PBA IMAGES
TNT KaTropa roared back from 23 points down on Sunday night to clip NorthPort, 104-102 to win for the third straight game and get back into solid playoff contention in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Marqus Blakely canned a layup with under seven second left to break the game’s last tie at 102 as the Texters, who are under a new coach in Bong Ravena, completed one of the biggest rallies in the season-ending conference to rise to 4-4.
It was a bitter loss for the Batang Pier to swallow, who suddenly turned cold in the fourth quarter, remaining winless in six games and in great danger of becoming the first team to miss the playoffs.
“It’s just all hard work,” Ravena told reporters in Filipino after the win, carved out even with Jason Castro missing the game because of bone spurs in his foot. “The important thing is for us to sustain our energy level (in our next games).”
For all intents and purposes, the Texters couldn’t afford to lose to the Batang Pier, for not only would they be under .500 going into the stretch of their elimination round schedule where they will face powerhouses San Miguel Beer, Magnolia and defending champion Barangay Ginebra in that order.
NorthPort was playing fluidly and erected a 60-37 lead.
The Batang Pier entered the fourth quarter still ahead by 16 and looked like they were headed for a cruise, which would have given grieving coach Pido Jarencio a victory.
Stanley Pringle already had 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists after the first two periods but was effectively shut down in the final half. He finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Terrence Romeo had some big baskets in the fourth, his triple with just over three minutes left tying the game at 93 to apply all the pressure on the Batang Pier. He wound up as the top scorer for the Texters with 25 points.
Blakely, whose first and fruitful stints in the league came with the San Mig/Purefoods franchise, had 23 points and 11 rebounds, never losing focus even with his team trailing big and even after several heated confrontations with players from the opposite side of the floor.
Rashad Woods scored 19 points and had 11 rebounds for the Batang Pier, who would need nothing less than a sweep of their last five games to have a chance at advancing.
But even then, NorthPort would be in a very precarious position as qualifying fifth to eighth overall would require those teams to beat higher-ranked sides two straight times to advance to the Final Four.
As things stand, Barangay Ginebra, after nipping Phoenix Petroleum Saturday night in Cagayan de Oro, is leading the tournament with a 5-1 card despite not having Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter in the roster.
The Gin Kings can clinch at least a playoff for the last slot with another win.