The NorthPort Batang Pier rolled to their third consecutive triumph as they beat the Meralco Bolts in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup on Sunday, March 10.
JM Calma and Arvin Tolentino combined for 32 points as NorthPort upended Meralco, 90-85, to collect its third straight win in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao on Sunday, March 10.
Calma and Tolentino did most of the damage for the Batang Pier in the first half, where they started strong. Rookie Cade Flores then took charge in a telling run in the third that gave them back an eight-point cushion, which they protected to the finish.
Tolentino, Joshua Munzon, and Fran Yu then delivered in the final stretch for NorthPort, which drew level with NLEX at third with their similar 3-1 records.
Meralco fell to back-to-back losses for a 1-3 card.
Calma quickly got down to business, pouring eight points within the first five minutes of the match to fuel an early 17-8 lead for the Batang Pier.
He then teamed up with Tolentino in the second, as they stretched NorthPort's lead to 12, 39-27, with six minutes left in the first half.
Meralco, however, retaliated behind Chris Banchero, Chris Newsome, and Bong Quinto to tie the count at 43-all at the break.
Flores then stepped up for the Batang Pier in the third, accounting for eight points in their 13-3 counterattack in the final five minutes of the period to reclaim an eight-point advantage, 66-58.
The Bolts repeatedly tried to trim the gap down to five in the final canto, but Tolentino, Yu, and Munzon just had the swift response every time for NorthPort.
Calma built his 16-point output on a seven-for-10 clip he laced with eight rebounds. Tolentino, meanwhile, collected six rebounds and five assists to complement his point-production.
Paul Zamar had 14 points while Flores added 13 for the Batang Pier.
Aaron Black topscored with 18 for the Bolts who also drew 15 from Chris Newsome and 12 from Raymond Almazan.