Batang Pier outlasts Painters
The GlobalPort Batang Pier made its three straight wins in the Oppo PBA Governors’ Cup after squeaking past Rain or Shine, 101-99, on Saturday in an out-of-town clash in Legazpi City, Albay.
Terrence Romeo led all scorers with 33 points as well as notching a game-high five assists for GlobalPort, which improved to 3-4 for the conference, tying Rain or Shine and idle Phoenix in the standings.
Import Michael Glover had a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds while Stanley Pringle added 16 markers for the Batang Pier.
Romeo was on fire in the first half, where he tallied a total of 22 points. He scored 15 of those in an explosive second quarter, though his team trailed by six, 54-48 at the halftime break.
Pringle also played a big role for GlobalPort, scoring seven of his team’s first nine points in the fourth quarter, including a big threepointer that allowed the Batang Pier to tie the game at 85-all.
Romeo and Jay Washington would later hit three-pointers that kept them within striking distance of Rain or Shine.
Beau Belga hit a jumper that put the Elasto Painters ahead, 99-98, with 52.3 seconds left in the game.
Washington came up big again, though, tapping in his own missed shot attempt to make it 100-99 with 27 seconds left.
Rain or Shine’s Jericho Cruz missed a long range attempt and Yousef Taha grabbed the rebound and was fouled, though he could only hit one of his two free throws, 101-99, leaving the door open for the Elasto Painters to tie or win the game.
But Rain or Shine could not get a winning shot to fall as GlobalPort escaped with the win.-