Veteran playmaker Mike Cortez returned to action Sunday to help Blackwater arrest a two-game losing skid, providing more balance and stability in the backcourt.
The Elite defeated a banged-up Globalport crew, 115-103, with Cortez’s efficient quarterbacking leading the way. Cortez finished with 22 points on 9-for-14 shooting and dished out seven assists.
Cortez skipped Blackwater’s match against San Miguel last week to recover from minor injuries, and Blackwater head coach Leo Isaac said it is more ideal for the team to keep their ace playmaker fresh.
“We rested Mike for a couple of days. Hindi namin siya mabigla. We have to take good care of (him). As much as we can preserve, it will be a lot better for Blackwater,” Isaac said.
The balance was in full display Sunday, with five players scoring in double-digits for the Elite. Import MJ Rhett topscored with 30 points and added 13 boards, while three more locals provided ample help. Blackwater assisted 21 of their 44 field goal makes, and shot 36 percent from three-point area.
“Points were spread out tonight, nobody was holding the ball for too long… the locals capitalized. Hopefully we can continue to get better in our next games,” Cortez shared, saying the Elite have picked up lessons from battling more experienced teams.
“We’re learning as we go along. We played San Miguel which is a championship team, and before that, Star which is hungry for a win and also a championship (franchise). The only way we can get better is watching film and getting better in practice. We did that today.”
Isaac was also impressed with the balance the team showed, adding Cortez’s playmaking brilliance had been a big difference-maker for the young franchise’s offensive flow.
“We made it clear no single player will take charge for the whole team. We let the whole offensive system work for the team. If you notice, the ball distribution, it was a lot better unlike in the past games where we had a lot of one on one plays,” Isaac said.
“Sa ngayon, wala pang point guard that can match up with the intelligence of Mike Cortez sa Blackwater. Hindi pa kami nakakapag-develop ng point guard (na ganoon).”
Cortez also enjoys mentoring the younger guys in the group, taking extra time to impart knowledge. With Blackwater now at .500 with a 3-3 card, Cortez’s main aim is to just continue leading the team as far as he can.
“You got to talk to them. If you don’t talk to them and see things that I see on the floor, we are not going to get better that way. We simplified our offense. More to the talent of the team,” he said.
