With nothing really at stake, NorthPort aims to go out on its own terms and beat league leader NLEX in its penultimate game in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.
With their playoff hopes long gone, Joshua Munzon and the NorthPort Batang Pier are looking to close out their PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup campaign on a winning note when they take on the league-leading NLEX Road Warriors on Wednesday, June 11.
The match starts at 5:00 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
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Riding a dismal eight-game losing skid and sitting at 1-8, the Batang Pier are out of contention but far from out of fight.
NorthPort will be leaning on Munzon, who exploded for 32 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a block in their 107-118 loss to Phoenix last June 4 —the only bright spot for a team that has the players instrumental in its impressive semifinal appearance last conference.
Arvin Tolentino has taken his talents to the Korean Basketball League, while William Navarro was recently shipped to Magnolia in a trade for Calvin Abueva, leaving a depleted NorthPort rotation searching for stability and identity in its penultimate game.
Against an 8-2 NLEX squad that is already assured of a twice-to-beat advantage and eyeing the no. 1 seed, NorthPort knows it faces a tall order. But with nothing to lose, the Batang Pier are hoping to play spoiler and salvage some pride to end a rocky campaign on a positive note.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]