Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

Closing out games NorthPort’s problem, laments Sean Anthony


After a 2-0 start in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup, the NorthPort Batang Pier have been plummeting lately.

The Batang Pier have absorbed their sixth straight defeat in the conference after bowing to a hungry Magnolia Hotshots, 90-103, Wednesday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

And for Sean Anthony, their recent struggles had been caused by their inability to close out games.

“The fourth quarter. It’s always been the fourth quarter. Every game, we’ve been up at some point and fall apart in the fourth,” rued Anthony, who finished with 22 points and eight rebounds.

“We have to close out games.”

That issue had been evident Wednesday.

The Batang Pier have already established a 79-69 lead late in the third quarter, only to squander it as the Hotshots made a 16-3 run to take an 85-82 lead early in the final frame.

NorthPort played catch-up ball and eventually tied the game at 89-all with 6:16 left, but Magnolia banked on their defense and pulled away with a 14-1 blitz en route to the 13-point win.

Making it even more bitter to fathom is that the Batang Pier got limited to just eight points in the fourth quarter, which has now become their lowest output in a quarter in franchise history.

“We always play the first three quarters really well and fall apart in the fourth,” lamented Anthony.

Still, Anthony believes that his team can figure things out, especially now that they have gone 4-5 and have to succeed in their remaining games as they aim to get into the next round.

#ReadMore  Ch4knu denies Blacklist transfer rumors, still unsure of Season 12 return

“There’s some frustration and whatnot but I think we’re all still bonding together and there are still three games left so we still got a shot at this,” expressed the nine-year league veteran.

“We still have a good chance so we have to figure this out.”

Written By

Oftentimes on the sidelines. Forever a student of the game. Morayta-bred.


You May Also Like

Basketball

Northport made sure to get the job done before its long break, hacking out a 90-85 victory over Meralco to extend its streak to...

Basketball

Northport exhibited poise beyond its youth, securing a 124-120 victory against Phoenix in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup on Friday at the SMART...

Basketball

Cade Flores didn’t hide his disappointment after being snubbed in the Rookies-Sophomores-Juniors Game of the PBA All-Star Bacolod 2024. The NorthPort neophyte said that...

Basketball

NorthPort rallied back from as much as 18 down and left Converge a frustrated bunch in overtime, 112-104, to barge into the win column...

Basketball

William Navarro likes the potential he sees after NorthPort finally played as a complete unit in its PBA Season 48 Philippines Cup debut, Friday...

Basketball

After dropping a 30-piece against his former team as NLEX took down NorthPort for a victorious start to their PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup...

Basketball

When Zavier Lucero entered the hallowed grounds of the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday evening, he had mixed emotions. Back on December 14, 2022...

Basketball

NLEX outlasted NorthPort in overtime, 107-100, in a pulsating PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup debut on Friday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. Robert...

Advertisement