MANILA – NorthPort Batang Pier cruised to its third straight win in the 2021-2022 PBA Governors’ Cup after taking down Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, 101-93, over the weekend at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Jamel Artis played the entire game for the Batang Pier anew as he finished with 29 points, while Juan Paolo Taha and Arwind Santos chipped in 19 and 15 markers, respectively.
Rookie Jamie Malonzo hauled 16 rebounds to go with his 13 points, while Jerrick Balanza ended up with 15 markers. NorthPort moved up to 3-5 in the standings.
Ahead for most part of the game with the biggest at 13 points, the Batang Pier found themselves clinging to a 93-97 lead on back-to-back triples by Fuel Masters’ Matthew Wright and RJ Jazul.
Santos and Malonzo, however, widened the lead for NorthPort with a free throw each before Santos sealed the victory with his fastbreak dunk with 10 seconds left.
Dominique Sutton had double-double 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Wright and Jazul ended up with 22 and 20 markers, respectively, as the Fuel Masters suffered its third straight loss for 4-5 slate.
In the first game, Regille Kent Ilagan scored a game-winner as Alaska Aces pulled off a 94-93 stunner against Meralco Bolts to move up to 6-3 win-loss slate.
Down 93-92 with 4.7 seconds left, Ilagan delivered the come-from-behind for the Aces with a go-ahead basket at the buzzer over the defense of Bolts’ Kier John Quinto.
Prior to his game-winning basket, Ilagan scored back-to-back hits to cut Meralco’s 89-83 lead to just two points. The Bolts widened it to 93-90 but the Aces responded with a basket from Abu Tratter for a 92-93 count.
“Thankful ako sa teammates ko at sa coaches ko sa tiwala nila sa akin to take the last shot,” said Ilagan, who finished the match with 11 points, with six in the fourth quarter.
BOX SCORE:
NORTHPORT 101 – Artis 29, Taha 19, Santos 15, Malonzo 13, Balanza 12, Rike 5, Doliguez 4, Sumang 2, Subido 2, Abundo 0.
PHOENIX 93 – Sutton 23, Wright 22, Jazul 20, Perkins 12, Manganti 8, Melecio 4, Camacho 2, Demusis 2, Garcia 0, Pascual 0, Rios 0, Robles 0, Porter 0.
Quarterscores: 23-18, 50-43, 81-70, 101-93./PN
