GlobalPort Eliminates Alaska on Eventual Winner from Romeo

Terrence Romeo scored the eventual winning basket as GlobalPort ousted Alaska, 107-106, in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup wildcard playoff at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday night.

Romeo dropped a booming triple with 8.1 seconds that put the Batang Pier for good, but they needed a sigh of relief in the endgame.

Calvin Abueva, who converted a tough one-hander that put the Aces up for the last time, 104-103, with 20.6 seconds to go, got a quick pass only that his shot rattled out.

Justin Harper just missed out on icing the game for GlobalPort as he only made a split from the line, giving Alaska three seconds to force overtime.

Simon Enciso, who struggled from beyond the arc, missed a corner triple with time winding down. Ping Exciminiano scored the follow-up at the buzzer for the final tally.

Romeo finished with 26 points on six triples with five rebounds, three assists, and one steal for the Batang Pier, who will go up against top-seeded Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Justin Harper top scored for the Batang Pier with 32 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, and one block.

Cory Jefferson had 32 markers, 16 rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal for the Aces, who will miss the PBA playoffs for the first time since 2012.

Abueva’s career-high 31 markers, the most by an Alaska local since 2008, went down the drain as the team lost for the eighth straight game. (Ivan Saldajeno/PNA)