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Blackwater Elite 89
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NLEX Road Warriors 102
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EMBATTLED NLEX IN MUST-WIN GAME VS D-LEAGUE RIVAL

MER-bwater asijpg

One team tries to keep the last few remaining stands in its playoff hopes while another just looks for a winning swan song in a woeful season as NLEX and Blackwater meet in a duel of hardluck clubs in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday.

The Road Warriors and the Elite clash at 7 p.m. in a tiff between two teams that have a combined record of three wins against 15 losses.

NLEX is teetering on the brink of elimination at 2-7 while Blackwater is out of it all at 1-8.

On a three-game slump, the Road Warriors can’t afford another loss or they eventually join the Elite in an early exit in the tourney and in the season.

Asi Taulava and his teammates, however, are hopeful they can hurdle the Elite and keep their slim chance of making the post-elims play.

NLEX and Blackwater were fierce rivals in their PBA D-League days with the former up on their head-on matches.

It’s the same in their PBA clashes with NLEX walloping Blackwater by a whopping average of 23.5 points in the Philippine Cup and in the Commissioner’s Cup.

And the Road Warriors just can’t afford to lose this one now.

The Elite, meanwhile, are playing with no pressure at all, just out for a triumphant exit in an otherwise poor first season in the pro league.

The question is who will be the import Blackwater will play with Marcus Douthit back from his Sinag Perlas stint in the SEA Games.

The Blackwater management is also just back from the SEAG where they also suffered a sad experience with the Perlas Pilipinas squad.

Ever Bilena boss Dioceldo Sy was on the sidelines as Perlas PHL was upset by Indonesia that torpedoed its bid for what could’ve been a first-ever gold medal by the PHL women’s basketball team in the SEAG.

Sy hopes to get some consolation it their last two games in the current PBA season. (SB)

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