The NorthPort Batang Pier is back on track.
Sidetracked by blowout losses to the Meralco Bolts and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, the young Batang Pier knew fully well what they had to do against the San Miguel Beermen. And they delivered in style to trounce the winningest team in PBA history.
“We were talking about starting the game strong kasi dalawang game na kami flat nag-start, offense and defense,” Arvin Tolentino told reporters after NorthPort survived San Miguel on Tuesday. “So, we started in practiced. We actually practiced hard nung isang araw to get guys going. Nag-pay off naman ‘yung ginawa namin.”
It paid off indeed. Tolentino and company raced out to a blazing start, building a 36-22 lead to end the first quarter and extending it to 69-52 by halftime. NorthPort continued the onslaught in the third and built as much as a 24-point cushion. And the Batang Pier needed every bit of it as San Miguel stormed back in the fourth to briefly take the lead.
In the end, NorthPort’s strong start proved enough to make up for its shaky finish.
NorthPort Taking Things One Game at a Time
With the win, the Batang Pier inched closer to a top-four finish in the elimination round, with the Blackwater Bossing as their last assignment on January 25. In short, a high seed is already looming as all it takes is a win over the Bossing.
That’s where NorthPort is solely focused on: the game against Blackwater. And Tolentino knows better than to look past the Bossing as a loss could be disastrous.
‘Di naman kami masyado nagfo-focus sa ganun [seeding]. We look at the next game lang,” Tolentino said. “Looking at the standings, isang panalo, isang talo, medyo mataas ‘yung tinatalon sa standings. For now, we cannot focus on that yet kasi may isa pa kaming laro. After that, whoever ang makatapat, we’ll do our best to make it to the next step.”
The playoffs beckon after that, and starting strong will be imperative by then. Finishing strong will be just as important.
