Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort Batang Pier at the PBA Philippine Cup. –PBA IMAGES
NorthPort rallied just in time to avoid disaster on Saturday, remaining in the hunt for a spot in the PBA Philippine Cup playoffs.
Arvin Tolentino hit a step back and forward with about seven ticks remaining at the Caloocan Sports Complex to lead Batang Pier to a 115-113 victory over Blackwater and give the young team a chance to fight for a spot in the quarterfinals.
NorthPort thus improved to a 5-6 win-loss mark, barely managing to reach the qualification threshold. Batang Pier's triumph also sealed Barangay Ginebra's spot in the next round, while also knocking Phoenix out of the race.
READ: PBA: Northport still believes in its quarterfinal chances
Tolentino finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Joshua Munzon, Damie Cuntapay and Zav Lucero all scored at least 14 points in an effort that almost went nowhere.
Blackwater, behind Troy Rosario's 33 points and Christian David's season-best 26, came out of a 19-point rut to make things really interesting in the final moments of the contest.
Rey Nambatac did 10 and one last look to complete the cosmetics club's return, but his triple desperation was wrong.
With their hopes of advancing now hanging by a thread, Blackwater now prepare for powerful and undefeated San Miguel and then Phoenix.
PBA scores:
NORTHPORT 115 – Tolentino 27, Munzon 16, Cuntapay 15, Star 14, Yu 11, Rosales 7, Chan 7, Flowers 6, Zamar 5, Navarro 5, Bulanadi 2
BLACKWATER 113 – Rosario 33, David 26, Chua 11, Nambatac 10, Casio 9, Kwekuteye 7, Hill 5, Luck 5, Guinto 4, Ilagan 3, Sena 0, Escoto 0, Jopia 0, Tungcab
Quarter scores: 32-30, 66-48, 88-81, 115-113.
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