ANTIPOLO – NorthPort got off to a strong showing at the start of its the PBA Season 47 Philippine Cup campaign, beating Rain or Shine, 94-81, on Thursday night at the Ynares Center.
NorthPort vs ROS recap
Robert Bolick led the Batang Pier with 22 points, while sophomore forward Jamie Malonzo tallied 18 points and 15 rebounds to win the first game of the conference despite the absence of a couple of their frontcourt players from last season in Greg Slaughter and Troy Rike.
NorthPort led by as many as 21 points as Rain or Shine couldn’t sustain its opening-game victory last Sunday against Converge.
Kevin Ferrer added 15 points, while Arwind Santos also crashed the boards as he grabbed 10 for the undersized Batang Pier squad.
“It’s a total team effort. Basta everybody is doing their share especially the bigs that we have katulad sila Arwind at Jamie,” said NorthPort coach Pido Jarencio.
Mike Nieto had 19 points while Santi Santillan added 16 points for the Elastopainters, who tried a rally in the fourth that was not enough.
Bolick began the pullaway, scoring 13 in the third quarter as NorthPort took a commanding 71-54 lead.
The Batang Pier further extended the lead to 77-56 to put the game away.
Arth Dela Cruz played his first game back after two years and had 10 points for NorthPort.
The scores:
NorthPort 94 – Bolick 22, Malonzo 18, Ferrer 15, Dela Cruz 10, Calma 9, Santos 8, Sumang 5, Balanza 4, Ayaay 3, Vigil 0, Apacible 0.
Rain or Shine 81 – Nieto 19, Santillan 16, Asistio 14, Belga 10, Demusis 6, Nambatac 6, Ildefonso 5, Ponferada 5, Tolentino 0, Caracut 0, Borboran 0, Clarito 0, Torres 0.
Quarters: 20-11; 40-35; 71-54; 94-81.
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