MANILA – NorthPort Batang Pier continued with its hot streak. It walloped Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, 124-90, in Game 1 of the 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Michael Qualls tallied 38 points to go along with 15 rebounds while Garvo Lanete converted six triples and finished with 24 markers.
Christian Standhardinger chipped in double-double 16 points and 15 rebounds. Solomon Mercado and Sean Anthony added 14 and 10 markers, respectively.
Batang Pier’s annihilation was despite them playing without rookie gunner Robert Bolick and veterans Kevin Ferrer, Jonathan Grey and Bradwyn Guinto.
Trailing 20-22 after the first 12 minutes, Batang Pier rode on the exploits of Qualls and Anthony in the second period to establish a 51-39 advantage at the half.
The lead reached 17 points early in the third period but the Kings countered with a huge run to come to within 62-65.
Triples by Juan Nicholas Elorde and Lanete, however, allowed the Batang Pier to establish a 78-68 edge.
Batang Pier went for the kill in the fourth quarter with consecutive three-point conversions from Lanete and Mercado and inside hits from Standhardinger and Qualls for its largest lead at 124-88.
Justin Brownlee finished with double-double 24 points and 19 rebounds, while Stanley Pringle added 21 markers for the Kings./PN
