ANTIPOLO - Kadeem Jack scored on a turnaround jumper with 16.7 seconds as NorthPort averted a major collapse against San Miguel, 105-104, on Tuesday to snap a two-game losing skid in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup.
Jack's clutch basket enabled NorthPort to retake the lead after it squandered all of a 24-point advantage against an SMB side that made just 42 percent of its shots and got just four points in 23 minutes from import Malik Pope.
The Batang Pier regrouped just in time to improve to a 8-3 (win-loss) record, reclaim a share of second place with Converge behind leader TNT, and complete a sweep of all San Miguel Corp. teams in the single-round eliminations.
READ NorthPort savours rare sweep of all three SMC teams in elims
The Beermen fell to 4-6 in a tie for the eighth and final quarterfinal spot with sister team Magnolia and NLEX.
“Designed play ‘yun for Kadeem,” said NorthPort deputy Rensy Bajar, who sat in for head coach Bonnie Tan in the postgame press conference. “Actually lahat ng coaches, we decided na si Kadeem ‘yung last shot. Even our team manager coach Pido [Jarencio], na-involve na rin.
“Dinesign namin ‘yung play for Kadeem. We think that we have an advantage kay Kadeem in that situation,” said Bajar.
Jack's clutch basket preserved his effort in the first half where he had 27 points, enabling the Batang Pier to post a 69-52 lead at the break.
NorthPort opened a 83-59 spread in the third quarter - a lead that looked safe until San Miguel mounted the comeback.
The Beermen even led, 104-103, on two free throws by CJ Perez with 26.5 seconds left, only for Jack to reply.
San Miguel had one last chance to retake the lead but was called for a 24-second shotclock violation after a miss by Juami Tiongson.
Arvin Tolentino also had a huge outing with 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block as NorthPort bounced back from its defeats to Rain or Shine and Meralco that sent it tumbling down the team standings.
William Navarro had 17 points, three rebounds, and four assists, while Joshua Munzon added 12 points and five assists.
June Mar Fajardo had 24 points and 15 rebounds as he led five San Miguel players in double figures. That didn’t include import Malik Pope, who only had four points on 2 for 8 shooting - the lowest output by any of the four SMB imports this conference.
The scores:
NorthPort 105 – Jack 38, Tolentino 22, Navarro 17, Munzon 12, Bulanadi 6, Nelle 6, Tratter 2, Flores 2, Yu 0, Cuntapay 0, Miranda 0.
San Miguel 104 – Fajardo 24, Perez 21, Trollano 16, Tautuaa 14, Tiongson 10, Cruz 6, Pope 4, Lassiter 3, Cahilig 3, Rosales 3, Ross 0.
Quarters: 36-22; 69-52; 91-74; 105-104.
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.
