Big NorthPort upset decides No. 2

NorthPort settled the fight for No. 2 while reviving its qualifying hopes with an upset of TNT KaTropa in the 2019 Philippine Cup Sunday.

Riding an explosive first half where they roared ahead by 27 points at 53-26, the Batang Pier downed the heavily favored KaTropa, 109-83, and, in the process, secured for the Rain or Shine  Elasto Painters the second best qualifying record  behind  elimination topnotcher Phoenix Pulse.

The loss left the KaTropa with a final 7-4 card  behind the 8-3 record of the Elasto Painters, who also clinched the second twice-to-beat bonus in the quarterfinals  behind the Fuel Masters, the unexpected frontrunner at 9-2.

Barangay Ginebra, which improved to 6-3 with a come-from-behind 105-96 decision  of NLEX Saturday, can actually tie Rain or Shine for second with a sweep of its last two games— against Meralco on March 27 and NorthPort on April 3.

But their tie for No. 2 will be decided in favor of the Elasto Painters, who had earlier nipped the Gin Kings, 83-80, in Calasiao, Pangasinan, last Jan. 26.

Ginebra was counting on a projected three-way tie for No. 2 with TNT and Rain or Shine to emerge as the second best team in the eliminations due to a  better quotient.

Ginebra had earlier beaten TNT, 90-79, before that narrow loss to ROS. TNT, on the other hand, also owned a 100-92 decision over ROS.

Japeth Aguilar flashed his meanest form with 27 points and four other Gin Kings finished in double figures for  Ginebra, whic rallied from 18 points in the second quarter before turning back the Road Warriors in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Aguilar also played big when Ginebra inflicted only the second loss on Phoenix by pulling off a crucial block on Calvin Abueva to preserve a 100-97 win. He also shone when the Kings downed the Magnolia Hotshots in overtime, 97-93, last week.

By posting only its third win in nine games, NorthPort moved up to 10th in what has become a five-team scramble for the last two quarterfinal slots.

Alaska was staking its 4-5 slate at No. 7  against defending champion San Miguel (6-4) at press time. NLEX (4-6) stood at No. 8 followed by Columbian Dyip (4-7).  Meralco is virtually out of it at 3-7 with Blackwater dead last at 2-9.