NorthPort is emerging as a legitimate contender in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup – a huge leap from its status as one of the league’s perennial doormat teams and not bad for a franchise that is usually getting dragged into the "farm team" accusations.

For the first time in their franchise history, the Batang Pier have completed a sweep of all the three teams under the San Miguel Corporation umbrella – teams that usually sit at the upper echelon of the PBA standing – following a 105-104 escape against the Beermen on Tuesday, Jan. 22.

NorthPort also defeated Magnolia, 107-103, before it also pulled off another stunner against Barangay Ginebra, 119-116, effectively ending the Batang Pier’s five-year dry spell against the Kings.

“Itong team na ito is just making a statement na we are real. Etong mga players na ito, they will play 100 percent each game. Even in the playoffs, kung sino man makaharap namin, we will just play our game,” said NorthPort deputy Rensy Bajar who played stand-in for head coach Bonnie Tan during the post-game presser.

Not only that NorthPort achieved the incredible feat in the win against SMB but also showed the team’s character and resilience after it squandered a huge 24-point lead but recovered in time to take the win.

“Lagi naming pinaalalang mga coaches especially si coach Bonnie, during crunch time and the fourth quarter, San Miguel is San Miguel. They are a champion team. They will come back anytime, and their players (kaya) mag-step up anytime,” said Bajar.

“Buti nag-stick lang kami sa game plan. We just play hard defense especially crunch time. At ‘yun na nga, nakahabol sila because ‘yung mga turnovers namin down the stretch. Pero naka-recover kami sa last possessions namin,” he added, pertaining to the clutch jumper from import Kadeem Jack in the waning seconds as well as the game-preserving stop when the Batang Pier forced the Beermen to a 24-second shot clock violation in their final possession.

Jack finished with 38 points, seven rebounds and four steals all while putting a body on June Mar Fajardo, while Arvin Tolentino added 22. Will Navarro and Joshua Munzon also provided timely contributions with the former chipping in 17 and the latter with 12.

NorthPort added SMB to its growing list of victims that also included formidable guest team Eastern, last conference champion TNT, and the highly-improved Converge to go along with Terrafirma and NLEX.

The Batang Pier remained in the position to take one of the top 2 spots after improving to an 8-3 record with the last assignment against the Blackwater Bossing the only game that separates them and the twice-to-beat bonus in the quarterfinals.