GlobalPort wins double OT thriller over Meralco

PBA

By Ivan Saldajeno

PASAY--GlobalPort averted a fourth quarter meltdown and needed two overtimes before beating Meralco, 126-123, in their PBA Governors' Cup match at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday night.

The Batang Pier by as much as 13, the last at 84-71 to begin the final quarter, but the Bolts stormed back and the tied the game, 90-all, with 3:36 remaining in regulation.

GlobalPort answered with a 10-4 run to go up, 100-94, with 20.1 seconds left in regulation.

But Cliff Hodge buried a three, while Allen Durham added a three-point play to knot the count at 100 apiece with 6.9 seconds to go.

Hodge then blocked Stanley Pringle's game-winning shot, effectively sending the game into overtime.

The Batang Pier opened the first extra session with back-to-back triples from Anthony Semerad and Terrence Romeo for a 106-100 lead.

But the Bolts quickly recovered, keeping the game close until Pringle scored on a teardrop to give the Batang Pier a 114-112 lead with 55.7 seconds remaining.

They had a chance to seal the win after Jimmy Alapag misfired a three in the Bolts' next play, but Romeo muffed his layup, giving them a chance to tie again with 20 seconds remaining.

Chris Newsome made a jumper to equalize with 8.9 ticks on the clock even as Pringle again failed to score the game-winner for GlobalPort at the final horn, effectively adding five more minutes into the game.

Meralco finally completed the fight back from 13 down after a 6-2 run to open the second overtime for a 120-116 advantage and would keep the lead for most of the period.

Jay Washington, however, drilled in a three-pointer from the corner to tie the game once more at 123 each with 1:19 remaining.

Romeo then blocked Alapag's shot attempt only to see Jared Dillinger getting the ball back by a steal from Mike Glover.

Durham, however, missed the potential go-ahead basket for the Bolts, and Semerad drilled a triple to give the Batang Pier the 126-123 lead with 14.9 seconds left.

Jonathan Uyloan tried to force a third overtime session, but he missed what would have been the game-tying triple at the buzzer.

Glover tallied 26 points, while Semerad and Romeo added 24 each for GlobalPort, which overshadowed a 55-point outburst from Durham.

Box Scores:

GlobalPort 126-Glover 26, Romeo 24, Semerad 24, Pringle 15, Yeo 11, Washington 8, Dehesa 8, Kramer 6, Taha 4, Mamaril 0

Meralco 123-Durham 55, Faundo 12, Newsome 10, Hodge 9, Caram 8, Uyloan 6, Buenafe 6, Hugnatan 6, Dillinger 4, Nabong 4, Alapag 3, Amer 0, Bono 0

Quarterscores: 21-24, 52-41, 82-71, 100-100, 114-114, 126-123

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