The PBA will enter its official 50th anniversary come the 1st week of October 2025, and the Northporth Batang Pier franchise is officially bought out and replaced by the Pureblends Corporation.
Let’s look back at the prime years of the Northport franchise, which was called back then the “Globalport Batang Pier”.
Origins: Drafted the Face of FEU Tamaraws and a Fil-Am Standout
Before the PBA Season began in 2012, the Powerade Tigers franchise was officially bought out by Mikee Romero, and the birth of “Globalport Batang Pier” started.
The Batang Pier were horrible in their 1st season at the PBA:
- Philippine Cup: 1-13
- Commissioner’s Cup: 2-12
- Governor’s Cup: 4-5
- Made the Quarterfinals but was defeated by Rain or Shine
In the 2013-14 season, their resurgence finally happened.
They first ditched the black and yellow colors of their jersey and pulled out a neon green and black for a proper logo rebrand.
They also drafted Terrence Romeo as the 5th Overall Pick in the 1st Round of the 2013-14 PBA Draft. Romeo, who was referred to as the “King Tamaraw” of the FEU Tamaraws in the UAAP and was arguably the face of the collegiate league at that time.
In the 2nd season, they only made the playoffs once, like in their 1st season, but this time it was in the Philippine Cup, but it’s still the Elastopainters that knocked them out.
During the 2014-15 PBA Draft, they then selected the Fil-Am standout guard, Stanley Pringle, as the number #1 overall pick.
Another logo revision was done, but it was certain that the “neon green boys” of the Batang Pier are on a mission to put the league on notice.
With Pringle and Romeo on board, which showcases a similar play style of quick and flashy moves getting to the basket, the name “Splash Bros” was given to the 2 premier backcourt duos of the 2010 PBA.
Splash Bros in Full Effect
With two cornerstone franchise players at their disposal, the Globalport franchise did everything it could to maximize the potential of these two elite guards at their young age.
- YEAR 1 (2014-15)
- Philippine Cup: 5-6
- Enters the playoffs as the 8th seed and lost to Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinals
- Commissioner’s Cup: 4-7
- Governor’s Cup: 7-4
- Enters the playoffs as the 4th seed, the highest in franchise history
- Lost against Star Hotshots in the quarterfinals despite having a Twice-to-Beat Advantage
- Philippine Cup: 5-6
- YEAR 2 (2015-16)
- Philippine Cup: 7-4
- Beat Ginebra and enters the Semifinals for the 1st time in franchise history
- Lost to Alaska Aces in 5 Games in the Semis
- Commissioner’s Cup: 3-8
- Governor’s Cup: 4-7
- Philippine Cup: 7-4
- YEAR 3 (2016-17)
- Philippine Cup: 6-5
- Made the Playoffs as the 5th Seed and lost to TNT (0-2) in the QF
- Commissioner’s Cup: 4-7
- Made the Playoffs as the 8th Seed and lost to Ginebra in the QF
- Governor’s Cup: 3-8
- Philippine Cup: 6-5
- YEAR 4 (2017-18) – THE END OF SPLASH BROS ERA
- Philippine Cup: 5-6
- Enters the Playoffs as the 7th seed but eliminated by Magnolia in the QF
- Traded away Terrance Romeo to TNT after getting eliminated in exchange for Mo Tautuaa, 2020 1st Round Pick and 2021 2nd Round Pick
- Commissioner’s Cup: 5-6
- Made the Playoffs as the 8th seed but lost against ROS in the QF in a Do or Die Game
- Governor’s Cup: 2-9
- Philippine Cup: 5-6
Rebuild Mode and Transition to become “Northport Batang Pier”
Both for the fans of Globalport, it was really hard to see the face of their franchise leave. Then, not long after, barely a year after Terrence’s departure, Pringle followed as he then got traded to Ginebra in June 2019.
In the middle of their 2017-18 campaign as well, Globalport got rebranded into the now “Northport Batang Pier”. Along with the rebranding is the new logo and team colors. From neon green and black to now orange and white.
The Orange Men of Northport then found new pieces to focus their franchise on. These are Robert Bolick and Christian Standhardinger.
Signs of Wanting to Leave
Even before Pringle and Romeo got traded, there were a lot of speculations that their departure from the franchise was near, considering their heated moments caught on cam during live PBA Games.
It was Stanley who got furious with former Head Coach Franz Pumaren back in 2017. Terrence Romeo then followed and got mad with his own Head Coach Pido Jarencio, in 2018.
And despite their 4-year career run for the franchise, a lot of fans will still remember their playoff runs and semifinal appearances, and most impactful of all?
The crossovers of the Splash Bros and the “Golden Boy Terrence Romeo”.
(Splash Bro Highlights)
(Golden Boy Era of Terrence Romeo)
