MANILA – NorthPort Batang Pier broke away in the overtime period to defeat TNT Tropang Giga, 128-123, in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
The Batang Pier surged to a 120-113 lead in the overtime period behind baskets from Cade Flores, Arvin Tolentino and Fran Yu, but the Tropang Giga clawed its way back to within 123-125 on conversions from Rondae Hollis-Jefferson with 38 seconds left.
Tropang Giga’s Calvin Oftana, however, committed a foul on Yu, who split his free throws for a 126-123 lead, Tolentino then edged out TNT on the rebounding battle resulting in two free throws to seal the win for the Batang Pier.
Tolentino top-scored for the Batang Pier with 27 points, including four three-pointers, to go with nine rebounds, while reinforcement Venkatesha Jois added 21 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists.
“Beating TNT is a big thing for us. We know how good this team is, how good Rondae is, and the whole team. So masaya at least sinuwerte tayo today,” Tolentino said in a post-game interview.
Flores and Joshua Munzon ended with 16 markers apiece, Yu chipped in 14 markers, while Brent Paraiso and John Michael Calma had 10 points each as the Batang Pier improved to a 3-2 win-loss slate.
Hollis-Jefferson finished with 35 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, Oftana and Glenn Khobuntin added 22 markers apiece, while Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams ended with 20 and 10, respectively, as the Tropang Giga dropped to 2-3.
Meanwhile, Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots cruised to its fifth victory in as many matches following a lopsided 99-72 victory over NLEX Road Warriors, which dropped to a 2-3 record.
Down 44-46 at the half, the Hotshots turned things around in the third quarter as they outscored the Road Warriors, 30-14, for a 74-60 lead until it increased to its biggest at 29 points.
Tyler Bey led the Hotshots with 23 points, majority in the second half, Andy Mark Barroca added 19 markers, while James Laput, Paul Lee, and Jiovani Jalalon had 16, 14 and 11 markers, respectively./PN
BOX SCORE:
NORTHPORT 128 – Tolentino 27, Vois 21, Munzon 16, Flores 16, Yu 14, Paraiso 10, Calma 10, Amores 5, Caperal 5, Chan 4.
TNT 123 – Hollis-Jefferson 35, Oftana 22, Khobuntin 22, Castro 20, Williams 10, Ponferrada 4, Montalbo 3, Aurin 3, Heruela 2, Galinato 2, Reyes 0.
Quarterscores: 37-33, 61-62, 90-89, 113-113, 128-123.
