STAR import Marqus Blakely puts up a shot off Globalport’s Jarrid Famous and Billy Mamaril in last night’s game at the Big Dome. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
STAR didn’t get Globalport with one big punch this time but the Hotshots showed they’ve got more than that in dispatching the Batang Pier yesterday to reach the Final Four of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
The Hotshots survived the loss of a 20-point lead and needed a huge closing surge to post a 101-94 decision of the Batang Pier and become the first lower-ranked team in these playoffs to turn the tables on a top-four squad at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
Marqus Blakely’s triple double sparked the Hotshots, who needed a 15-3 run midway in the fourth period to finally snuff the fight out of the Batang Pier, who came back from the worst playoff loss in league history and redeemed themselves with their gutsy stand.
“I knew it was going to be tough, and it was,” Star coach Tim Cone said, moments after sealing a best-of-five semifinal clash with his former team and elimination-round topnotcher Alaska, starting Wednesday night.
“Great credit goes to coach Pido (Jarencio of Globalport) for getting those guys turned around after that (126-73 Game 1 loss),” Cone added. “It was just tremendous resilience by them.”
Cone forgot to mention that his Hotshots were resilient, too.
Star couldn’t put away the Batang Pier with a 17-2 run to open the second period that ushered the Hotshots to a 38-18 lead, and needed to battle Globalport tooth-and-nail from there before unleashing that winning spurt.
Blakely finished with 15 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists, not to mention the great defensive effort he produced against the 6-foot-11 Jarrid Famous, who worked so hard that he appeared totally spent in the end.
Famous kept the Batang Pier alive in the first 18 minutes, scoring 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
He got some help when Terrence Romeo hit his first basket with under six minutes left in the second period. The flamboyant shooting guard went on to finish with nine points at halftime as Globalport crept to within 49-40.
Stanley Pringle scored all his 16 points in the second half as Globalport even took a 71-70 lead before Alex Mallari scored two straight baskets that touched off that Star streak for an 89-77 lead going into the final 3:42.
Famous posted 38 points and 21 rebounds, while Romeo added 15 for Globalport, which joined Barangay Ginebra and Barako Bull in bowing out in the first round of the playoffs.
Star’s win made the Hotshots just the seventh team to reverse the twice-to-win disadvantage. It has happened 10 times before, the last when Air21 outlasted San Miguel Beer in last season’s Commissioner’s Cup.
Meanwhile, Meralco tries to match Star’s effort when the No. 7 Bolts gun for that second win against No. 2 San Miguel Beer at 7 p.m. today, also at the Big Dome. The Bolts used a 7-0 run to close out Game 1 and post a 106-99 win.
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