The GlobalPort Batang Pier clinched the fourth spot in the standings with a 117-104 win in overtime over the Alaska Aces and more importantly, seal the twice-to-beat incentive heading into the post-elimination games of the PBA Governor’s Cup held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday afternoon.
Despite jumping in a minimal first quarter lead, GlobalPort only scored eight points in the last seven minutes of the opening quarter that led to Alaska’s quick onslaught that made them led by as much as 10 at 26-16 with Tony Dela Cruz’s triple capping a late-quarter surge. With the second unit mostly fielded in the second quarter, the Aces kept on holding the lead and even increased it to 14 as its largest. In the middle of the second however, Batang Pier started to make stride with its 11-0 scoring run including two treys by Keith Jensen.
Alaska would then cruise to another dozen-point advantage with Cyrus Baguio and Romeo Travis combining for eight points in four straight shots in the next minutes. With momentum held in the first half, the Aces finished the first 24 minutes of action up by 9.
Offense started to work for GlobalPort with the help of their spectacular defense as they played the passing lanes well to start the second half. With a couple of deflections, Jarrid Famous scored on the fast break and jumpstart the Batang Pier rally. Meanwhile, Omar Krayem scored six points including two three-point plays to cement a 19-9 start to the third period.
As the offense seemed contagious for Batang Pier, Alaska seemed rattled as they were in the losing end of a furious third quarter run. Famous scored an up-and-under finish to make it 66-58 with about eight minutes passing by the third canto. After a long scoring drought in the third, Cyrus Baguio stopped the bleeding with a putback. Points came hard for the Aces as they only scored seven points in the last nine minutes of the third. Batang Pier’s strong third quarter ended with them up by seven.
With the two Batang Pier reinforcements fielded in to start the last quarter, their squad seemed determined to putting the finishing touches against the Aces. However, the top-seeded Alaska, who did not have Romeo Travis the entire second half, kept on pulling in within shouting distance as their locals responded to put up points on the board. After a 10-4 scoring run put up by the Aces to slice the lead down to two, Stanley Pringle dialled in a big triple to extend the game anew.
With four minutes to go, the Aces settled with a trapping defense that led to two straight steals while Erik Menk and RJ Jazul gave their squad a slim 92-91 lead. As the Aces extended their lead to two possessions, Krayem delivered with five quick points to tie the game at 96. Afterwards, Nonoy Baclao went for a sweeping hook and Stanley Pringle drained in two free throws to make it another deadlock. However in the last two sequences, Rome Dela Rosa was called for an offensive foul while Pringle muffed a potential game-winning jumper at the buzzer.
There were two lead changes to start the overtime period but Doug Kramer put his GlobalPort team up by two, 102-100 with an and-one play. Batang Pier scored three more from the foul stripe to extend their lead with three minutes to go.The big run was extended and increased the distance with 1:36 left as Terrence Romeo hitting a big three. The furious overtime rally was enough to keep the Aces at bay and more importantly, seal the fourth spot in the standings.
Alaska ends its elimination round games with an 8-3 record, tied with San Miguel Beer but will get the first spot due to the quotient system. GlobalPort finished at 7-4 and are winners of three straight outings.
The Scores:
GlobalPort(117) – Famous 34, Pringle 24, Krayem 20, Romeo 14, Jensen 11, Kramer 8, Miranda 2, Mamaril 2, Isip 2, Buenafe 0, Semerad 0
Alaska(104) – Baguio 20, Travis 13, Banchero 10, Menk 10, Abueva 8, Jazul 8, Manuel 6, Dela Cruz 5, Casio 5, Thoss 4, Dela Rosa 4, Baclao 4, Exciminiano 4, Hontiveros 2, Eman 1
Quarters:16-26, 40-49, 74-67, 98-98, 117-104
