MANILA – Being the only remnant of the NorthPort team that reached the semifinals in 2016, Ilonggo guard Juan Paolo Taha is hopeful that Batang Pier will be successful in its franchise’s second PBA semifinals appearance.
Batang Pier is set to tangle with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings at the start of the 2019 PBA Govenors’ Cup best-of-five semifinals tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Taha, who teamed up with Terrence Romeo and now Ginebra guard Stanley Pringle in Batang Pier’s first PBA semifinals stint, said he is glad that the NorthPort made its way to the semifinals despite numerous injuries.
The No. 8 seed Batang Pier, which played minus injured Robert Bolick, Jonathan Grey and Bradwyn Guinto, had to erase the twice to beat incentive of the No. 1 ranked NLEX Road Warriors to reach the semifinals.
“Syempre masaya kami kasi lahat ng hard work namin nagbunga na,” said the Iloilo City native Taha. “Sobrang thankful kami na nakuha namin ang panalo. Happy kami lahat na nanalo kami sa No. 1 seed NLEX Road Warriors sa napakahirap na laro.”
Taha credited Batang Pier head coach Alfredo Jarencio’s system as well as the chemistry of the team with newcomer Christian Standhardinger and import Michael Qualls in their uprising.
“Si coach, gusto niya pag naglalaro kami, same page kami parati. Collective effort,” said Taha. “Maganda ang chemistry namin kaya maganda ang naging resulta ng game. Ang laking bagay ng chemistry namin.”/PN
