by Jonas Terrado
Games today (Ynares Center, Antipolo City)
4:30 p.m. — Alaska vs Meralco
6:45 p.m. — Phoenix Pulse vs Rain or Shine
ANTIPOLO CITY — Blackwater regained sole possession of the lead after dealing winless NLEX its fifth straight loss, 132-106, in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center here.
Rookie Ray Parks Jr. continued his impressive debut this conference by posting a season-high 29 points, import Alex Stepheson had 21 points and 17 rebounds and Allein Maliksi added 21 points as the Elite picked up their fifth win in six games.
The Elite overcame losing a 10-point halftime lead as Parks and Maliksi combined for 26 points in the second half on their way to victory.
“Just have to commend the boys for playing tremendous basketball,” said Blackwater coach Aries Dimaunahan after posting the team’s biggest win in the Petron Blaze Saturday Special.
“We want to take care of business, we don’t want to be too much on Cloud Nine on the performance that we would have because it will all be nothing if we don’t get this win,” he added.
Blackwater moved closer to virtually securing a quarterfinals berth but Dimaunahan cautioned challenges abound ahead.
Up next is Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena and second-running NorthPort on June 22 at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Import Tony Mitchell finished with 27 points but the Road Warriors dropped to 0-5 in the third straight game minus coach Yeng Guiao, who is in Europe for a family vacation.
In the second game, Terrence Jones and TNT KaTropa dealt Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer another frustrating setback, 110-97.
Jones fired 30 points while adding 18 rebounds, four assists, two steals and five blocks as the KaTropa gained a share of second with the NorthPort Batang Pier with their fourth win in five games.
TNT led by a high of 24 points as San Miguel continues to deal with the hangover of winning a fifth straight Philippine Cup crown more than three weeks earlier.
The Beermen threatened a bit when Marcio Lassiter scored a floater with 2:38 left in the fourth to cut the KaTropa lead to 105-97.
But Tony Semerad knocked down a corner triple on the next play, ensuring that TNT won’t allow SMB to make the contest more interesting.
Von Pessumal scored 24 points and import Charles Rhodes added 20 points and 11 boards but the Beermen dropped to 0-2.
TNT and SMB set a new record for most combined threes in a game with 35, with Pessumal hitting all eight attempts in a losing effort.
