Coming off back-to-back losses, the Blackwater Elite vented their frustrations on the Columbian Dyip to return to the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup win column, 120-99, Saturday evening at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.
The Elite started to seize control of the match by taking a commanding 33-17 lead late in the first quarter. Blackwater would go on to lead by as many as 31, 79-48, after a Mac Belo triple with seven minutes to go in the third canto.
Blackwater improved to 7-3 to force a tie with the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the fourth spot of the standings, meaning that their clash on November 4 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum would be a playoff for fourth.
Henry Walker led the Elite with 26 points on a perfect 9-of-9 field goal shooting – 3-of-3 from beyond the arc – and 11 rebounds in over 28 minutes.
Mac Belo had his best game of the conference so far, as he led the locals with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting with three assists and two rebounds off the bench. Allein Maliksi and Paul Zamar provided 13 markers each.
Mike DiGregorio made 11 points.
Unlike in their 109-116 defeat to the now third-running Alaska Aces six days ago, the bench showed up in the impressive victory by contributing 53 points – far higher than the 15 they chipped in versus the Milkmen.
Akeem Wright led Columbian with 28 points on 42 percent shooting with 10 rebounds and four assists. Jerramy King and Rashawn McCarthy chimed in 11 markers apiece on a combined 7-of-21 shooting from the floor.
Columbian ended the conference with a 1-10 card, with their lone win at the expense of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 100-84, last October 19.
The Scores:
Blackwater 120 – Walker 26, Belo 16, Maliksi 13, Zamar 13, Digregorio 11, Erram 9, Pinto 8, Cortez 6, Javier 5, Jose 5, Palma 5, Sumang 3, Sena 0, Cruz 0, Banal 0.
Columbian 99 – Wright 28, King 11, McCarthy 11, Reyes 9, Khobuntin 7, Gabriel 7, Cabrera 6, Corpuz 5, Tubid 4, Ababou 4, Sara 3, Celda 2, Escoto 2, Cahilig 0.
Quarterscores: 33-20, 63-42, 93-69, 120-99.
