PENANG, Malaysia – Blackwater worked behind on its suffocating defense and overwhelmed the Malaysia Dragons, 94-52, to win the 2016 Penang Chief Minister Cup International Basketball Invitational Championship on Tuesday at the Han Chiang Indoor Stadium here.
The Elite were at their best at the start of the second half when they held the newly-crowned ABL champions to just three field goals during a nine-minute stretch to build a 65-37 bubble.
There was no letting up for the Dioceldo Sy-owned PBA squad from there as Blackwater completed the five-game tournament sweep and bagged the PM 10,000 (P120,000) top prize.
“Medyo tight kami in the first two quarters, so during halftime, we reminded them to just play their normal game and nag-respond naman going to the third and fourth quarters kaya ang laki pa ng nilamang namin,” Blackwater coach Leo Isaac said after the game.
The Penang championship ended Blackwater’s back-to-back runner-up finishes in Malaysia.
Blackwater bowed to the Malaysian national squad during the 2014 Penang Chief Minister Cup, before placing second again in the Seri Mutiara Champions Cup last year in Kuala Lumpur.
Gilbert Bulawan led the Elite with 13 points, while Reil Cervantes and Carlo Lastimosa each added 12. Big man JP Erram chipped in 11 points and 6 rebounds.
Blackwater will be reinforced by American import Eric Dawson and Palestine national player Imad Qahwash in the third conference.
