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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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04
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19
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
19
2024
Blackwater failed to scale a new plateau, so it now guns for the next best thing.
The Elite aim to climb up to a position they have never reached before when they tackle the San Miguel Beermen Wednesday in the Oppo-PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
A victory by Blackwater would not only bounce it back from a 103-122 loss to Star last week but also keep it among the top four, a position it has never been in throughout its relatively young PBA existence.
The fact is not lost on Elite coach Leo Isaac. “We failed to make it three wins in a row, which could have been a franchise first,” he said.
“But staying within the top four would be good enough for us and that can only be achieved if we win against a powerhouse team like San Miguel.”
Isaac’s counterpart in SMB, Leo Austria, knows Blackwater is a team to contend with and not the whipping boy it was in its first four conferences with the league.
“Loaded din sila dahil they have (Carlo) Lastimosa, (Reil) Cervantes and even (Art) Dela Cruz, who are all legitimate threats,” said Austria. “They also have an effective import (MJ Rhett) and with (Mike) Cortez, a veteran, as the stabilizing factor kahit sino’ng team mahihirapan sa kanila.”
Blackwater also has history on its side. The Elite failed to make it past the eliminations in the same tournament last year but dragged down SMB by eking out an 80-77 upset that caused the Beermen to also miss the playoffs.
But that was then and SMB, following another shaky start that saw it lose to Mahindra 96-102, is seemingly firmly back on its feet.
Displaying the lethal form that propelled them to a historic title-retention bid in the Philippine Cup the Beermen shellacked GlobalPort 120-109 last Friday, thus avoiding the 0-4 start they had in the same tourney last year.
“Yung first game namin wala pa sa focus ang mga players, but in our game against GlobalPort napag-usapan naming we will start from there and I think naka-locked in na sila,” said SMB coach Leo Austria.
Tyler Wilkerson solidly proved his worth by scattering 52 points, anchored on 7-for-11 three-point shooting, on top of 11 rebounds while Marcio Lassiter added 28 points built around eight triples.
“Si Marcio ang key dahil once he continues to connect from the outside bubuka ang depensa and Tyler and June Mar (Fajardo) can impose their will inside,” noted Austria.
What could also hurt Blackwater’s bid is the fact Cortez and Jerick Canada are injured and remain game-time decisions against SMB.
In case the two couldn’t play, the Elite would have to do with Almond Vosotros and Juami Tiongson alternating on the backcourt.
Arwind Santos, who sat out the GlobalPort game, is also rested enough and would be suiting up for Austria.
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