NorthPort avoided a sweep with a hard-fought 108-103 victory over Barangay Ginebra in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals, Wednesday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Batang Pier got threatened down the stretch when the Kings got to within a point but Kadeem Jack was there to keep their foes at bay, nailing a tough fadeaway from the post to make it a 105-103 spread with 19.3 seconds left.
A missed trey by Stephen Holt and a perfect trip to the line by Arvin Tolentino with 8.5 ticks to spare, plus another attempt by RJ Abarrientos that went off-target as time expired were enough for the crew to save themselves – for now.
(C) PBA Images
“We, as a team, found a way today. Sarap sa feeling na panalo. Nanalo rin. But it’s just one win,” said Tolentino. “It’s a best-of-seven series. You got to win three more, and hopefully, magtuloy tuloy ‘yung magandang laro namin.”
Jack powered NorthPort with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists, doing it all yet again although he received plenty of help this time around.
Tolentino flirted with a triple-double as he finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists, coming alive and submitting easily his best game of the series after being held by Holt and his old team in the past three matches.
William Navarro produced 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Joshua Munzon made 14 points and five assists while Paolo Taha, in a surprise start, chipped in 11 as the first five all scored in double figures.
And that balanced attack was big thanks to the 28 assists they dished as a unit, something that they’d definitely want to imitate when the series heads into Game 5 on Friday, March 7, 7:30 p.m. still at the Big Dome.
“Today, we had 28 assists. From the next game up to the last, we really have to just find a way to win. Three more. Mukhang imposible, pero wala namang imposible,” said Tolentino as they now hope for a miraculous comeback.
(C) PBA Images
Ginebra, on the other hand, was led by Justin Brownlee and Abarrientos with 18 points apiece on a combined 5-of-17 clip from three in the rally that fell short.
Troy Rosario had 17 points and 13 rebounds. Holt supplied a 15-5-6 line while Scottie Thompson finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
The Scores:
NorthPort 108 – Jack 39, Tolentino 20, Navarro 16, Munzon 14, Taha 11, Nelle 3, Bulanadi 3, Miranda 2, Onwubere 0
Ginebra 103 – Brownlee 18, Abarrientos 18, Rosario 17, Holt 15, Malonzo 12, Thompson 11, J.Aguilar 10, Ahanmisi 2, Gray 0, Cu 0
Quarterscores: 21-22, 54-50, 84-74, 108-103.
