Trouble-free wins
ANTIPOLO—NorthPort, without its foremost weapon, flaunted its depth to topple an equally hobbled Alaska side, 103-81, on Wednesday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Ynares Center here.
The Batang Pier banked on feisty performances by import Prince Ibeh, Sean Anthony and Robert Bolick in the second half to pull away from the Aces.
“We usually just do well for three quarters. Then in the fourth, we’re no longer executing, we’re no longer playing defense,” coach Pido Jarencio said after steering the Batang Pier to their first win in the conference.
“[Tonight] we delivered completely … We played 48 minutes of good basketball.”
It was a solid show for NorthPort despite the absence of star guard Stanley Pringle. But Jarencio said the absence of Pringle, who is recovering from a procedure to remove bone spurs and who will rejoin the squad in its next game, actually helped fire up the squad.
“Perhaps the players got challenged,” he said.
The Aces, meanwhile, couldn’t find a way to plug the absence of Chris Banchero, the top performer in their first win this conference who sat out Wednesday night’s game due to an injured calf.
In the second game, Terrence Jones had 41 points and 14 rebounds as TNT whipped NLEX, 102-87.
Jones validated all the hype that surrounded his arrival, dumping 23 points in the first half alone to power the KaTropa.
“My teammates helped a lot, especially defensively and they really helped get me going,” Jones said.
Meanwhile, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial fined four members of Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer for their involvement in the on-court incident that marred Game 5 of the Finals between the Beermen and Magnolia Hotshots.
A fan dressed as Spider-Man, later identified as Paolo Felizarta, ran into the court in the fourth quarter of Game 5, resulting in a skirmish that stretched into the tunnel leading to the dugout.
Players Kelly Nabong and Ronald Tubid were both fined P75,000 and were banned from playing three games, while assistant team manager Daniel Henares and team physician Dr. Ramon Ibanez were slapped with P50,000 penalties and were also suspended for two games.
