Macau leaned on standout performances from its key cogs to upend an all-Filipino Blackwater by way of a 123-119 decision to chalk up win no. 2 in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Jenning Leung finished with 30 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, Damian Chonqgui dropped his own 30-piece, while Ramon Cao fired 29 alongside 10 rebounds as the trio delivered to eventually help complete the escape.
“Damian had a big night, Jenning had a big night, and Ramon,” lauded head coach Marcus Elliott. “I’m really happy for Ramon and Jenning because they didn’t really play to their caliber in the last game against TNT.”
(C) PBA Images
Chongqui himself knocked down the go-ahead three that put the guest team ahead for good, 118-116, with under three minutes left, before Leung came through with crucial conversions in the final 2:07 to keep the foes at bay.
A split by Chao Xingzhao with 8.7 seconds left, and a Sedrick Barefield turnover while looking for the equalizing four proved all enough for the Black Knights to come away with the narrow win against an incomplete Bossing team.
Coach Pat Aquino had to make do without hulking reinforcement Robert Upshaw III, who sat out the match, reportedly due to a calf injury.
“I think that backfired on us, actually,” said Elliott, on his team not getting a crack at the 7-footer. “I think it took the life out of Tony; it looked like his motivation went down a little bit, so I think that helped them with Upshaw not playing.”
Tony Mitchell would’ve probably done more had Upshaw seen action, but did what he had to, finishing with 11 points and 22 rebounds.
Now at 2-8, the also-ran Macau will look to finish its maiden PBA campaign strongly in its last two games, first against the skidding Terrafirma this Saturday, May 2, and then the Top Four-hunting Phoenix Fuel Masters on May 9.
(C) PBA Images
Christian David and Paul Zamar, meanwhile, had 21 points apiece to lead Blackwater in another disappointing defeat–that, after coming close to wielding the upset axe on Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in their previous outing.
Sedrick Barefield had 18 points on a poor 7-of-20 shooting from the floor. David Murrell and rookie CJ Austria had 14 points each, while BJ Andrade added 12 markers as their balanced attack ultimately went down the drain.
With the loss, the Bossing have fallen dead last in the 13-team field with a 2-8 record as well, but are still alive in the playoff hunt owing to their big wins against Magnolia and San Miguel, both of which are at no. 7 and 8 with 4-5 cards.
Blackwater will try to sweep its remaining games versus Meralco (May 3) and Converge (May 9) to stay alive, but its fate no longer lies in its hands.
The Scores:
Macau 123 – Chongqui 30, Leung 30, Cao 29, Mitchell 11, Shackelford 11, Lao 6, Chen 5, Chao 1, Zhu 0.
Blackwater 119 – Zamar 21, David 21, Barefield 18, Murrell 14, Austria 14, Andrade 12, Guinton 8, Mallilin 7, Tratter 2, Una 2, Altamirano 0, Escoto 0.
Quarterscores: 25-21, 53-49, 91-88, 123-119.
