PBA: Northport through to semifinals after ousting Magnolia

Northport Batang Pier celebrate after they clinch a semifinals berth in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, beating Magnolia Hotshots. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

NorthPort secured a trip to the semifinals for just the third time in franchise history after outlasting Magnolia, 113-110, Thursday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Import Kadeem Jack and Best Player of the Conference frontrunner Arvin Tolentino played the starring roles in the stirring rally from a 61-47 halftime deficit to live up to their billing as the top seed of the playoffs.

SCHEDULE: 2024-2025 PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals

But NorthPort had to weather a Paul Lee-led Magnolia uprising in the final minutes in order to punch its ticket to the Final Four of the midseason conference.

The Batang Pier will face the winner of the best-of-three series between Meralco and Barangay Ginebra, which is up 1-0 after taking Game 1.

Jack finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, five steals and three blocks while Tolentino scored 25 in NorthPort’s triumph.

NorthPort Batang Pier star Arvin Tolentino. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

William Navarro came off the bench to produce 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals for NorthPort.

READ: PBA: Northport star Arvin Tolentino poised to take lead in Best Player race

Magnolia was eliminated after a late surge that saw four straight wins, including a mastery of NLEX in a playoff for the eighth and final quarters berth.

Like their early struggles, the Hotshots wasted a big lead and trailed by 14, only to close to within one led by two four-point shots from Lee, who finished with 22 points.

Lee had an opportunity to put the lead back to Magnolia in the dying seconds, but couldn’t connect his third four-point attempt with the clock winding down and NorthPort ahead 112-109.

Mark Barroca scored a playoff career-high 26 points for the Hotshots in the defeat.