TALK 'N TEXT eliminated Rain or Shine, 69-52, and secured its place in the 15U division of the 2025 Batang PBA age-group tournament on Tuesday at the CCF Gym in Pasig.
John Steven Moraga scored 12 of his team-high 19 points in the third quarter to give the debuting Batang Tropang 5G a comfortable 19 point advantage en route to the victory that gave idle San Miguel Beer a free ride to the Final Four.
MC Dijon Fontanilla also made his presence felt for the Batang Tropang 5G with 11 points. TNT and SMB face-off on Thursday tol dispute the top seeding in Group B.
NorthPort also emerged victorious in the other 15U match at the expense of Terrafirma, 81-74, in Group Group A.
Arkin Ogoc and Rashed Membrot topscored for NorthPort with 18 points each but it was Ivann Miguel Gumatay, who took the fight away from Terrafirma.
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Gumatay scored nine of his 12 points in the third quarter as the Batang Pier, outscored the Batang Dyip, 20-10, to turn a four point deficit into a six point lead that held on to the end.
NorthPort shoots for a semis spot against the winless Phoenix (0-1) on Wednesday.
In the 13U division, Magnolia escaped past Meralco, 56-55, in Group A while Blackwater bounced back from Monday's defeat with a 57-53 win over NLEX in Group B.
Gener Dimagan tallied a game-high 18 points including 10 in the fourth quarter as the Batang Hotshots erased a 42-31 deficit to steal victory.
Joakim Emmanuel Se had another big game, finishing with 28 points as the Batang Bossing (1-1) bounced back from a 68-62 loss against Converge to stay in contention for semifinal seat. (JBU)
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The Scores:
First Game (15U)
NorthPort 81 - Ogoc 18, Membrot 18, Gumatay 12, Acera 7, Acbo 6, Solidum 5, Cillo 3, Jacinto 2, Ghazwan 2, Aguinaldo 1, Del Rosario 0.
Terrafirma 74 - Mangrobang 24, De Guzman 15, Cortez 10, Aguilar 7, Ya?ez 6, Armas 5, De Leon 5, Mallari 2, Redo?a 0, Vicente 0, Rondina 0, Lagaya 0.
Quarterscores: 26-20, 41-45, 61-55, 81-74.
Second Game (13U)
Blackwater 57 - Se 28, Jadera 20, Mayoyo 3, Ong 3, Hallare 2, Purugganan 1, Ebarvia 0, Villaruz 0, Simon 0.
NLEX 53 - Sandico 19, Tamundong 10, Santos 8, Arboleda 7, Peroramas 5, Gallante 2, Dayaon 2, Villa 0.
Quarterscores: 6-16, 23-20, 42-36, 57-53.
Third Game (13U)
Magnolia 56 - Dimagan 18, Palaganas 12, Laygo 8, Corral 6, Yba?ez 6, Basinilio 2, Torres 2, Masipag 1, Etorma 0, Tulfo 0, Castro 0, Jaylo 0.
Meralco 55 - Cabantog 17, Lugue L. 14, Lebron 10, Clarica 7, Lugue K. 5, Peralta 2, Carpina 0, Posada 0, Flores 0, Balios 0.
Quarterscores: 10-10, 14-27, 31-42, 56-55.
Fourth Game (15U)
Talk 'N Text 69 - Moraga 19, Fontanilla 11, Del Rosario 9, Tumamak 7, Pazcoguin 6, Jacinto 6, Basinilio 5, Calpe 2, Zablan 2, Lee 2, Alama 0.
Rain or Shine 52 - Navarro 10, Senesan 8, Centeno 6, Gravoso 6, Rucio 6, Condez 6, Perez 4, Taga?a 3, Morales 3, Santiago 0, Turla 0.
Quarterscores: 23-20, 40-28, 54-35, 69-52.