Dyip off to best start in years

Games Wednesday (smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:30 p.m. – Blackwater vs Converge / 7:30 p.m. – meralco vs nleX

All revved up, Terrafirma outraced NLEX to the finish line, 99-95, to set an unlikely joint leadership with Blackwater in the PBA Philippine Cup yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Dyip patiently chipped away the Road Warriors’ initial 13-point spread then unleashed a 29-22 finishing kick to set the stage to the follow-up victory to Friday’s 107-99 verdict over Converge.

At 2-0, Johnedel Cardel’s wards are off to their best start since the 2016 Governors’ Cup, the only time the franchise made the playoffs so far.

Then known as Mahindra Enforcer, the Dyip opened with four straight wins en route to 6-5 and fifth seeding in the quarterfinals, where they were eventually booted out by No. 4 and twice-to-beat Meralco.

“We have two wins pero sabi ko sa kanila, huwag isipin na dalawang panalo na kami kasi baka mag-relax,” said Cardel after the Dyip drew level at the top with the idle Bossing, who upstaged a pair of heavyweights in Meralco, 9693, and TNT, 87-76, to get their campaign started.

“Every game kailangang 1-0, 1-0, hanggang sa makuha namin ang goal, which is to go to the quarterfinals,” he added.

Stephen Holt led an array of heroes in Terrafirma’s win No. 2 as he put in 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Holt highlighted his heroics with a crucial defensive stop against Robert Bolick, forcing the NLEX gunner to lose the ball out of bounds from a handoff by Dave Marcelo.

This led to JP Calvo’s two dagger free throws off a foul by Sean Anthony that made it a more comfortable four-point cushion going to the last 22.3 seconds.

Later, NorthPort (1-1) clawed back from 18 down and roared to a 112-104 overtime win over Converge (0-2).

Arvin Tolentino (31 points, 11 assists) and Joshua Munzon (17 points, six steals) led the catch-up efforts in the fourth and the 18-6 killer blows in OT to get it done for the Batang Pier.

The scores:

First Game

Terrafirma 99 – Tiongson 21, Gomez de Liaño 18, Holt 17, Calvo 16, Alolino 9, Sangalang 8, Go 7, Ramos 3, Cahilig 0, Camson 0, Mina 0.

NLEX 95 – Bolick 29, Nermal 15, Valdez 9, Miranda 7, Ular 7, Anthony 6, Semerad 6, Nieto 6, Marcelo 4, Pascual 4, Herndon 2. Quarterscores: 21-26, 47-57, 70-73, 99-95 second Game NorthPort 112 – Tolentino 31, Munzon 17, Navarro 16, Flores 14, Bulanadi 8, Yu 8, Calma 7, Zamar 5, Paraiso 3, Adamos 2, Taha 1, Rosales 0, Lucero 0, Chan 0.

Converge 104 – Stockton 27, Arana 25, Santos 11, Nieto 6, Ambohot 6, Winston 5, Fornilos 5, Caralipio 4, Zaldivar 3, Melecio 3, Delos Santos 3, Fleming 2, Maagdenberg 2, Balanza 2.

Quarterscores: 19-26, 42-53, 65-80, 96-96, 112-104