MANILA – GlobalPort Batang Pier got back on its winning ways in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup with a 116-94 rout of NLEX Road Warriors.
Sean Anthony led the charge with 21 points as Batang Pier moved to 3-2 after the Wednesday night game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Malcolm White had double-double 20 points and 14 rebounds while Stanley Pringle and Juan Nicholas Elorde had 19 and 16 points, respectively.
In an earlier match, Vernon Macklin made most of his final games in the league as he towed Magnolia Hotshots to a lopsided 126-101 victory over Columbian Dyip for their second win in three games.
Holding to a slim 26-20 lead at the end of the opening quarter, Batang Pier started to pull away in the second period with hits from Pringle, Anthony and White for a 55-43 halftime lead.
Road Warriors made a run early in the third to cut the deficit 54-57 but Batang Pier regained its shooting touch with triples from Anthony, Elorde and Moala Tautuaa for a 103-83 lead.
NLEX made its last push to come to within 90-103 with a Kiefer Ravena basket but GlobalPort went on a finishing run behind triples from Elorde and Julian Sargent for its largest lead 116-94.
Ravena top-scored with 24 points, import Arnett Moultrie had double-double 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Larry Fonacier contributed 11 points for Road Warriors (1-4).
In the first game Macklin – who is set to depart to play in China by weekend – led Hotshots with 19 points and eight rebounds. He will play his final game for the team when they take on Meralco Bolts on Friday.
Ian Sangalang continued his impressive showing with 18 markers while Paul Lee and Andy Mark Barroca chipped in 17 points apiece for Hotshots, which dismantled Dyip right on the first half with its scorching shooting to lead by as much as 38 points.
“Ang pinag-usapan namin, we need to respect our opponent, this Columbian team, dahil last few games, maganda ang linalaro nila. It’s a battle of their defense versus our offense,” said Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero.
John Bailey Fields III top-scored with double-double 22 points and 19 rebounds while Jerramy King and Rashawn McCarthy contributed 19 and 12 points, respectively, for Dyip (3-3)./PN
