Tidbits: GlobalPort vs Petron

Image courtesy of the PBA.

GlobalPort may have dropped their season-opener to the Petron Blaze Boosters 97-87, but I saw lots of positives.

Romeo is a baller.

Man was I impressed with this kid. I didn't get to watch many Romeo games when he was in college, but judging from his first PBA game, he's good as hyped! This kid, who by the way is currently the youngest in the league, was aggressive from the get-go.  He can really get into the lane at will and though he got denied a couple of times, he just kept on attacking.  He's flashy, he's got swag, and he's exciting to watch, and he can only get better.

Major Pain can still play. 

Eric Menk was a pleasant surprise.  He looks to be in tip-top shape and performed fairly well in his first PBA game after spending some time in the ABL.  He connected on a baseline jumpshot and scored on a nifty drive to the basket, finishing with 6 points and 5 rebounds.

Soul Wash.

Sol Mercado and Jay Washington will be GlobalPort's go-to-duo this season, and they showed in this game that they're capable of carrying the load.  Sol top-scored with 20 points and added 6 assists, while J-Wash was equally impressive, finishing with 15 points and 15 boards.

BATANG PIER OF THE GAME



Solomon Mercado - 20 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 8/13 FGs.

Sol was off to a hot start, scoring 17 points in the first half, but managed only 3 in the second half.  Still, he kept the team within striking distance early on and overall had a great game.  He seemed to have transitioned well to the 2 spot.



FLINTSKY PREDICTS

It's time to see how my predictions for this game went.

1.  If GlobalPort scores more than 90, they win the game.

 GlobalPort only scored 87, and lost.

2. The GlobalPort rookies will combine for at least 30 points.

 LA Revilla was demoted to the reserved list and Justin Chua received a DNP.  Romeo, Salva and Garcia combined for 20 points.

3. Jay Washington will post a double-double.

 Washington held his own against Petron's big men, finishing with 15 points and 15 rebounds.

 4. If Junemar Fajardo and Arwind Santos are contained to a combined 25 points, GlobalPort wins.

 Santos scored 16, Fajardo added 15, for a combined 31 points. GlobalPort failed to hold them below 25, and lost the game. This one's a check for me.

5. If Sol Mercado scores more than 20, GlobalPort loses.

 Sol scored exactly 20 points, and GlobalPort loses. I did say 'more than 20' though, so this one's an X.

FlintSky's score - 3/5 - Passed.

That's a good start for me at least, but it would've been nice if GlobalPort grabbed the win.  Nonetheless, I'm quite satisfied with their showing.

Roar Out.