PBA: NorthPort stuns Ginebra to take series opener

By Jonas Terrado

Game Sunday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
6:30 p.m. – TNT KaTropa vs Meralco
Game Monday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7 p.m. – NorthPort vs Ginebra
(NorthPort leads series 1-0)

NorthPort continued its impressive playoff run Saturday after stunning Barangay Ginebra San Miguel 124-90 in the start of their PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Import Michael Qualls dropped 38 points while adding 15 rebounds to lead the Batang Pier’s unexpected rout of a Ginebra team favored to win the best-of-five affair.

It was the fifth straight victory for the Batang Pier dating back to when they were in danger of missing the playoffs with a 3-6 record.

Coach Pido Jarencio’s wards kept their surge after becoming the fourth No. 8 team to beat a top seed in the quarterfinals by defeating NLEX twice.

The Batang Pier go for a commanding 2-0 lead Monday night at the same venue.

Garvo Lanete scored 24 points while Christian Standhardinger added 16 points and 15 rebounds in his first game since helping Gilas Pilipinas win the gold in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

His SEA Games teammates from Ginebra struggled to give their pro team a winning start to the series.
Stanley Pringle did provide 21 points but Japeth Aguilar, Greg Slaughter and LA Tenorio combined for 15.

Import Justin Brownlee finished with 24 points, 19 rebounds and six assists.

Ginebra got to within three 65-62 in the third but NorthPort closed the period on a 13-6 run, with Standhardinger accounting for six for a 78-68 lead.

Lanete would hit 16 in the fourth as the Batang Pier increased their hold on the lead to a sizeable margin that left Cone and the Kings wondering what hit them.

The scores:

NORTHPORT 124 — Qualls 38, Lanete 24, Standhardinger 16, Mercado 14, Anthony 11, Escoto 7, Taha 5, Elorde 5, Cruz 2, King 2.

GINEBRA 90 — Brownlee 24, Pringle 21, Aguilar 8, Chan 8, Thompson 7, Dillinger 5, Dela Cruz 4, Slaughter 4, Mariano 4, Tenorio 3, Caperal 2, Devance 0, Caguioa 0, Sargent 0.

Quarters: 22-20; 51-39; 78-68; 124-90.

Source: Manila Bulletin