ARWIND Santos would not let all of NorthPort's hard work of late go to waste.
The former MVP hit some crucial shots to highlight another stellar performance in leading the Batang Pier to a 124-117 victory over Terrafirma Saturday and a clearer crack at a quarterfinals seat in the PBA Governors' Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Jamel Artis, Robert Bolick and Jamie Malonzo also played big parts in NorthPort's charge from 19 points down and into their franchise-best fifth straight win, but it was clearly the spindly Santos who stood stabilized the team in the face of Terrafirma's gallant stand.
Santos' 28-point, nine-rebound effort was capped by a pull-up jumper that sparked NorthPort's 12-5 surge from the game's sixth and last deadlock at 112-all as it totally erased the bitter memories of starting the tourney with five straight losses.
The 40-year-old also finished with four triples, including one that started the Batang Pier's rise from the depths of a 19-point second quarter deficit, and he also scattered 12 of his points in the third that helped keep them toe-to-toe with the Dyip.
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"Our players didn't want to quit," said NorthPort coach Pido Jarencio, whose team can at least playoff for one of the eight quarterfinals slots if it wins over TNT at eliminations' end on Friday.
Jarencio has already shifted his sights to that match. "These five wins are nothing kung hindi namin maipapanalo 'yung last game," he said. "So our (next) goal is to win against TNT and to get that quarterfinals slot."
Seemingly already primed up for that game is Artis, who wound up with 31 points, eight rebounds and as many assists. Ditto for Bolick and Malonzo, who each had 21 points with the former adding a career-high 17 assists and the rookie hauling down 12 rebounds for his own double-double.
The loss was Terrafirma's fourth straight, dropping it to a 2-8 slate notwithstanding Antonio Hester coming out another monster game of 40 points and 18 rebounds. Also going for naught was Joshua Munzon's 24 points and Juami Tiongson's 16 off the bench.
Hester actually scored 16 of his points in the second period and got plenty of help from his teammates as Terrafirma launched a massive onslaught from a 38-39 count and into as much as a 67-48 lead.
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It did not take too long for NorthPort to start stirring back into life, however, with Santos, Malonzo and Kevin Ferrer booming in a triple each to make it a very manageable 69-57 count at the half.
Artis also had 12 points in the third period, helping NorthPort keep within 96-97 at the end of the quarter and set up the thrilling finish. (NC)
The Scores:
NorthPort 124 - Artis 31, Santos 28, Bolick 21, Malonzo 21, Ferrer 11, Balanza 4, Taha 4, Doliguez 2, Rike 2.
Terrafirma 117 - Hester 40, Munzon 24, Tiongson 18, Daquioag 10, Calvo 8, Go 5, Camson 4, Ramos 4, Cahilig 2, Pascual 2, Batiller 0.
Quarters: 35-33, 57-69, 96-97, 124-117.
