NORTHPORT'S heart and soul were on full throttle Wednesday.
Sean Anthony and Stanley Pringle scored all but three of the Batang Pier's 23 points in the critical fourth period and enabled them to hurdle Alaska 94-84 and continue their drive for a quarterfinals slot in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
After seeing an 11-point lead quickly razed by the Aces, Anthony and Pringle took it upon themselves to bail NorthPort out of the jam and on to their second straight win.
Anthony actually sparked the charge and his eight points for the period with a difficult drive, but it was Pringle who sustained it with eight straight points out of his 12 that gave the Batang Pier an 81-76 lead which it never relinquished.
"it's a total team effort, pero exceptional iyung dalawa, Sean Anthony and Stanley Pringle," said NorthPort coach Pido Jarencio. "But everybody did their share. Ready to play naman lahat talaga."
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Anthony came off the bench to lead everybody with 24 points and 17 rebounds with Pringle adding 21. Mo Tautuaa chipped in 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists and Jonathan Grey 13 markers.
Now with a 4-6 slate overall, NorthPort's quest remains far from over as it still needs to prevail over Barangay Ginebra next Wednesday to assure its inclusion among the eight teams advancing to the next round.
A loss to the Kings would mean the Batang Pier could figure in a tie for eighth place, which would be resolved by a one-game playoff.
The win also booted out Columbian and Meralco, playing Ginebra later in the evening, out of the quarterfinals due to inferior quotients.
His team just getting to the next stage, even with a twice-to-win handicap, after a six-game slide is one thing Jarencio is already proud of.
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"At least, assured na kami for the playoffs. Kung ma-tsambahan namin Ginebra, thank you. Automatic quarters tayo," said Jarencio.
"Gustong umabot ng quarters. From there, bahala na. Kung twice-to-beat kalaban, kahit sino, p'wede na."
The loss, its second straight which dropped it to a 4-7 record, could prove a costly one for Alaska as it is now in danger of missing out of the playoffs and fall as low as ninth as former conqueror NLEX (4-6) is still in contention.
Carl Bryan Cruz led the Aces with 23 points while Sonny Thoss notched his own double-double with 14 points and 10 boards.
Simon Enciso was the only other Alaska player in double figures with 11, but five of those came after NorthPort has already posted a 90-78 cushion.
That cruising win by the Batang Pier was farthest from everybody's mind when the Aces opened the fourth period with a 14-0 run to raze a 60-71 deficit and take a 74-71 lead.
Inserted into the game only at the start of the quarter, Jesper Ayaay gave immediate boost with a triple and a three-point play while Jake Pascual capped it with a putback.
Anthony broke NorthPort's silence with a drive before Pringle went on his personal spree that pushed his team ahead by five.
After Pascual's short stab, Pringle added a drive and a putback and Anthony also scored four points before Paolo Taha boomed in a triple from the right corner for that 90-78 difference, only 2:33 left.
"Talagang mga players they want this win," noted Jarencio. "Para sa kanila, they want to make a name for themselves. Do-or-die games, tapos nananalo. So this is all for the players. Sila iyan, deserving sila lahat." (NC)
The scores:
NorthPort 94 - Anthony 24, Pringle 21, Tautuaa 14, Grey 13, Flores 6, Taha 6, Bolick 3, Guinto 3, Elorde 2, Sollano 2, Lanete 0.
Alaska 84 - Cruz 23, Thoss 14, Enciso 11, Banchero 8, Pascual 8, Ayaay 6, Casio 5, Baclao 3, Teng 2, Galliguez 2, Racal 2, Exciminiano 0.
Quarters: 16-19, 40-37, 71-60, 94-84.
