FOR the first time, GlobalPort is finally in the semifinals.
The Batang Pier hung tough down the stretch to come up with a controversial 84-83 overtime squeaker over Barangay Ginebra in the second phase of their Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup quarterfinal battle Sunday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
GlobalPort advanced to the best-of-seven semifinals against Alaska, starting on Jan. 4, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Stanley Pringle poured in 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but more importantly, his stellar showing in the clutch lifted the Batang Pier to their first-ever appearance in the semifinals as a franchise in a four-year PBA journey.
“It was a tough game against Ginebra. We had the breaks of the game. I give credit to our guys. Deserve talaga nilang makapasok sa semis,” said a jubilant GlobalPort coach Pido Jarencio.
Terrence Romeo ably backed up Pringle with 23 points.
Forty-eight minutes of nip-and-tuck battle between the two squads resulted in a 74-all standoff. Pringle and Romeo, GlobalPort’s two superstars, stepped up in the extension period to make sure that the Batang Pier will finally have their breakthrough.
Back-to-back baskets from the two gave GlobalPort a nice head-start in the extra session as Batang Pier took a vital 79-74 lead with over three minutes remaining.
Barangay Ginebra stayed true to its never-say-die mantra as it inched within just a point, 83-84, after Japeth Aguilar’s basket with exactly eight seconds left.
In the next possession, the ball was inbounded to Pringle and Ginebra double-teamed him to try and force a turnover via the five-second ball-hogging violation.
But the referees didn’t blow their whistle as they felt Pringle passed the ball a second before the five-second count, allowing the Batang Pier to escape with the victory.
However, it wasn’t without any controversy.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone and his wards refused to leave the floor as they continued to complain that Pringle held the ball for more than five seconds and the Gin Kings should have had the ball back with at least over a second left, just enough time to turn the tables around.
Despite their protestations, though, the officials formally ruled the game in favor of GlobalPort, formalizing the Batang Pier’s entry in the final four.
Greg Slaughter led the way for Ginebra with 25 points.
The scores:
GLOBALPORT 84 – Pringle 25, Romeo 23, Washington 13, Yeo 11, Mamaril 4, Kramer 3, Semerad 3, Jensen 2, Maierhofer 0, Pena 0, Sumang 0.
GINEBRA 83 – Slaughter 25, Tenorio 18, Devance 12, Caguioa 9, Mercado 9, Aguilar 6, Cruz 4, Ellis 0, Marcelo 0, Thompson 0.
Quarter scores: 18-16, 33-32, 53-53, 74-74, 84-83.