Terrence Romeo scores 33 for Globalport. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
GlobalPort survived Meralco’s last stand, 108-104, to enhance its bid for a twice-to-beat quarterfinals bonus in the 2016 Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup Wednesday at Cuneta Astrodome.
The Batang Pier blew a 24-point lead in the third quarter and needed to withstand Jimmy Alapag’s fourth-quarter flurry to salvage their third straight victory and sixth overall in nine games.
Alapag scored 15 points, built on four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter alone, but the Bolts failed to complete their comeback as they bowed out of playoff contention with a 1-9 record.
Terrence Romeo led GlobalPort with 33 points, 22 of which came in the second half. Stanley Pringle finished with another all-around effort with 19 points, six rebounds and six assists.
“We still have two games left and going into the playoffs we have to finish strong,” said GlobalPort head coach Pido Jarencio after his team moved one win away from clinching a twice-to-beat edge.
The Bolts, who trailed, 80-56, with 5:37 remaining in the third quarter after Romeo’s triple, took a 96-94 lead on a put back by Cliff Hodge with 3:47 left in the game.
Alapag played his best game as a member of the Bolts on the same night when he moved solo fifth in the all-time assists list. He scored a team-high 18 points and dished out four dimes to pad his overall assist total to 3,260.
The 36-year-old Alapag joined “The Living Legend” Sonny Jaworski (5,825), Mon Fernandez (5,220), Dindo Pumaren (4,043) and Johnny Abarrientos (3,757) in top five after passing Willie Generalao.
GlobalPort sealed the game at the charity stripe with Romeo hitting two free throws and Jay Washington making 1-of-2 in the last 16 seconds.
Alapag missed his last two tries from downtown inside the final 10 seconds.
The scores:
GLOBALPORT 108 – Romeo 33, Pringle 19, Washington 15, Mamaril 8, Yeo 8, Jensen 7, Kramer 7, Maierhofer 6, Sumang 3, Semerad 2.
MERALCO 104 – Alapag 18, Hodge 17, Nabong 13, Hugnatan 12, Faundo 11, Newsome 10, David 8, Buenafe 7, Dillinger 4, Amer 3, Caram 1, Al-Hussaini 0.
Quarters: 26-22, 55-44, 87-73, 108-104
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