Northport Batang Pier rode the wave of a career-high performance from William Navarro, who scored 31 points to propel the team to a lopsided112-93 victory over Terrafirma Dyip on Friday evening at the Araneta Coliseum.
Navarro’s standout second-half performance was the catalyst for Batang Pier’s first win in Group A after two games. The team also benefited from a solid contribution of 16 points from Venka Jois.
Batang Pier quickly established its dominance in the first quarter, taking a 15-5 lead at the 8:36 mark, thanks to a three-pointer from Damie Cuntapay.
“In our last practice, we focused on playing as a team and distributing the ball effectively. Tonight, our players executed that plan well, and our second unit stepped up when needed,” said Batang Pier head coach Bonnie Tan.
Navarro added seven points in the second quarter, including a crucial three-pointer at the 6:50 mark that pushed Batang Pier’s lead to 16 points, 43-27.
Juami Tiongson led Terrafirma with 19 points, but his efforts weren’t enough to prevent the Dyip from dropping to their second consecutive loss.
Navarro continued his offensive onslaught in the second half, pouring in 13 points in the third quarter alone. He capped off an 8-0 run with four points, helping Batang Pier close the period with an 85-70 lead.
Navarro wasn’t finished, as he added another 11 points in the final quarter, including a jumper that gave Batang Pier their largest lead of the night at 27 points, 106-79, with 5:19 remaining.
Looking ahead, Batang Pier will face the Converge Fiber Xers on Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, as they aim to build on this momentum.
