NorthPort dug deep and withstood Magnolia, 113-110, to maximize its win-once incentive and book the first ticket to the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals, Thursday evening at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Batang Pier overcame a tepid start and erased a 14-point lead through a huge third-quarter shift, but still needed some help from luck in the endgame to make sure that their quarterfinal advantage won’t go into waste.
Arvin Tolentino nailed a one-hander to give themselves enough breathing space at 111-108 with 46.5 seconds left, before the crew as a whole leaned on defense to prevent the traditional contenders a chance to snatch the match.
A missed four by Paul Lee and a split by Allyn Bulanadi with 2.8 ticks to spare proved enough to help NorthPort seal its first semis trip since the 2019 Governors’ Cup, with the team still bannered by Christian Standhardinger.
“Sa first half siguro, masyado kaming tight. At the same time, gusto kaagad naming manalo right in the first quarter pa lang. Siyempre, pinaghandaan kami, ang ganda rin ng depensa ng Magnolia,” said lead deputy Rensy Bajar.
“Kung ano ‘yung ibinigay sa amin ng Magnolia sa first half iyun din ang ibinigay namin sa kanila sa second half, which is hustle, energy; at the same time ‘yung pressure defense namin. Kaya nakahabol kami in that third quarter.”
Kadeem Jack finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead NorthPort, who will wait for the winner between Ginebra and Meralco for its semis foe.
Main man Tolentino delivered 25 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while winger William Navarro produced 15 points and seven rebounds.
Evan Nelle and lefty Allyn Bulanadi, who came alive and contributed solidly in their 36-point barrage in the third, supplied 12 points apiece.
That surge during the said period would allow the Batang Pier to take control and even take the 101-87 lead during the fourth, but their more experienced counterparts gradually chipped away at the deficit.
Soon, the charges of Coach Chito Victolero would find themselves closing in by just a point twice inside the game’s final 1:32 behind Lee himself.
Lee, however, couldn’t convert when needed the most. His four-point attempt, which could’ve given them a 113-112 lead, went in and out of the rim.
Soon, the Hotshots would find themselves eliminated, indeed a crushing end to a conference in which they were a finalist in its previous edition.
“Paul gave us a chance and opportunity to win. In the last five minutes of the game,we’re down by 12, but we almost won the game. So it’s the character of the players,” offered Victolero, who’s in his eighth season at the helm.
“But again, sabi nga namin kanina doon, it’s one win or two wins in the elimination, we won’t be in this kind of situation,” he furthered. “We need to talk about it, maybe before the start of our preparation sa All-Filipino.”
Mark Barroca led Magnolia with 26 points and 10 assists, while Lee and veteran import Ricardo Ratliffe finished with 22 points each in the defeat.
The Scores:
NorthPort 113 – Jack 30, Tolentino 25, Navarro 15, Nelle 12, Bulanadi 12, Flores 10, Munzon 5, Yu 4, Tratter 0, Taha 0.
Magnolia 110- Barroca 26, Ratliffe 22, Lee 22, Lucero 13, Sangalang 7, Dionisio 6, Abueva 6, Lastimosa 4, Dela Rosa 4, Alfaro 0, Ahanmisi 0.
Quarterscores: 25-32, 47-61, 83-76, 113-110.
