PBA: NorthPort escapes late Ginebra push to go 7-1

Kadeem Jack dominated the paint again for the now 7-1 Batang Pier. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--NorthPort staved off Ginebra's late run for a 119-116 win in their PBA Commissioner's Cup game on Wednesday night at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

Despite only scoring free throws in the dying seconds, the Batang Pier survived the game's final minute, especially after Justin Brownlee, known to be the Gin Kings' closer over the years, suddenly faltered in the clutch.

Down 109-117 with 1:10 to go, Ginebra scored five straight points, a Brownlee three and a Troy Rosario layup, to cut the deficit to three, 114-117, with 37 seconds remaining.

Scottie Thompson then forced a held-ball situation between him and Kadeem Jack with 16.5 seconds left, and although Jack won the jump ball, the import tapped the ball to Rosario.

The ball eventually went to Brownlee, who fished a William Navarro foul with 8.9 seconds left while taking a three-pointer.

Brownlee, however, missed the second of his three free throws, and NorthPort's lead was just one, 117-116.

Joshua Munzon kept the door open for the Gin Kings to tie the game at least after he split his charities with 7.5 seconds to go, but Brownlee slipped while going for a potential game-tying layup with 2.3 seconds left and turned the ball over.

After being fouled, Jack made the first free throw and intentionally missed the second so that Ginebra could not get a decent four-point attempt with only 1.3 seconds remaining.

Jack led NorthPort, which stayed in first place at 7-1, with 32 points on 15-of-22 shooting, 16 rebounds, three assists, and one steal.

Arvin Tolentino added 29 points on a hot 6-for-9 clip from three-point range, five rebounds, two assists, and three steals, while Munzon contributed 27 points on 9-for-16 shooting including 3-of-4 on triples, two rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block.

Despite leading the team in scoring with 23 points alongside 12 rebounds, four assists, and one block, Brownlee was cold against the Batang Pier, only making 6-of-22 from the field and 9-of-13 from the charity stripe even as he too committed eight of the Gin Kings' 22 errors in the game that factored in their drop to 5-3 in the standings.

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