In what was a significant test, the GlobalPort Batang Pier weathered every bit of storm thrown by the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters to emerge victorious Friday in a match that had a frenetic pace, 123-120.
Teams went back and forth, firing punch after punch at each other in a massive display of firepower. Both squads exchanged runs in a match that never seemed to end; just when GlobalPort seemed to pull away, Talk ‘N Text had answers by trimming the deficit to just a fraction in a matter of seconds.
Teams both shot above 50 percent overall and over 33 percent from three-point area. Jayson Castro and Terrence Romeo cancelled each other out. Steffon Pettigrew and Jarrid Famous tried to outmuscle each other underneath. The Batang Pier shooters gave it all they could against one of the best shooting teams in the league.
In the end, only one side came on top. GlobalPort improved to 4-2 with the win, and shall carry along valuable experience after being tested by a powerhouse franchise that knows winning.
“It was a game of runs. They are a championship team. They punched us, we punched them and it was a great character win for us,” Palestinian import Omar Krayem said. “It was learning experience for this young team. We had good contributions from everybody. We wanted to work hard and learn on the fly and gain experience heading into the next.”
Although GlobalPort led for 41:39, they had to withstand repeated runs by Talk ‘N Text all game long, before answering with huge blows to pull out the win.
Castro finished with 34 points although struggled to find rhythm from beyond the arc, shooting only 4-for-13. Pettigrew added 35 while Sam Daghles had 19. But the mere fact that GlobalPort was able to eke out a victory despite the gargantuan numbers from their foes spell a message for the squad’s future in the conference.
“We started strong and we challenged their shots. Our players delivered. Jarrid [Famous] showed his strength at the low post. It was just about total team effort,” head coach Pido Jarencio, who dedicated the win to his brother who passed away, said.
“We are a very resilient bunch. We all like each other. We play for each other and we want to win together. They are very experienced and we knew we had to outwork them. We had to fight harder,” Krayem added.
Famous led five players in double digits with 27 points on 13-for-16 shooting and hauled down 18 rebounds. Stanley Pringle had 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Krayem and Terrence Romeo combined for 34.
“It’s a big win. As far as us, it was a team effort. Talk ‘N Text was a tough team to contend with. It is a big confidence booster. Everybody contributed,” Pringle said.
Against one of the league’s powerhouses, GlobalPort simply came out with a loaded arsenal that was ready for war from start to finish. Now halfway through the Governors’ Cup and sitting at the upper echelon of the standings, the Batang Pier are definitely shooting for the stars.
