Reinforced Batang Pier defeat import-less Blackwater Elite

New team, newfound brilliance for Kevin Ferrer. PBA Images

By Xy-Zha Cabanlong

PASAY CITY - Reinforcements came, capitalized and won it for the NorthPort Batang Pier as they beat the Blackwater Elite in high fashion, 127-99, Saturday night at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Kevin Ferrer led the Batang Pier to their fourth straight win, garnering 23 points, 19 of which came in the 4th quarter, along with 5 rebounds.

Ferrer debuted in the orange jersey together with Sol Mercado and Jervy Cruz after hanging up their Ginebra jerseys in exchange for Stanley Pringle.

[Related Story: Pringle goes to Ginebra in blockbuster trade with NorthPort]

"Sabi ko naman sa inyo, makakatulong yung tatlo [Ferrer, Cruz and Mercado]. Ayun nga, nakatulong," coach Pido Jarencio said at the postgame press conference.

Playing without their import, Blackwater started strong, even fishing Ferrer's first three fouls in the opening quarter.

But after the first six minutes of the ball game, Blackwater's defense fell at the hands of NorthPort.

Robert Bolick's assist to Paolo Taha to tie the ball game at 14-all set the pace for the Batang Pier to dominate Blackwater.

"Sabi ko nga, let’s just keep on winning. Winning makes everybody happy, if you’re losing bad trip lahat e, so sa akin, sabi ko lang, ayun nga, let’s keep winning. Let’s share the ball, let’s play as a team. Tapos yung mga Ginebra guys came in and then they just delivered," Bolick said.

NorthPort eventually enjoyed a 15-point advantage at the half.

As if it was not enough for a beating, in the third quarter, Blackwater struggled all the more as the outside shots of the Batang Pier kept on falling in.

Bolick and Garvo Lanete both contributed a triple for NorthPort, extending their lead to as much as 22 points despite the efforts of Ray-Ray Parks and Mac Belo to also convert from beyond the arc.

The final period opened with Ferrer's triple connecting to the basket, giving NorthPort a very comfortable 24-point advantage.

Allein Maliksi scored 9 of his 10 points in the fourth, all coming from the outside, but were not enough to tame the furious Batang Pier.

NorthPort's paved way for them to share a tie with the TNT KaTropa at the top of the standings. Both teams have a 7-1 slate.

Blackwater, on the other hand, slid down to 5-3.

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