NorthPort blasted TNT mercilessly in the second half to cruise its way to a 110-86 rout–its third straight win in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City last night..
Stanley Pringle finally made his tournament debut for NorthPort after missing the first two games with an injury.
The Batang Pier superstar debuted with a bang by scoring a game-high 22 points to lead his team to victory.
Robert Bolick provided support with 21 markers, while import Prince Ibeh delivered a double-double with 18 points and 20 rebounds.
The Batang Pier remained unscathed as they hiked their slate to 3-0, while the Tropang Texters fell to 2-1 after tasting their first defeat.
The win elevated NorthPort into shared first place with idle Blackwater, which also sits at 3-0.
Following a tight first half where no team gained total control, the Batang Pier went on game-turning outburst to end the third period.
NorthPort went on a huge 15-0 blast to end the third and turn a three-point deficit into a double-digit advantage, 77-65, entering the fourth period.
Still stunned, the Tropang Texters were unable to recover and the Batang Pier continued their surge in the payoff period, extending their lead further to break the game wide open.
An additional 6-0 run to open the fourth sealed the win for NorthPort, which led by as much as 26 points in the final 12 minutes.
The big key for NorthPort was the way it was able to contain prolific import Terrence Jones.
After scoring over 40 points in his first two games, Jones was held by the stingy Batang Pier defense to only 17 points and 14 rebounds as the KaTropa struggled to find offense elsewhere.
The scores:
NorthPort 110—Pringle 22, Bolick 21, Ibeh 18, Anthony 13, Lanete 12, Tautuaa 11, Elorde 9, Grey 2, Gabayni 2, Flores 0, Taha 0, Arana 0.
TNT 86—Rosario 22, Pogoy 19, Jones 17, Castro 10, Heruela 5, Taha 4, Trollano 4, Semerad 3, Reyes 2, Williams 0, Golla 0, Miranda 0, Casino 0.
Quarterscores: 25-28, 43-44, 77-65, 110-86