Mo Tautuaa notched a new PBA career-high Wednesday when NorthPort battled Denzel Bowles and Rain or Shine.
The 6-foot-7 big man produced 34 points on 56 percent shooting from the field, on top of 11 rebounds, two steals, and an assist in the 45 minutes and 35 seconds he saw action.
“Mo Tautuaa thirty-four points, career-high, grabe yung tao,” lauded NorthPort head coach Pido Jarencio of Tautuaa, who arrived to the team just last season via a trade with TNT KaTropa.
But for Tautuaa, his career-high is just an afterthought of how the Batang Pier fought against the Elasto Painters.
NorthPort came back all the way from a 25-point deficit in the third canto, rallying furiously in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Their grit paid great dividends as they came out triumphant, 107-105.
Making the win so impressive was the fact that the Batang Pier only had eight players in that match, as Bradwyn Guinto, Lervin Flores, Nico Elorde, and Jonathan Grey are all nursing injuries.
“It’s an afterthought because I wanted to win. The cards were against us and it made the win so much sweeter.
“I happened to score a lot but that’s just part of the game,” Tautuaa said after NorthPort’s stunning 107-105 overtime win.
“You know, all the chips were against us tonight. I don’t know what you guys saw but we only had a few players out there and we poured our heart out,” added the six-year pro from California.
Wednesday’s win proved to be a good start for NorthPort in the post-Stanley Pringle era — NorthPort had shipped Pringle to Ginebra for Sol Mercado, Jervy Cruz, and Kevin Ferrer this Tuesday.
“That’s my brother, man. Me and Stan, we’ve known each other even before we got to the PBA,” said Tautuaa of Pringle, whom he had met before in the ASEAN Basketball League.
“Like I said, that’s my brother. I know that’s not the last time I will see him. He can stop by any time. The good thing about this NorthPort team is we’re a family,” he furthered.
Tautuaa, meanwhile, expressed excitement with the arrival of their new teammates to the Batang Pier, who are now sharing leadership of the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup with TNT.
“I’m excited for them to come in,” said the 30-year-old.
“I hope they’re ready for our culture here. We’re all playing for each other, and I believe in Ginebra they have the camaraderie where everyone is together and NSD man, they never say die,” the Fil-Tongan continued.
“That’s what we showed tonight, that we don’t give up.”
