Globalport engaged in a late back-and-forth shootout against Tropang TNT and were able to hammer out a 108-101 victory Friday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The Batang Pier made it back to back victories to improve to 2-1 in the standings while the Tropa, which played without an import for the second in three outings, dropped to 1-2.
Terrence Romeo topscored everyone with 33 points, and added four rebounds and three assists. Romeo opened the floodgates in the second quarter after dropping 14 points including 12 straight in a run which saw the Batang Pier’s lead grow to 52-33.
Romeo nailed three straight triples while Stanley Pringle, who scored 14 overall, added five points in succession to break the game wide open.
Globalport led by just a point, 19-18 after the first quarter but played a much higher pace in the next two chapters, scoring 36 and 35 to build a 90-71 lead entering the final quarter.
Pringle and Anthony Semerad combined for four straight long range shots in the third quarter, increasing the lead to 79-62 after TNT threatened to pull closer.
But the Batang Pier had to weather a huge storm in the fourth quarter from the Tropa, as the latter began hitting their outside shots.
Mo Tautuaa and Jayson Castro then joined hands to make it more interesting in the payoff period, with Castro’s 12 straight points chopping Globalport’s big lead down to 98-93 with under four minutes left in the fourth.
Romeo answered with a huge three later on with over two minutes remaining to shove Globalport ahead, 103-95.
Jai Reyes converted on a stepback three of his own but committed a deliberate foul on the other end, leading to two free throws from returning import Calvin Warner which put the game away for good.
TNT outscored Globalport 30-18, but fell short ultimately. The Batang Pier knocked down 15 triples in the game, almost doubling the Tropa’s eight.
Warner scored 11 points and hauled down 21 rebounds in his return to the league.
Castro had 25 points on 50 percent shooting, including 12 in the fourth to pace the Tropa, which has yet to come up with a replacement for the suspended Ivan Johnson. Tautuaa chipped in 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting.
The Globalport Batang Pier (2-1) will have the San Miguel Beermen next on their slate on Friday, February 26 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Tropang TNT (1-2), on the other hand, face the Alaska Aces on Wednesday, February 24 in the same venue.
The Scores:
Globalport (108) – Romeo 33, Pringle 14, Sumang 11, Warner 11, Washington 9, Semerad 8, Yeo 8, Mamaril 6, Jensen 4, Kramer 2, Maierhofer 2.
TNT (101) – Castro 25, Tautuaa 21, Seigle 16, De Ocampo 10, Fonacier 8, J. Reyes 8, Ganuelas 6, Carey 3, Ababou 2, R. Reyes 2.
Quarterscores: 19-18, 55-42, 90-71, 108-101.
