Mga laro bukas:
(Araneta Coliseum)
4:30 p.m. – NorthPort vs Phoenix
7:30 p.m. – Ginebra vs Rain or Shine
SUMANDAL ang Blackwater sa kanilang gameplan para sa matikas na simula upang malusutan ang Converge, 90-78, at mahila ang kanilang unbeaten start sa PBA Philippine Cup kagabi sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Nagsalitan sina Christian David at RK Ilagan sa pamumuno sa opensa habang pinangunahan nina Troy Rosario, Bradwyn Guinto at Tyrus Hill ang depensa ng Bossing na kumarera sa maagang 30-14 kalamangan, na lumobo sa hanggang 70-35 sa third period.
Hindi bumibitaw ang FiberXers at nagawang tapyasin ang kalamangan sa likod nina Alec Stockton, Schonny Winston, at Justin Arana, subalit kinapos na sila sa oras.
Sa huli ay naduplika ng Blackwater ang kanilang 3-0 simula sa 2019 Commissioner’s Cup at binigyang kredito ni coach Jeffrey Cariaso sa panalo ang kanilang depensa sa main threats ng Converge na sina Justin Arana at Alec Stockton.
“We had a gameplan on how we want to defend Justin and I meant what I said, he’s a hard cover, so we knew it was gonna be important to defend well,” sabi ni Cariaso.
“Alec, I think, is playing the best in his career so far right now. He’s patient, he’s taking his time. I call him pesky and persistent and now that he’s developing his shot and being more consistent, he’s even more a phenomenal player,” dagdag ni Cariaso.
“So we had a gameplan on how we want to defend and again tonight I’m happy with the way we came out and defended those two in particular.”
Tumapos pa rin si Stockton na may 24 points at nagdagdag si Arana ng 18, subalit hindi nakaiskor ang last year’s Best Rookie sa dalawang middle quarters at 10 sa kanyang mga puntos ay naitala niya nang hindi na maibabalik ang resulta.
Nagbuhos si Winston ng career-high 22 points sa kabila na umiskor lamang ng apat sa unang 24 minuto ng laro.
CLYDE MARIANO
Iskor:
Blackwater (90) – David 16, Suerte 14, Ilagan 12, Escoto 12, Rosario 10, Nambatac 7, Yap 5, Sena 3, DiGregorio 3, Tungcab 2, Guinto 2, Kwekuteye 2, Hill 2, Jopia 0.
Converge (78) – Stockton 24, Winston 22, Arana 18, Fleming 6, Fornilos 3, Balanza 2, Maagdenberg 1, Santos 0, Caralipio 0, Melecio 0, Nieto 0, Ambohot 0, Zaldivar 0.
QS: 30-14, 58-29, 76-50, 90-78.
