ANTIPOLO – NorthPort completed a sweep of San Miguel Corp. teams in the elimination round for the first time in franchise history on Tuesday night, continuing to defy the odds and proving doubters wrong in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup.
But it had to earn that feat.
The Batang Pier squandered a 24-point lead before Kadeem Jack hit the game-winning shot against the Beermen, 105-104, to snap a two-game losing streak and get right back in the race for the two twice-to-beat incentives.
READ Kadeem the redeemer as NorthPort averts major collapse vs SMB
The Batang Pier finally achieved a treble against SMC that they came close to pulling off in the 2017 Philippine Cup and the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup, both times beating two out of three SMC squads, according to PBA statistics chief Fidel Mangonon.
This conference, NorthPort defeated Magnolia, 107-103, last December 3, and Barangay Ginebra, 109-106 last January 8, breaking a 14-game losing skid against the Gin Kings in the process.
NorthPort assistant coach Rensy Bajar said head mentor Bonnie Tan reminded the team entering the fourth quarter to expect a San Miguel comeback, knowing a championship-caliber team like the Beermen can never be counte out.
“Lagi naming pinaalalang mga coaches especially si coach Bonnie, during crunch time and the fourth quarter, San Miguel is San Miguel. They are a champion team. They will come back anytime, and their players, mag-step up anytime,” said Bajar, who sat in for Tan during the postgame press conference.
“Buti nag-stick lang kami sa game plan. We just play hard defense especially crunch time. At ‘yun na nga, nakahabol sila because ‘yung mga turnovers namin down the stretch. Pero naka-recover kami sa last possessions namin,” said Bajar.
Arvin Tolentino said he also had no expectations that NorthPort’s game against San Miguel will be a walk in the park.
“You guys know na San Miguel is a champion team, meron silang eight-time MVP, CJ Perez, ang dami nilang veteran players. Kaya hindi naging madali sa amin even though we were up by 24. Nahabol pa rin nila. This is a contender talaga eh. They have experience, champion team. Credit to SMB also,” said Tolentino.
NorthPort goes hard in practice
Tolentino said had two hard practices prior to the game against SMB after back-to-back losses saw NorthPort pay dearly for slow starts, averaging 19.5 first-quarter points.
“We were talking about starting the game strong since dalawang game na kaming flat na nag-start, offense and defense. We actually practiced hard nung isang araw para to get the guys going. And ‘yun nag-pay off naman ‘yung result ngayon,” said Tolentino
“Chinallenge talaga kami ni coach Bonnie. Talagang mainit ulo ni coach nun. We took it as a challenge especially Kadeem [Jack] at nabigyan kami ng panalo,” said Tolentino.
In the end, Tolentino said the team started playing together again.
“I guess everyone, naniwala lang sa isa’t isa. Since the start of the conference, ‘yun ang naging puhunan namin, believe na we can do it if we can stick together. Nakita naman natin how we played the game.
"Whenever we don’t share the ball, medyo low ang energy, doon kami natatalo. But everytime we play together as a team, enjoying the game, and believing that we can win, doon tumataas ‘yung morale ng team like what happened today,” said Tolentino.
Bajar echoed Tan’s words following their win against Ginebra that this NorthPort team is here to compete.
“Itong team na ito is just making a statement na we are real. Etong mga players na ito, they will play 100 percent each game. Even in the playoffs, kung sino man makaharap namin, we will just play our game,” said Bajar.
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