Munzon keeps NorthPort perfect

Joshua Munzon emerged as the biggest reason behind the flawless run of NorthPort in the early stretch of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup.

A member of the league’s All-Defensive Team last season, Munzon served as a strong anchor when the Batang Pier outdueled contenders Magnolia and TNT Tropang Giga to keep their unbeaten run alive in this midseason conference.

The 6-foot-4 Munzon turned in 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and five steals in NorthPort’s 107-103 victory over the Hotshots last 4 December at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

He then followed it up with a 20-point, three-rebound, two-assist, four-steal statline in their 100-95 dispatching of the Tropang Giga last Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

In both games, Munzon hit a clutch long-distance basket that sealed the victory — a cold-blooded four-pointer with 49.6 seconds left against Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup runner-up Magnolia and a dagger triple with 1:28 to go versus reigning Governors’ Cup titlist TNT.

“I’m confident in myself. Every time I shoot the ball, I think it’s going in,” said Munzon, who was chosen as PBA Press Corps-Pilipinas Live Player of the Week for the period of 3 to 8 December.

“So, you know, just taking that shot with confidence and I was happy it went in.”

With an average of 22.5 points spiked by a 44-percent clip from three-point territory, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 steals, and 2.5 assists, Munzon became the second awardee of the conference after Bong Quinto of Meralco in the opening week.

Robert Bolick of NLEX, whose 20-point fourth-quarter outburst and 39-point explosion overall propelled the Road Warriors to an epic 104-99 come-from-behind upset of defending champion San Miguel Beer last Sunday, was also given strong consideration by members of the media regularly covering the PBA beat.

Bolick averaged 35.5 points highlighted by a 65-percent field goal shooting and 80-percent marksmanship from the four-point arc as the streaking Road Warriors took care of business against Terrafirma, 107-95, then the Beermen to go 3-1.

Meanwhile, Justine Baltazar is set to make his PBA debut for Converge after he was activated by the team and could play against NorthPort today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Baltazar is fresh off a title conquest with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League after a 65-61 Game 3 win over the Quezon Huskers last Saturday and averaged 15.7 points, 16.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks in the series.