PBA: Joshua Munzon sparks NorthPort win over TNT

Northport’s Joshua Munzon. –PBA IMAGES

ANTIPOLO—Joshua Munzon led a big windup as NorthPort picked up its first victory in the PBA On Tour after defeating shorthanded TNT, 99-90, on Friday at Ynares Center here.

Munzon scored the first five in an 11-0 run finish that put the Batang Pier in the win column after dropping their first two assignments in the two-month exhibition series.

He finished with 16 points after posting just five against Meralco and failing to score a single point in a match with San Miguel Beer in Caloocan City.

“We want him to change his reception since we lost a big scorer in Robert Bolick,” said coach Bonnie Tan in Filipino, referring to the ex-Batang Pier’s departure for Japan’s B.League. “We want Josh to step up and fill the position left by Robert Bolick.”

A three-point play entering the final two minutes plus a three-point play gave NorthPort a 93-90 lead before forcing TNT to bungle its final attempts while also extending the gap till the final buzzer.

MJ Ayaay added 15, Paul Zamar put up 13 and Fran Yu made 11 for the Batang Pier.

Glenn Khobuntin scored 24 and Carl Bryan Cruz registered 21 for TNT in losing its final match in the On Tour.

The Tropang Giga played with just 10 players as key players Mikey Williams, Jayson Castro, RR Pogoy and Kelly Williams were opted to rest the duration of the series after their title run in the Governors’ Cup.

TNT also fielded three players from NCAA side San Beda, namely Peter Alfaro, Damie Cuntapay and Clifford Jopia (a fourth player JV Gallego didn’t suit up against NorthPort), to fill up the void.

Coach Jojo Lastimosa has also handed the reins for the duration of the exhibition tilt to assistant Sandy Arespacochaga.

The scores:

NORTHPORT 99—Munzon 16, Ayaay 15, Zamar 13, Yu 11, Calma 9, Chan 9, Santos 8, Comboy 6, Taha 4, Balagasay 2, Salado 2, Caperal 1, Bauzon 0, Sobrevega 0.

TNT 90—Khobuntin 24, Cruz 21, Erram 10, Ganuelas-Rosser 8, Montalbo 7, Alfaro 5, Marcelo 5, Jopia 5, Cuntapay 3, Varilla 2.

Quarters: 17-22, 42-44, 65-69, 99-90.

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