THE trade rumors only fueled Nino Canaleta.
Despite talks of him being on the trading block once again, Canaleta showed his offensive prowess early as he scored all of his team-high 20 points in the first half to power Mahindra to a 111-98 upset victory over GlobalPort in the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The veteran journeyman showed his squad, and the opposition, of his repertoire as he produced all of his points in the first half to set the tone for the Enforcers.
Canaleta fired all his four triples in the first 24 minutes, before the rest of his teammates picked up the cudgels from where he left off.
Overall, Canaleta shot 72 percent (8-of-11) from the field in the first 24 minutes as he provided the spark that Mahindra needed against the favored GlobalPort.
The Enforcers notched the win despite the explosion of GlobalPort superstar Terrence Romeo, who unloaded a game-high 41 points on an efficient 51 percent shooting.
Canaleta got plenty of help as guys like Mike DiGrigorio, LA Revilla, Brad Guinto and Karl Dehesa picked up the scoring cudgels in the second half. Revilla scored 17, DiGrigorio contributed 14, Dehesa had 12 and Guinto hit 10.
“It’s a total team effort for us,’’ said Mahindra deputy coach Chito Victolero. “Ang maganda sa amin ngayon is everybody is stepping up and everybody wants to prove something.’’
Mahindra, spearheaded by Canaleta’s scoring exploits, built an early 10-point lead, 31-21, in the latter part of the first quarter after a 17-8 blitz to gain control right away.
The second period was no different as the Enforcers, despite some resistance by the Batang Pier, tightened their grip on the game and re-established their double-digit lead after it almost vanished, opening up a bigger 50-36 advantage after a Nard Pinto triple at the 3:41 mark to cap off a 15-3 run.
Mahindra’s lead even grew to 15 points twice in the closing seconds of the first half before it held a comfortable 60-47 spread at the turn.
Not the one to just lay down, GlobalPort fought back in as the second half, starting the third with a blistering 14-2 blast courtesy of Romeo’s hot hands as Mahindra’s lead was down to a single point, 62-61, at the 8:23 mark of the quarter.
But the Enforcers showed good resolve as they did not relinquish their lead entirely and regained a safer edge, 82-76, entering the final period.
They then restored complete order in the fourth as they once again established a twin-digit lead, 90-78, just two minutes into the quarter.
Games Today
(Philsports Arena, Pasig City)
3 p.m. – Meralco vs.
Talk ‘N Text
5:15 p.m. – Rain or Shine
vs. Star
