Purefoods hands Blackwater seventh straight setback
Games Today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:15 p.m. – Barako Bull vs Alaska
7 p.m. – Kia vs San Miguel
PJ Simon had 18 points and Joe Devance 16 as Purefoods dodged the bullet yesterday, putting down tenacious Blackwater, 90-82, in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
It was the first back-to-back triumph for the Hotshots, now in a three-way tie at sixth spot with Meralco and Globalport on 3-3 slates.
Blackwater fell to 0-7.
The Elite razed a 16-point Purefoods lead to 53-52 on a basket by Alex Nuyles. But Simon, who scored 10 points in the third quarter, had consecutive fast break layups and a teardrop shot to power the Hotshots back to the lead, 67-56.
“It certainly wasn’t a scintillating performance on our part. We didn’t play all that well,” said Purefoods coach Tim Cone. “But the good news is we got to 3-3. We need to build and see how far we can get over .500.”
As is typical of him, Cone paid tribute to his Blackwater counterpart Leo Isaac.
“You gotta give coach Leo the credit. I felt we could have stretched the lead and blown the game open, but they came fighting back every time,” Cone said.
Blackwater actually hammered Purefoods under the boards, 54-39, but was done in by 23 turnovers, with rookie Brian Heruela committing seven.
“[Blackwater] missed some shots that could’ve gotten them over the hump, it could’ve been closer than it was,” said Cone. “But the important thing is we gotta win by one point, anything else is pogi points.”
In the second game, Globalport scored a big win by beating Talk ’N Text, 105-97, the franchise’s first opposite the Tropang Texters to end a seven-game losing skid since Batang Pier joined the PBA back in 2012.
Scores:
PUREFOODS 90 – Simon 18, Devance 16, Maliksi 11, Melton 8, Mallari 8, Pingris 7, Taha 6, Barroca 6, Yap 6, Holstein 3, Reavis 1, Gaco 0, Matias 0, Allado 0.
BLACKWATER 82 – Faundo 14, Salvacion 14, Nuyles 12, Artadi 12, Ballesteros 8, Gamalinda 6, Heruela 5, Erram 4, Laure 4, Tiongson 3, Menor 0, Rodriguez 0, Timberlake 0, Celiz 0.
Quarters: 26-21, 46-39, 67-58, 90-82
GLOBALPORT 105 – Romeo 30, Pringle 13, Buenafe 13, Isip 13, Cabagnot 10, Taha 9, Jensen 8, Ponferada 4, Cabrera 3, Baclao 2, Pinto 0, de Ocampo 0, Caperal 0, Semerad 0.
TALK N’ TEXT 97 – Carey 24, De Ocampo 23, Castro 11, Reyes Ryan 9, Alapag 8, Washington 7, Rosser 6, Fonacier 5, Reyes Rob 4, Alas 0, Seigle 0, Aban 0, Espiritu 0, Aguilar 0.
Quarters: 24-16, 41-39, 70-76, 105-97