Harper, Anthony impress as GlobalPort stuns Meralco

Game on May 19 (Cuneta Astrodome)

4:15 p.m. – San Miguel vs NLEX

7 p.m. – Ginebra vs Rain or Shine

MANILA, Philippines – Justin Harper churned out a decent 30-point game virtually straight from the airport and Sean Anthony marked his GlobalPort debut with 18 markers, helping the Batang Pier stay in the playoff race with a 94-86 triumph over the Meralco Bolts in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena Wednesday night.

The Batang Pier drew tremendous lift from their new import and their three fresh trade acquisitions as they outfought the Bolts in a tough battle and thus hung on in the fight for the three remaining spots in the quarterfinals with a 3-6 win-loss card.

Bradwyn Guinto and Jonathan Grey, netted by GlobalPort along with Anthony in a complex trade deal with TNT KaTropa, NLEX and Meralco, were also instrumental in a solid effort dished out by the Batang Pier to stop the Bolts’ hot romp.

With the loss, the Bolts (7-2) were to share the lead with the winner of the Star-TNT tussle.

“Harper and our other new players really helped us get this win. Harper arrived just this morning but we’d long been running after him. We knew he would be a good fit to our team,” said GlobalPort coach Franz Pumaren.

“As for Anthony, Bradwyn and Jonathan, I personally chose them because I felt they’re the kind of players that we need right now. And they showed they can easily adjust,” Pumaren also said.

Without a practice with the Batang Pier, Harper committed eight turnovers but more than made up for these with nine rebounds and three blocks that went with his 30 points spiked by 5-of-7 three-pointers.

“He’s an import that can really score,” said Pumaren of the 27-year-old Harper, who had NBA stints with Orlando, Detroit and Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, Anthony, averaging only five points and six rebounds with NLEX, came through with 18 markers and eight boards to mark his reunion with his old coach at Air21.

Guinto contributed eight points and the same number of rebounds while Grey chipped in four boards, three markers and three assists for the Batang Pier who outlasted the Bolts in a battle marked by nine deadlocks and 16 lead changes.

Stanley Pringle was his usual self, collecting 16 points, eight assists and seven rebounds while Mike Cortez ably filled in for Terrence Romeo as he delivered 13 markers, two boards, two dish-offs and one steal as the Batang Pier stayed within striking distance of the eighth-running Phoenix Fuel Masters (4-5).

Globalport, however, has two tough closing assignments in Rain or Shine and San Miguel Beer.

Pringle zigzagged through a line of Meralco defenders and finished with a layup off Chris Newsome as the Batang Pier made it 91-86 with time down to 35 seconds.

The Bolts enjoyed their last lead at 81-80 on a hook shot by Alex Stepheson before scoring only five points in the last five minutes of the contest.