By JONAS TERRADO
Games Sunday
(DHVSU Gym, Bacolor)
2 p.m. — San Miguel vs Rain or Shine
4:35 p.m. — Ginebra vs TNT
7 p.m. — NorthPort vs NLEX
Rookie Jamie Malonzo put on a dunking exhibition as NorthPort crushed Terrafirma, 104-84, Sunday for its first back-to-back win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Don Honorio Ventura State University in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Malonzo, who finished with 14 points, six rebounds and two steals, scored the game’s first basket with a two-hand breakaway jam before converting three spectacular slams during the last four minutes of the second quarter that gave the Batang Pier a 55-38 halftime lead.
His final dunk came early in the third with a two-hander off Robert Bolick’s fastbreak alley-oop which made it 59-41 for NorthPort.
“We just went out there and have fun,” said Malonzo, whose aerial artistry came after NorthPort lost Greg Slaughter after he was ejected with 8:19 in the second quarter for a Flagrant Foul 2 on Terrafirma’s Roosevelt Adams.
“With Greg Slaughter out, we knew that all of us have to step up. And that’s what we did and decided to end the half stronger and we got it done.”
NorthPort led by as many as 27 on its way to move in seventh spot with an even 3-3 record with team manager Bonnie Tan calling the shots in the absence of coach Pido Jarencio and his staff who are still under quarantine as part of the league’s COVID-19 protocols.
Bolick had 15 points, six rebounds and eight assists while Garvo Lanete topscored with 18 points for the Batang Pier.
Adams and Aldrech Ramos scored 14 points apiece but the Dyip fell to 3-6 with two consecutive defeats following a three-game winning streak.
The victory opened a hectic weekend for the Batang Pier, who’ll return to the floor at 7 p.m. tonight against the NLEX Road Warriors in the final game of a tripleheader.
League-leading TNT, which already clinched the first quarterfinals berth, plays defending champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel at 4:35 p.m. for a chance to make it eight wins in nine outings.
Ginebra is smarting from a 111-102 loss to San Miguel last Sept. 10 and will head into the match in eighth place with a 3-4 record.
San Miguel (5-2) tries to move in solo second as it aims for three straight wins at 2 p.m. opposite Rain or Shine, which holds a 5-4 card after its 75-72 upset of Magnolia also two days ago.
The scores:
NORTHPORT 104 — Lanete 18, Bolick 15, Malonzo 14, Onwubere 10, Elorde 9, Taha 8, Rike 6, Faundo 6, Ferrer 5, Anthony 4, Subido 3, Slaughter 2, Balanza 2, Grey 2.
TERRAFIRMA 84 — Adams 14, Ramos 14, Batiller 11, Tiongson 9, Ganuelas-Rosser 9, McCarthy 8, Camson 7, Calvo 6, Gabayni 3, Laput 2, Celda 1.
Quarters: 22-12, 55-37, 84-62, 104-84.
