James Yap PHOTO BY TRISTAN TAMAYO/INQUIRER.net
Never has a higher seed been so embarrassed and never has a twice-to-beat advantage become irrelevant.
Star pulled up the anchors and swung it on the hapless Globalport, 126-73, resembling conquistadores taking land from natives Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Globalport had the luxury of a twice-to-beat advantage but the Hotshots went on a riotous rampage to force a rubber match on Sunday
A game so one-sided could have not produced any sensible highlight until James Yap went for a travelling-defying jam, the second of his career, in the 9:10 mark of the third quarter to give Star an 83-40 lead.
Star made history with the extremely lopsided victory breaking the playoffs record of Burger King’s 120-72 win over Sta. Lucia in the 2009 Fiesta Cup and another of Tim Cone’s achievement when Alaska beat Tanduay 119-71 in the 2000 Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.
Cone said they just started out strong and kept going at it.
“Started with a big punch, staggered them, and we just kept pummeling. Manny Pacquiao would’ve been proud of that game,” Cone said.
Nevertheless, Cone said they’re not done noting a huge margin of victory is the same as a one-point win.
“Bottomline, we’re not playing a 48-minute game, we’re playing a 96-minute game. We’re only at halftime in our minds. We haven’t achieved anything.”
“At this point, a 30, 40-point game is the same as a one-point win.”
Star got their biggest lead in the game when Lester Alvarez nailed a three-pointer in the fourth to give the Hotshots a 63-point,121-58, lead.
Marqus Blakely led the Hotshots with 23 points and nine boards while four other Hotshots finished in double-digit scoring.
Mark Barroca had 16 points while Allex Mallari and Yao finished with 15 points apiece, and Justin Melton rounding out the double-figure scorers with 14.
Terrence Romeo finished with 18 points to lead Globalport while import Jarrid Famous was limited to 16 points and 15 boards.
The scores:
Star 126 — Blakely 23, Barroca 16, Mallari 15, Yap 15, Melton 14, Taha 8, Simon 8, Maliksi 7, Devance 6, Alvarez 3, Gaco 3, Pingris 3, Pennisi 3, Allado 2, REavis 0.
Globalport 73 — Romeo 18, Famous 16, Caoperal 8, Semerad 5, Miranda 5, Krayem 4, Pringle 4, Isip 4, Pinto 2, Hayes 2, Jensen 2, Mamaril 2, Buenafe 1, Taha 0, Kramer 0, Ponferrada 0.
Quarters: 37-18; 73-35; 103-54; 16-73.