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Known as a deadly outside shooter, Anthony Semerad made Meralco pay for keeping him uncovered as he drained the go-ahead triple with 14.9 seconds to spare to give GlobalPort its first win in a dramatic 126-123 double overtime win over Meralco on Sunday.
“I guess I like to run back and get in that corner every time in the sideline, in the three-point line, and I was just at the right spot at the right time,” said Semerad, whose game winner was set up by playmaker Stanley Pringle.
But it was not just that shot that made the night for Semerad as he truly came to his own, notching a new career-high with 24 points after a scintillating 6-of-8 shooting from threes, way above his 4.0 points per game average this conference.
“It feels good. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” he said, deflecting the credit to the entire GlobalPort squad, which dropped its first four games. “It was a team effort. I might just hit those shots tonight, and they got us the win.”
Semerad said the win allows the Batang Pier to breathe a sigh of relief as they finally chalked one in the winning column.
“It feels good to be back on the winning side. We’ve lost four games already, so getting that win and getting the chance to stay in the playoffs, it’s a good feeling,” he said.
The former San Beda forward is hopeful that the morale-boosting triumph will be enough for GlobalPort to turn things around.
“I think it’s gonna help us, give us a good push,” he said. “We know that everything’s coming together now and we can continue getting those wins.”