By Ivan Stewart Saldajeno/PNA
MANILA – Robert Bolick impressed in his Philippine Basketball Association debut as NorthPort began its campaign with a 117-91 rout of Blackwater in the second day of the season-opening Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Wednesday night.
Bolick put up 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting to lead the Batang Pier, who rallied back from a first quarter deficit and pulled away in the final three quarters.
Bolick, whose scoring prowess was the best maiden performance in Asia’s premier professional basketball circuit since 2009, also got three rebounds, and three assists.
Paolo Taha made 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, and one steal to backstop Bolick.
Last season’s Most Valuable Player runner-up Stanley Pringle added 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and six steals even as Sean Anthony put up 19 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block.
Bradwyn Guinto went perfect from the field, making all of his six shots, for 12 points with six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block.
Abu Tratter made 18 points, nine rebounds, one assist, two blocks, and two steals in his own PBA debut for Blackwater.
His fellow prized rookie, Paul Desiderio, made five points but was scoreless after the first quarter.
