In a battle between two upstart squads, the Columbian Dyip returned to the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup win column after frustrating the erstwhile-unbeaten NorthPort Batang Pier, 110-100, Friday evening at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
The Dyip seized control of the match with a 24-4 blitz abridging the third and fourth quarters, for a 91-79 lead. Then the trio of Jackson Corpuz, JP Calvo, and Jeepy Faundo joined hands in the end to apply the finishing touches of the victory.
Corpuz, Faundo, and Reden Celda had 15 markers apiece in the win that avenged their 98-108 loss to the Phoenix Fuel Masters last Wednesday. The diminutive Calvo and forward Eric Camson had 12 points each.
“Well it’s a very big win for us. We defeated a two-zero team,” said Columbian head coach Johnedel Cardel, as his Dyip are now off to their best-ever start to a season, as per the league’s chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III.
The Dyip once went down by 10 in the third quarter. But that deficit evaporated when they caught fire and unloaded a 24-4 scoring spree – capped by a Corpuz baseline jumper – for a 91-79 cushion with 10:19 remaining in the fourth.
NorthPort responded with a 12-5 run to knock within five with 4:53 to go. However, Columbian answered with nine straight points behind Corpuz, Calvo, and Faundo, en route to a 105-91 lead with 2:31 left to play, to close the game out.
Rashawn McCarthy had 14 points and 12 assists for Dyip.
Stanley Pringle led the Batang Pier with 29 points and six assists, while Mo Tautuaa had 23 points and 12 rebounds. Sean Anthony supplied 19 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Jonathan Grey chimed in 11 markers.
In the match-up of celebrated college rivals, CJ Perez got the best of Robert Bolick, as he made 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Bolick only scored three points, but had seven caroms and six dimes.
Columbian will take on the NLEX Road Warriors on Sunday, January 27, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, while NorthPort will look to bounce back versus the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on February 8, Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Scores:
Columbian 110 – Faundo 15, Corpuz 15, Celda 15, McCarthy 14, Calvo 12, Perez 12, Camson 12, Reyes 8, Escoto 4, Khobuntin 3, Cahilig 0, Agovida 0.
NorthPort 100 – Pringle 29, Tautuaa 23, Anthony 19, Grey 11, Elorde 5, Guinto 4, Taha 4, Bolick 3, Gabayni 2, Flores 0, Arana 0, Lanete 0, Sollano 0.
Quarterscores: 24-28, 51-55, 86-79, 110-100.
