NORTHPORT pulled off one stop after another and ran a bunch of fastbreak plays to fuel a searing fourth-quarter comeback and score a steal in overtime versus a badly stunned Converge side in the PBA Philippine Cup Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Batang Pier pummeled the FiberXers, 31-22, on points off turnovers and, 40-13, on fastbreaks, and broke into the win-column with a 114-104 stunner.
Arvin Tolentino and his teammates also played an overtime game versus the NLEX Road Warriors Wednesday but faded away in a 107-100 defeat.
They looked headed for another loss after falling behind by 18 in the third and still staring at a 15-point deficit, 65-80, to start the final canto.
But coach Boni Tan's chargers refused to give up the fight, getting into the game on a 31-16 blasting of the FiberXers in the payoff period.
Sponsored content: They even grabbed a four-point lead entering the last two minutes then the FiberXers had their own fightback punctuated by an Alec Stockton trey that forged overtime at 96-all.
But there's no stopping NorthPort from stealing the game and in sending Converge to a second straight loss in the all-Filipino tourney. The FiberXers dropped to 1-12 overall in a lonely ride in PBA Season 48.
Joshua Munzon, Cade Flores and Will Navarro scored on successive fastbreak plays as the Batang Pier pulled away for good, 102-96, at the start of the extra time.
Tolentino had another big game with 31 points after a 29-point outing against the Road Warriors. And he flirted with a triple-double game with 11 assists and eight rebounds.
Navarro, coming back from an ACL injury, had his own double-double with 16 markers and 11 boards and so did Flores with 14 points and the same number of rebounds.
Sponsored content: Munzon was the team's second best scorer with 17 that went with game-high six steals plus six rebounds, one assist and two blocks.
All together, the Batang Pier took 19 steals while forcing their rivals to 31 errors with 17 in the fourth and in overtime. (SB)
The Scores:
NORTHPORT 112 - Tolentino 31, Munzon 17, Navarro 16, Flores 14, Bulanadi 8, Yu 8, Calma 7, Zamar 5, Paraiso 3, Adamos 2, Taha 1, Rosales 0, Lucero 0, Chan 0.
CONVERGE 104 - Stockton 27, Arana 24, Santos 11, Nieto 6, Ambohot 6, Wintston 5, Fornilos 5, Caralipio 4, Zaldivar 3, Melecio 3, Delos 2, Fleming 2, Maagdenberg 2, Balanza 2.
QUARTERS: 19-26, 42-53, 65-80, 96-96, 112-104 (OT).
