Pido Jarencio is hoping that this sudden burst of brilliance by his NorthPort crew hasn’t come too late in the day.
“We might just still be able to make it [to the playoffs],” Jarencio said after his Batang Pier weathered several Meralco rallies in the fourth period to carve out a 99-94 decision Friday night at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, their second straight win in the PBA Governors’ Cup that kept their flickering hopes of advancing past the eliminations alive.
“The players worked hard for this. In offense and defense, I just can’t ask for more,” said the outspoken Jarencio after NorthPort rose to 2-6, still out of the magic circle of eight teams that will march on. “We still have a chance, and that’s what’s important.”
San Miguel Beer snapped a three-game losing streak later in the night, scoring a 117-100 victory over Phoenix Petroleum.
Christian Standhardinger and Marcio Lassiter led the efficient Beermen, combining for 55 points with Standhardinger collaring 14 rebounds and Lassiter issuing eight assists.
San Miguel rose to 3-4, while the Fuel Masters dropped out of the top four at 6-3, the loss coming even with Eugene Phelps shooting 37 points that went with 26 rebounds and six assists.
Fines are expected to be meted out after a scuffle erupted with 4:11 left when Calvin Abueva got entangled with San Miguel import Kevin Murphy.
Stanley Pringle and Sean Anthony nailed key triples in the endgame that scuttled the last of a series of Meralco comebacks as the Batang Pier pushed the Bolts to the brink of elimination to end a brilliant run of two straight Finals appearances in the season-ending conference.
Meralco, the losing finalist to Barangay Ginebra in the last two seasons struggled when starting point guard Baser Amer couldn’t find his mark the entire night.
Amer was scoreless in 28 minutes, coming into the game contributing more than 14 a night.
Coach Norman Black got Chester Tolomia to contribute and plug that hole, but not even Tolomia’s 18 points off the bench and the 37 of import Allen Durham could save the Bolts from losing a sixth straight game after opening up with a win.
The Bolts’ 1-6 record, according to chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, is the worst start in the franchise’s eight-year participation.
Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra shoots for the first twice-to-beat privilege in the first round of the playoffs and will have all hands on deck for the first time in the tournament as Greg Slaughter and Solomon Mercardo are set to make their return in a Petron Saturday Special Game in Lucena City.
The Gin Kings, with a 7-1 record, collide with winless Rain or Shine at 5 p.m. in the only game slated at Quezon Convention Center, where the 7-foot Slaughter and Mercado will make their first appearance in the conference.
And while Ginebra will be welcoming its cornerstone back, the Elasto Painters will continue to be without Raymond Almazan, their 6-foot-7 center who has gone Awol.
In other developments, commissioner Willie Marcial has announced that teams will no longer be allowed to trade the No. 1 pick starting from the 2019 rookie draft.