AT the very least, GlobalPort was able to end another disappointing campaign on a positive note.
The Batang Pier ended their conference and season with a victory, walloping last-placer Blackwater, 139-126, after a strong fourth quarter in a no-bearing, high-scoring affair of exiting squads in the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup Wednesday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Veteran gunner Joseph Yeo came off the bench to fire a career-high 37 points on 54 percent shooting, with four rebounds and six assists to spearhead the Batang Pier’s attack.
Mike Glover also had a strong scoring night, tallying 34 points and 18 rebounds to further help GlobalPort, while resident scorer Terrence Romeo wasn’t far behind, adding 28 points, nine assists and six rebounds for a complete performance.
GlobalPort ended its run in the tournament with a 4-7 card, also snapping a three-game losing streak.
On the other hand, Blackwater just couldn’t do anything right as it lost its eighth straight game and fell further down to 1-9, with one more assignment left in its schedule before wrapping up its season.
“It looked like an All-Star game with the way it was played because we’re both out of the running, but it’s all about pride and effort,” said GlobalPort assistant coach Cholo Villanueva, who called the shots for this game. “Eventually, we got the win.”
Both teams were already out of contention as early as last week.
With less intensity on defense for both teams given the low-relevance of the game, GlobalPort and Blackwater feasted on the offensive end as they tallied the highest scoring game of the season thus far.
GlobalPort actually started out slow, trailing by 12, 36-48, early in the second but dug itself out of trouble right away, trimming its deficit to only two points, 68-70, at the half to get back in it.
The teams remained neck-to-neck until the Batang Pier broke the game wide open in the final period.
GlobalPort erected a decisive 24-12 spurt in the middle of the fourth to grasp a commanding 123-109 advantage with over four minutes left and it never looked back.
Keala King led Blackwater with 28 points.
The scores:
GLOBALPORT 139—Yeo 37, Glover 34, Romeo 28, Pringle 14, Washington 13, Semerad 8, Salvacion 3, Mamaril 2, Fortuna 0, Paredes 0.
BLACKWATER 126—King 28, Sumang 22, Dela Cruz 21, Lastimosa 14, Pascual 13, Gamalinda 11, Pinto 7, Sena 6, Reyes 4, Golla 0.
Quarterscores: 32-38, 68-70, 99-97, 139-126
