THE problem of having a fancied, much-publicized team? There will be a big bullseye on your back.
Coach Brian Goorjian heaved a big sigh of relief after foreign guest team Bay Area dodged the upset axe wielded by gritty NorthPort last Saturday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
“You win by 45 points, and everybody thinks you’re something you’re not and tonight, I think, shows everybody that this is going to be good basketball,” Goorjian said.
“I mean. . . the teams playing us are fired up and want this bad, the crowd’s involved,” he added.
Prolific import Myles Powel boomed in a buzzer-beating three-pointer that lifted the Dragons to a heart-stopping 105-104 squeaker over the Batang Pier for their second straight win and the early solo lead in the mid-season tourney.
Powell, a former Philadelphia Sixer, shone for the Dragons anew with a game-high 37 points, just four shy of his output in Bay Area’s 133-87 demolition of Blackwater five days ago, to go with six rebounds, while Australian-Chinese Hayden Blankley chipped in 15 markers and 10 boards.
Seven-foot-5 backup center Liu Chuanxing added 13 and five for the Dragons.
NorthPort, coming off a 92-89 decision over Phoenix also last Wednesday, slipped to 1-1 in a tie with Blackwater for second.
Goorjian, who also calls the shots for the Australian national team, admitted the Batang Pier gave his charges fits.
“I thought they did a tremendous job of spreading the floor, playing NBA-style and going to a mismatch and grinding that out,” Gorojian said.
Robert Bolick carried the fight for NorthPort with 33 points, three caroms, and five dimes, while Arvin Tolentino added 22 markers and 10 rebounds.
Jerrick Balanza and Jeff Chan combined for 22 points for the Batang Pier, while reinforcement Prince Ibeh was held to just eight markers, although he did have 11 boards.
Powell said his high-arching fly-by shot off Ibeh and Tolentino typified Bay Area’s resolve.
“We just executed,” an emotional Powell said. “We got a stop, we came down, they put the ball in my hands, and it was game time.”
