By JONAS TERRADO
Blackwater, displaying grit and poise, slayed a giant for the second straight game last night by stunning San Miguel Beer, 103-100, for a 2-0 start in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Elite came back from a 10-point deficit late in the third quarter to take a 101-95 lead with over two minutes left before foiling the Beermen’s last-gasp attempt at sending the game into overtime for their first back-to-back win to start a conference since the 2016-17 Philippine Cup.
Import Arizona Reid and Arwind Santos missed game-tying threes, prompting the Blackwater players and coaching staff to savor another victory that came almost two weeks after a 104-98 triumph over TNT KaTropa.
“If we played good defense then there’s a chance that we can salvage an upset, and that’s what we did,” coach Bong Ramos said in Filipino after exceeding Blackwater’s one-win showing in the Commissioner’s Cup.
The win gave Blackwater a positive outlook as the league enters a two-week break due to the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. League action resumes on Sept. 19.
Import Henry Walker delivered 35 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and seven steals, Mike DiGregorio hit 21 points and John Pinto added 15 for the Elite, who played their first game with Poy Erram back from his stint with the national team in the Asian Games in Jakarta.
Erram, who recently agreed to a three-year extension worth R15.1 million, had 10 points and nine rebounds.
Reid scored 26 points and rookie Christian Standhardinger added 20 but San Miguel couldn’t avoid falling to an even 1-1 record as it continued to deal with the absence of star center June Mar Fajardo due to an injured right shin.
Blackwater took the lead for the first time in the fourth on Erram putback that made it 86-85 with over eight minutes remaining, triggering a back-and-forth battle for several minutes.
A DiGregorio jumper and a Walker gave the Elite their first six-point lead, 98-92, 3:27 left. Marcio Lassiter made a three but Walker answered with a three-point play for a 101-95 advantage with 2:33 left in the fourth.
