Star destroys GlobalPort by largest margin in playoffs history

MANILA, Philippines – Late in the third quarter, James Yap stared down a wide open blue and brown-painted lane to the rim off another GlobalPort turnover, palmed the basketball with his huge hands for a few seconds, and then extended his arms to unleash a slam dunk – something PBA fans haven’t seem him do for a long time.

 

A few minutes later in the fourth quarter, Coach Tim Cone inserted Jerwin Gaco – the Hotshots’ ultimate human victory cigar – who drew applause from an ecstatic and energetic Star crowd. The result of the game was already decided, but truth be told, it never really felt in question.

 

Winning by the largest margin in PBA playoffs history, the Hotshots took down the Batang Pier, 126-73, to force a rubber match in their Governors’ Cup quarterfinal series on Friday, June 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

 

Star, which raced off to a 19-point lead after the first quarter and never looked back, lives to fight another day and will take on the Batang Pier on Sunday, June 28, with a shot at making the semifinals on the line.

 

“We just came out with a big punch right from the very beginning of the game and kind of staggered them,” Cone said in the post-game press conference. “I think Manny Pacquiao would be proud of that game,” he later joked.

 

“Bottomline is, the true, absolute true bottom line is, we’re not playing a 48-minute game. We’re playing a 96-minute game, so we’re only at halftime in our minds,” Cone said.

 

“We haven’t achieved anything. This is a game we can’t pat ourselves in the back for.”

 

Star isn’t allowing themselves to get ahead with a knockout match right in their midsts, but, without a doubt, the Batang Pier will have to re-group quickly from their abysmal performance.

 

Star shot 54% from the field including 39% from downtown. They forced GlobalPort to 26 turnovers, leading to 32 points. On fastbreak opportunities, the Hotshots converted 26 points, while their opponents were limited to 0. Even on second chance scoring – and despite having to deal with the 6-foot-11 Jarrid Famous – Star had more points, 26-9.

 

Import Marqus Blakely was phenomenal as his team won their seventh in last 8 games, finishing with 23 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks – playing up to the “Mr. Everything” nickname he’s been branded. Mark Barroca had 16 points, Alex Mallari had 15, and so did Yap.

 

“Truly, this is a throwaway game,” insisted Cone. “It’s a throwaway game for them, it’s a throwaway game for us and the real battle starts on Sunday.”

 

GlobalPort, who was down 73-35 by the half and didn’t get any closer, was led by the 18 points of Terrence Romeo, who also had 4 turnovers. Famous registered 16 points and 15 boards. No other Batang Pier played scored in double-figures. Stanley Pringle had just 4 points and threw away 5 turnovers.

 

Star made PBA playoffs history by overtaking Burger King’s 120-72 win over Sta. Lucia in the 2009 PBA Fiesta Conference battle-for-third place contest for widest winning disparity in a game ever. 

 

The Hotshots’ victory was also just two points short of the largest winning margin ever in a PBA game – a record currently held by UTex’s win against Great Taste, 154-199, on July 12, 1980. 

 

Star, whose starting unit’s total scoring output was only one point shy of matching the final score of GlobalPort as a team, also outdid their previous largest ever win in franchise history: when Purefoods defeated Coca-Cola, 114-73, on December 13, 2006.

 

PBA trivia courtesy of PBA statistician Fidel Mangonon III.

 

SCORES:

 

STAR 126 – Blakely 23, Barroca 16, Mallari 15, Yap 15, Melton 14, Taha 8, Simon 8, Maliksi 7, Devance 6, Alvarez 3, Gaco 3, Pingris 3, Pennisi 3, Allado 2, Reavis 0.

 

GLOBALPORT 73 – Romeo 18, Famous 16, Caperal 8, Semerad 5, Miranda 5, Krayem 4, Pringle 4, Isip 4, Pinto 2, Hayes 2, Jensen 2, Mamaril 2, Buenafe 1, Taha 0, Kramer 0, Ponferrada 0.

 

Quarter Scoring: 37-18, 73-35, 103-54, 126-73

 

– Rappler.com