By JAY R. GOTERA
MANILA — Returning Star import Ricardo Ratliffe exploded for 37 points and 22 rebounds in his first game this season to lead the Hotshots to a smashing 107-97 victory over the TNT KaTropa Texters in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Wednesday night.
Ratliffe, who replaced Tony Mitchell, also had three blocks and two assists.
The Hotshots came back from an early 16-point deficit to notch their seventh win in nine games, boosting them to third place in the standings. The Texters fell to fifth spot with their 6-3 win-loss card.
Paul Lee also starred for the Hotshots, leading local scorers with 17 points, eight of them in the fourth quarter. His last shot, a three-pointer, gave Star a 103-97 lead with less than three minutes left.
PJ Simon added 12 points while Aldrech Ramos and Mark Barroca chipped in 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
Import Donte Greene paced TNT with 29 points.
GlobalPort 94, Meralco 86
The GlobalPort Batang Pier used the offensive firepower of their new import and three local acquisitions to stun the erstwhile pace-setting Meralco Bolts, 94-86.
Former NBA player Justin Harper debuted in the PBA with 30 points and nine rebounds to lead the Batang Pier to only their third win in nine games. Harper converted 10 of his 20 shots, including five three-pointers, despite arriving from the US only a day before game time.
Trade acquisitions Sean Anthony and Bradwyn Guinto, both formerly from NLEX, also proved their worth under their new team, with Anthony leading the locals with 18 points, half of them scored in the fourth quarter. He also came up with eight boards, one assist, and one steal in 27 minutes off the bench.
Stanley Pringle finished with 16 points while Mike Cortez added 13 markers. Guinto tallied eight points, seven boards, and one block in 22 minutes.
With the win, GlobalPort is now just a game behind eighth-running Phoenix with defending champion Rain or Shine and San Miguel Beer as their remaining opponents on May 26 and June 2, respectively.
Only the top eight teams advance to the playoffs after the 11-game elimination round.
Meralco absorbed only its second loss in nine games but fell from the top spot to third place as a result, allowing San Miguel Beer (5-1) and Barangay Ginebra (5-1) to forge a tie for the two top spots. The loss also endangered Meralco’s bid for a top 2 finish that carries a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
Import Alex Stepeheson paced Meralco with 19 points, 27 boards, three blocks, and three assists. Justin Chua added 16 markers while Jared Dillinger and Baser Amer chipped in 14 and 11 points, respectively.
Game Friday: SEABA 2017 Championships — (1) Indonesia vs. Singapore; (2) Malaysia vs. Thailand; and (3) Gilas Pilipinas vs. Myanmar.
