The Blackwater Elite hit a new milestone for the franchise after they stumped the GlobalPort Batang Pier, 99-91, in an Oppo PBA Philippine Cup clash on Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.
With the victory, Blackwater improved to 4-2, marking the first time in franchise history that the team has reached four wins in a single conference. The previous franchise record was three wins and this current Elite team topped it with five games left to play in the elimination round.
Rookie Mac Belo, a big part of Blackwater’s turnaround this season, led the way with team-highs of 20 points and six rebounds. He also grabbed two steals and went a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line.
Nard Pinto added 15 points and six assists while Art Dela Cruz added 13 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Blackwater, which started the season with two straight wins, have now won back-to-back games again since snapping a two-game losing skid. GlobalPort, which had won three of its first four games, dropped to 3-2.
GlobalPort’s explosive backcourt duo, Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle, dominated in the first half, where they combined to score 28 of the Batang Pier’s 47 points.
Romeo starred early, scoring 10 points in the first quarter, while the pair finished the half by combining to score GlobalPort’s last 12 points of the second period, eight of those coming from Pringle.
By the halftime break, Romeo had already tallied 16 points while Pringle scored 12 markers. The two also recorded five assists combined.
Them more balanced Blackwater team, though, held a slim advantage, 48-47, at the half. Pinto notched 10 points while Belo had eight to lead the Elite, which had eleven different players on the scoreboard.
But GlobalPort’s star pair ran into some trouble in the third as their production dropped drastically. Furthermore, Pringle committed two flagrant fouls that lead to his ejection with over two minutes to go in period, denying the Batang Pier one of their top options.
It was no surprise then that Blackwater began to pull away, taking a lead of as high as 12 points, 73-61, after Belo knocked down three free throws following Pringle’s second flagrant.
The Elite had a 77-67 advantage heading into the fourth quarter with Romeo and Pringle giving the Batang Pier only four points in that period.
The fourth quarter saw an interesting duel as Gab Banal scored the first basket for GlobalPort but was answered by his younger brother, Blackwater rookie Ael Banal, with five consecutive points, 82-69.
GlobalPort attempted to shoot its way back into the game as KG Canaleta and Von Pessumal drilled in back-to-back three-pointers to come back to within seven points, 86-79.
Belo responded with a triple for the Blackwater side as well but Pessumal hit his second three-pointer, 89-82, to keep his team within striking distance.
The rookie out of Ateneo hit four more free throws – though an early long range attempt from him was turned into an and-one in transition by Blackwater. Canaleta, though, knocked down another big triple as GlobalPort sliced their deficit down to five, 94-89.
But Blackwater got a dagger three from Roi Sumang as they made it an eight-point game, 97-89, in the final minute.
After a defensive stop, Belo put the finishing touches with two more from the charity stripe, 99-89.
Romeo finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. He only shot a 28-percent shooting percentage, though, finishing 6-for-21 from the field.
