Kadeem Jack and the rest of the NorthPort Batang Pier finally got on the board with their Game 4 win over the Brgy. Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA semis.
Kadeem Jack would rather let his work do the talking.
That was what the reinforcement did after NorthPort suffered three straight blowout losses in the hands of Ginebra in their best-of-seven PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal faceoff.
At the end of Game 4, Jack and the rest of the Batang Pier finally saw themselves victorious, 108-103, to avoid a sweep and consequently, the exit door Wednesday, March 5.
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“No more talking. There's no time for talking. All the talking was finished after the first three losses. Now, it's just time to show and prove,” said Jack, who finished with 39 points, 15 rebounds and five assists.
“So that's really what it's been. I kind of stopped talking to our guys after that second game.”
The NorthPort crew responded big time, with main man Arvin Tolentino showing up with 20 points, nine rebounds, 11 assists, four steals and a block.
William Navarro also came out with fire in his eyes, putting up 16 points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
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Joshua Munzon added 14 points, two rebounds and five assists.
“I just told the guys there's nothing more to say. It's just whether or not we take pride. As men, as basketball players, as professionals. It's embarrassing, losing by 25 to 30 points,” Jack added.
Kadeem Jack tries to will the NorthPort Batang Pier back in their best-of-seven PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup semifinal series with the Brgy. Ginebra Gin Kings. | Photo (c) RM Chua/One Sports
With the much-needed victory, the Batang Pier recovered the superior confidence that got them into the playoffs.
“I think it just showed our guys that we can actually win. Like I said, losing by 25 each game, you don't even think that you got a chance. So coming out tonight and just being able to shake that rust off. Arvin got going. Josh was a lot more in the flow of things. And then in the first quarter, we hit shots,” Jack said.
“We've started off slow every game. Missing, I'm not sure, but we've shot I think lower than 20-30% in the first quarter for the entire series. So just us coming out and hitting those shots. Sidney coming in, hitting shots. Bulaladi coming out and hitting shots. It was an overall team effort.”
Jack and the rest of the Batang Pier will bring just that when they square off against the Gin Kings in Game 5 on Friday, March 5.
The match is set at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.