GlobalPort notches first win
Stanley Pringle churned out another big game with 29 points and finally drew the needed support from his teammates as GlobalPort topped Rain or Shine, 78-70, for its first win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the MOA Arena in Pasay City last night.
Kelly Nabong and Sean Anthony both put in double-double numbers while Bradwyn Guinto missed by one rebound what could have been his own double-double outing as the Batang Pier finally overcame the absence of top gun Terrence Romeo, breaking through after back-to-back losses to NLEX and Barangay Ginebra.
The Batang Pier played tough on both ends of the floor, winning a defensive battle versus the ROS side struggling with their own health woes.
With Chris Tiu joining Jay Washington and Jericho Cruz on the sideline, the Elasto Painters went down with a second straight loss after a triumphant season debut over the TNT KaTropa Texters.
Pringle stood out with another explosive performance where he fired 20 points in the first half and nine in the payoff quarter.
Anthony made a first rebound-assist doubledouble game in the league in seven years with 13 boards and a career-best 12 dish-offs while Nabong delivered a third straight double-double game with 13 boards and 12 markers.
Guinto was another GlobalPort player who turned in a double-digit number with 10 points that went with nine rebounds and one block as the Batang Pier finally broke into the win-column while awaiting the return of Romeo from a knee injury.
The whole GlobalPort didn’t lack the effort on the defensive end, holding ROS down to a miserable 28-percent shooting.
“That’s our real focus. We’re one of those last in giving up points so that’s the focus to play defense,” said Pringle, the league scoring leader in the early going of the season.—