
By: Patrick Sutare
QUEZON CITY- Globalport blew an early 18-point advantage before being rescued by Terrence Romeo in end game to escape Ginebra's fight back, 91-84, on Sunday's main match of the 2017 PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The reigning PBA scoring champion torched the crowd darlings with 35 huge points, 15 of which coming in the payoff period to stave off the momentum shifting the opposite way.
Romeo set the tone for the Batang Pier going to the fourth as he broke the deadlock in the final 22 seconds of the third with a triple, 68-65, after Ginebra successfully made the game interesting from being down at halftime, 53-36.
The guys in neon appeared to be on their way of pulling away with the victory after Romeo sank another booming three-pointer to build a commanding 10-point lead with 3:27 left, 87-77.
The Gin Kings then retaliated five unanswered points capped by a right wing trifecta from Sol Mercado, 87-82, with 2:25 remaining.
But the man they call ''the Bro'' was simply unstoppable as he put up the finishing stand to lift Globalport to its third win of the conference.
Romeo's dynamic backcourt partner Stanley Pringle was able to set the pace offensively for Globalport in the first half, scoring all of his twelve points in the first 24 minutes of action. JR Quinahan chipped in 15.
Japeth Aguilar and LA Tenorio had 23 apiece for Ginebra but no other guy from the newly crowned Govs Cup champions broke the double digit scoring phase apart from them.
The loss puts the Kings tied with NLEX and Alaska with 1-2 record.
The scores:
GLOBALPORT 91 - Romeo 35, Quinahan 15, Pringle 12, Canaleta 10, Mamaril 6, Cortez 6, Urbiztondo 3, Pennisi 2, Maierhofer 2, Semerad 0, Pessumal 0
GINEBRA 84 - Aguilar 23, Tenorio 23, Devance 9, Mariano 8, Cruz 6, Mercado 5, Thompson 4, Caguioa 2, Ellis 2, Taha 2, Ferrer 0, Helterbrand 0
Quarterscores; 23-22, 53-36, 68-65, 91-84
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