac Baracael, part of the three-team trade that sent Cyrus Baguio to NLEX and Dylan Ababou to Phoenix, actually had a solid debut for the Batang Pier with 13 points while Paolo Hubalde, who was picked from the free agent pool, chipped in four points. ?Markeith Cummings unleashed 37 points, his best scoring effort with Kia, but lacked local support as the Picanto absorbed their seventh straight defeat. 

Mike Cortez and Baracael buried a triple each to give the Batang Pier their biggest lead in the match, 85-69, at the start of the fourth quarter.

But the Picanto struck back and pulled within, 90-96, on a Reden Celda fastbreak layup with 54 seconds left but ran out of time to complete their fightback with Holloway finishing them off with a slam.

With Holloway on the firing end, the Batang Pier roared to a 26-17 lead and held sway at 37-28. But the Picanto clawed their way back and even seized a 48-47 lead on a Celda triple with 12 seconds left in the second quarter. 

Holloway, who had 21 points in the first half, sank two free throws to regain the lead for the Batang Pier at the break.

In the nightcap, Rain or Shine crushed TNT KaTropa with a barrage of triples, posting a runaway 105-73 victory to improve to 3-2.

The Texters slid to 2-2.

The scores: 

First Game

GlobalPort 102 – Holloway 29, Pringle 21, Baracael 13, Cortez 10, Anthony 8, Pennisi 6, Araña 6, Guinto 5, Hubalde 4, Celiz 0, Grey 0, Forrester 0. 

KIA 90 – Cummings 37, Celda 15, Elorde 9, Camson 9, Paniamogan 6, Revilla 6, Salva 4, Caperal 2, Jaime 2, Corpuz 0, Ballesteros 0, Khobuntin 0, Yee 0, Deutchman 0. 

Quarterscores: 28-21, 49-48, 74-69, 102-90

Second Game

Rain or Shine 105 – Bullock 20, Cruz 14, Ponferada 12, Borboran 11, Yap 10, Ahanmisi 9, Trollano 7, Tiu 6, Belga 5, Robles 4, King 3, Matias 2, Daquioag 2, Maiquez 0. 

TNT KaTropa 73 – Rice Jr. 19, De Ocampo 11, Hernandez 11, Williams 8, Lingganay 6, Tautuaa 5, Garcia 4, Reyes 3, Nuyles 3, Tamsi 2, Carey 1, Golla 0. 

Quarterscores: 30-14, 49-32, 77-58, 105-73