High-flying Malonzo, Batang Pier soar over Dyip sans coaches

Games Sunday (DHVSU Gym, Bacolor)
2 p.m. – San Miguel vs Rain or Shine
4:35 p.m. –Ginebra vs TNT
7 p.m. – NorthPort vs NLEX
 
MANILA, Philippines — NorthPort is rocking and rolling in Bacolor without its regular coaching staff.

Using their coaches’ situation as a rallying point, the Batang Pier tripped Terrafirma, 104-84, for back-to-back wins in the PBA Philippine Cup Saturday in Bacolor, Pampanga.

The fired up Batang Pier unleashed a searing windup in the second quarter to lay the foundation for the 20-point rout that came off the heels of their 98-73 mangling of Blackwater two days ago.

The Batang Pier hiked their overall record to 3-3 and rose to No. 7 in the standings, doing this with mentor Pido Jarencio and his assistants still recuperating from the virus back in Manila.

“It’s still coach Pido’s system, wala namang pagbabago,” said team manager and interim coach Bonnie Tan. “We’re just dedicating the games to our coaches back in Manila, who are recovering and will soon be here.

Everyone’s working hard, the boys don’t want to give up basta basta. Iyun talaga ang nagpu-push sa amin."

"Anytime your coaches are recovering from something like that, we go out there to fight hard and win the games for them," said highly-flying rookie Jamie Malonzo, who dropped 14 points spiked by five highlight-reel dunks in this conquest.

NorthPort, which returned from a 41-day layoff only this week, wraps up a busy catchup slate with a game against NLEX tonight at the Don Honorio Ventura State U Gym soon.

“We’re taking it one game at a time and so far, they’re responding,” said Tan.

Garvo Lanete took the scoring cudgels with 18 while Robert Bolick posted 15 points, six rebounds and eight assists for the victors.

NorthPort pulled this off with starting center Greg Slaughter exiting the game on a disqualifying foul against Roosevelt Adams in the second period. He finished with two markers and three boards.

Adams and Aldrech Ramos shared scoring honors with 14 for the Dyip (3-6), who are now on a two-game skid after racking up three huge wins in the Pampanga restart.
 
The scores:

NorthPort 104 – Lanete 18, Bolick 15, Malonzo 14, Onwubere 10, Elorde 9, Taha 8, Faudo 6, Rike 6, Ferrer 5, Anthony 4, Subido 3, Balanza 2, Grey 2, Slaughter 2, Dolliguez 0.

Terrafirma 84 – Adams 14, Ramos 14, Batiller 11, Tiongson 9, Rosser 9, McCarthy 8, Calvo 6, Gabayni 2, Celda 1.

Quarterscores: 22-12, 55-37, 84-62, 104-84.