MANILA, Philippines – To make the PBA Governors’ Cup playoffs, the Blackwater Bossing need all the stars to align.
They did their part by seizing an upset win against an import-less San Miguel Beermen side, 111-94, on Saturday, September 21, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
But for Blackwater to get the fourth and final playoff spot in Pool B, NLEX (4-5) must drop its final assignment against Barangay Ginebra (6-3) on Sunday, September 22. Then the Bossing must also win against the pool-leading Rain or Shine (7-2) on Monday, September 23.
“We want to stay alive tonight and that’s what happened,” Bossing head coach Jeff Cariaso said after the game.
“We’re just going to pray that what’s meant to be is going to happen. We’ll just do our job and prepare for Monday’s game against Rain or Shine, because that’s the only thing we can control,” he added.
Led by import George King, who dropped a cool 49 points on 14-of-29 shooting, coupled with 11 rebounds, the Bossing improved to 4-5.
San Miguel counterpart Jordan Adams sat out the contest as he recovers from a right hamstring strain.
Center Mo Taututaa was also out of the contest as the Beermen relied heavily on June Mar Fajardo’s inside presence.
The eight-time PBA Most Valuable Player supplied 23 points and 21 rebounds, while CJ Perez added 21 markers and 8 boards as the Beermen sank to a third-running 6-4 mark in Pool B.
It was sweet revenge for the Bossing, avenging a 128-108 loss to the Beermen early in the conference.
Seeing its 13-point first-half lead dwindle to 2 in the third quarter, Blackwater restored order and brought an 85-72 edge heading to the payoff period.
The lead ballooned to 22, 99-77, courtesy of a 12-0 run, and stretched to as many as 25 points, 107-82.
Blackwater also snapped a four-game losing streak against San Miguel, dating back to last year’s Governors’ Cup.
Fajardo and company will have to wait for Ginebra’s final game before finding out the Beermen’s fate in the quarterfinal seeding.
In the second game, the quarterfinal-bound Meralco Bolts cruised to a 42-point beatdown of also-ran Terrafirma Dyip, 124-82.
The whopping gap turned out to be the biggest winning margin in Meralco’s franchise history.
Alvin Pasaol dropped 15 of his game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter, hitting 5-of-9 from downtown as well.
Rookie CJ Cansino tallied 15 markers in 18 minutes of action, while Allen Durham knocked in 14 points and hauled 7 boards for the Bolts.
Antonio Hester scored 18, while Louie Sangalang added 17 in the Dyip’s (1-9) final game of the conference.
The game was already decided in the first quarter, with the defending Philippine Cup champion leading by 19, 34-15.
The Scores
First Game
Blackwater 111 – King 49, Barefield 14, Chua 9, David 6, Rosario 6, Kwekuteye 5, Ilagan 4, Casio 4, Escoto 4, Jopia 4, Suerte 4, Corteza 2, Mitchell 0, Ponferrada 0, Montalbo 0.
San Miguel 94 – Fajardo 23, Perez 21, Romeo 15, Lassiter 5, Rosales 5, Trollano 5, Cruz 4, Brondial 4, Nava 4, Teng 4, Manuel 2, Jimenez 2, Ross 0.
Quarters : 30-21, 52-43, 85-72, 111-94.
Second Game
Meralco 124 – Pasaol 24, Cansino 15, Durham 14, Jose 12, Bates 11, Banchero 9, Almazan 8, Hodge 8, Caram 7, Newsome 6, Torres 4, Mendoza 3, Rios 2, Quinto 2, Pascual 2.
Terrafirma 82 – Hester 18, Sangalang 17, Hanapi 12, Hernandez 11, Olivario 7, Carino 5, Grospe 4, Ramos 4, Cahilig 2, Ferrer 2.
Quarters: 34-15, 66-37, 91-61, 124-82.
– Rappler.com
