By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE STREAKING Northport Batang Pier go for a 2-0 lead over the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in their best-of-five Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup semifinal series when they reengage for Game Two today at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Took the early series lead after fashioning out a 124-90 rout in their semifinal opener on Saturday, the Batang Pier, winners of their last five games, try to push themselves to a more favorable position in their push to make it to the finale of the season-ending PBA tournament, their first, if ever, in the local pro league.

Import Michael Qualls was brilliant all game long for Northport in the Game One win, with guard Garvo Lanete coming off the bench to lead a solid spark from the Batang Pier auxiliaries to outplay and outlast the Kings.

Mr. Qualls finished with 38 points, 15 rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Mr. Lanete, for his part, had 24 points, going 6-of-9 from beyond the arc.

It was a tightly fought contest early on before the Batang Pier started to pick it up in the second frame to go on top, 51-39, by the break.

In the fourth quarter, Northport was just unstoppable with contributions coming from different directions. It outscored Barangay Ginebra, 46-22, in the payoff canto to run away with the victory.

Christian Standhardinger was solid as well for the Batang Pier, chalking up all-around numbers of 16 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and four blocks.

Veterans Sol Mercado and Sean Anthony also finished in double figures for Northport with 14 and 11 points, respectively.

For the Kings, it was Justin Brownlee who showed the way with 24 points, 19 rebounds and six assists.

Stanley Pringle had 21 points with Japeth Aguilar and Jeff Chan adding eight points apiece.

As a team, the Kings shot just 36% from the field and 31% from three-point land. They also committed 18 turnovers.

Despite the win, Northport coach Pido Jarencio cautioned that it was just one win and that they have to continue staying on top of their game to complete their mission of making it to the finals.

“Maybe we caught Ginebra on an off night or the long break helped us. But the players really showed they wanted to win and executed our game plan,” said Mr. Jarencio postgame.

The winner of the Barangay Ginebra-Northport series takes on the victor between the Meralco Bolts and TNT KaTropa, who started their own best-of-five semifinals on Sunday.

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