Alex Mallari. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Star’s title defense is still alive.
The Hotshots overcame a twice-to-win disadvantage and disposed of GlobalPort, 101-94 Sunday in the 2015 PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“I knew it’s gonna be tough and it was,” said coach Tim Cone. “Even though we led by 20, they still kept fighting. Just tremendous resilience from them.”
After its 53-point mauling last Friday, Star looked like it was well on its way to another rout after it took a 21-point lead, 39-18, midway in the second quarter behind the efforts of PJ Simon.
But a game Batang Pier roared back and slowly chipped away at the lead, tying the game at 56 with 3:47 left in the third and even took the lead momentarily.
After GlobalPort tied the game at 74 on a Terrence Romeo trey, the Hotshots found their second wind and pummeled the Batang Pier with an 18-5 run to break free for a 92-79 lead with three minutes left.
“It was really a tough game and I’m just glad we got through it,” said Cone.
Alex Mallari poured in nine of his 17 points in the fourth quarter pullaway, alongside 13 rebounds, while James Yap also had 17 markers, nine coming in the fourth, to go with his eight rebounds.
Marqus Blakely tallied a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards while Simon got 12 of his 14 markers in the second quarter, where Star built its largest lead of the game.
Star became just the seventh team to defy a twice-to-beat disadvantage, and will now advance to the semifinals to face Alaska in a best-of-5 series.
“I haven’t been really thinking about it. But they are playing real high-level basketball, real high-level defense, and we have to bring our best to beat them,” the coach said.
It was a successful run, nonetheless, for GlobalPort as it had its highest finish in the eliminations at fourth place and tallied its highest number of wins in a tourney with seven.
Jarrid Famous led the Batang Pier with 38 points and 21 rebounds, as Stanley Pringle chipped in 16 markers.
Terrence Romeo also had 15 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in the defeat.
The Scores:
STAR 101 – Mallari 17, Yap 17, Blakely 15, Simon 14, Devance 13, Taha 8, Barroca 6, Pingris 6, Melton 5, Pennisi 0.
GLOBALPORT 94 – Famous 38, Pringle 16, Romeo 15, Krayem 9, Jensen 7, Buenafe 6, Kramer 3, Semerad 0, Miranda 0.
Quarters: 21-16, 49-40, 70-65, 101-94.