NORTHPORT finally snapped a five-year skid over Barangay Ginebra, escaping with a 119-116 win on Wednesday in a thrilling PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup game at the Philsports Arena.
The Batang Pier ended a 14-game losing streak against the Gin Kings that spanned five years and, in so doing, passed their toughest test yet this conference to remain on top of the team standings with a 7-1 win-loss mark.
NorthPort wobbled in the stretch run as Ginebra came roaring back from an 18-point deficit, but Kadeem Jack, Arvin Tolentino and Joshua Munzon made crucial baskets in the final moments to keep the Kings at bay.
Barangay Ginebra slipped to 5-3 after seeing a two-game winning streak snapped.
Prior to Wednesday, NorthPort's last victory over Ginebra was December 14, 2019 in Game One of the PBA Governors' Cup semifinals.
READ Tolentino, Bolick, Oftana, Heading crowd Fajardo in BPC race
NorthPort coach Bonnie Tan said they were confident about their chances of beating Ginebra this time with the progress the team has made this conference.
“Before the start of the game, sa practice, we talked about na beatable pa rin ‘yung Ginebra. Even though we haven’t beaten them for the past five years, 14 games to be exact, we had a game na we beat Ginebra in Batangas in the PBA on Tour. Sabi namin, that’s the game we mentioned na beatable ang Ginebra,” said Tan.
“We challenged the players na tonight’s game is a statement game for us,” Tan said.
Ginebra had a golden chance to tie the match in the final seconds after Justin Brownlee was fouled while taking a three-point shot by William Navarro.
But Brownlee only made two out of three charity shots, missing the second attempt, enabling NorthPort to stay ahead, 117-116.
Brownlee got another shot at an equalizer with NorthPort ahead by two, 118-116, but he slipped on a drive to the basket with 2.3 seconds left. Jack made one of two free throws to settle the final score.
NorthPort was in control for majority of the contest, leading 94-76, late in the third quarter after one of Tolentino’s six three-pointers.
The Batang Pier also showed composure in the face of the Gin Kings rally that got them ahead, 101-100. They responded with a 14-4 blast for a 114-105 lead, thanks to two threes by Tolentino and a three-point play by Jack.
Jack had 32 points and 16 rebounds for the Batang Pier. He had 12 points in the first quarter to set the tone for NorthPort.
Tolentino added 29 points and shot 6-for-9 from threes before fouling out, while Munzon had 27 points, six assists, and two steals for the Batang Pier.
Brownlee finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds but committed eight turnovers including one in the final possession. Scottie Thompson, RJ Abarrientos, and Troy Rosario each had 17 points for the Gin Kings.
The scores:
NorthPort 119 – Jack 32, Tolentino 29, Munzon 27, Flores 9, Navarro 8, Bulanadi 5, Onwubere 4, Cuntapay 3, Yu 2, Nelle 0, Jalalon 0.
Barangay Ginebra 116 – Brownlee 23, Thompson 17, Rosario 17, Abarrientos 17, Ahanmisi 12, Holt 11, Cu 9, J. Aguilar 8, Tenorio 2.
Quarters: 31-27; 57-58; 98-87; 119-116.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
