Still alive, Batang Pier look to finish on high note
Kevin Murphy. PBA IMAGES
NorthPort understood making the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup quarterfinals was no longer in its hands, so coach Bonnie Tan had the Batang Pier focusing on what they can control.
“We actually went into this game not thinking of getting into the quarterfinals,” Tan said inside the press room after the Batang Pier’s 113-97 win that eliminated the import-less Rain or Shine Elasto Painters from playoff contention at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
“Although we have a slim chance of making the quarterfinals, we just want to win our remaining games and end the conference on a high note,” added Tan after the Batang Pier improved to 3-7.
The Batang Pier moved a game behind the Phoenix Fuel Masters, who are lodged at the No. 8 spot and carry a 4-6 (win-loss) slate going into Sunday’s match with the Meralco Bolts at the same venue.
NorthPort would need a win by Meralco to stay in the hunt for a quarterfinal berth and then the Batang Pier would also need to upset league-leader TNT on March 15—a gargantuan task, to say the least.
“If we would go on a long break and miss the quarterfinals, we would like to have a good feeling before we go our separate ways,” said Tan.
Career high
Import Kevin Murphy delivered 39 points spiked by 10 three-pointers, but the more impressive performance came from role player Paul Zamar.
Zamar dropped a career-high 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting while adding five rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes. The former University of the East guard was a bit player at San Miguel Beer from 2019 to 2022 before being shipped to NorthPort prior to the start of the conference.
“I was playing spot minutes when I was playing for San Miguel. Sometimes, I don’t even get to see some action,” he said. “But now, I’ve played every game and I’m motivated to take care of the trust given to me by Coach Bonnie and the responsibility of being the starting point guard.”
Rain or Shine got the boot with a fourth straight loss and a 2-8 record. It played a second straight game without a reinforcement after Jordan Tolbert failed to make the height limit of 6-foot-6.
Meanwhile, the PBA Commissioner’s Office suspended Meralco’s Allein Maliksi for one game for grabbing the neck of Converge’s Barkley Ebona during an altercation that marred their meeting Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Maliksi was also handed a P75,000 fine for the incident, for which the veteran forward later apologized.
Ebona wasn’t off the hook as his Flagrant Foul 1 on Maliksi for what appeared to be a clothesline hit resulted in a fine of P7,500 while being warned that a similar offense will result in a stiffer penalty.
PBA deputy commissioner Eric Castro summoned both players on Saturday before the sanctions were meted.
