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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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04
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27
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
27
2024
The way Kia went on its giant-slaying ways in the previous Commissioner’s Cup — winning ways which have carried over to the current conference, it isn’t anymore a surprise when the Carnival continue to overachieve.
Like moving up to a share of second place in the standings, for instance, after eking out an 83-76 double overtime win over Blackwater Tuesday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
The win gave the Carnival their first back-to-back wins in the Governors Cup and third win in eight outings, tying them with Alaska and just a game behind the undefeated Barako Bull from the top of the standings.
“It’s a very hard game because Blackwater played very well,” said Kia acting coach Chito Victolero. “It’s about the effort, the willingness to win. Its not the ‘X’ and ‘Os’ na. It’s about their heart and minds. I’m very proud of my players because they never gave up. They wanted to win.”
Jet Chang unloaded 14 points in the fourth period to finish with a team-high and personal conference-high 25 points, to go with his six boards, and four assists.
Hamady N’Diaye also was a beast in the paint as the Senegalese almost had a triple-double with his 16 markers, 23 rebounds, and nine rejections.
It was a see-saw battle between the two expansion teams, trading leads where Kia got up by as much as 15 and Blackwater countering that by taking an eight-point advantage in the third quarter.
The Taiwanese Chang was sensational in the payoff period, but he got stripped on his way to the potential winning drive in the final five ticks. Fortunately for the Carnival, Brian Heruela was unable to convert on his last-gasp fastbreak as the regulation time expired.
After a futile first overtime period, N’Diaye took over, scoring the first basket in the second extra period and finishing on a dunk after an assist from Chang to put Kia up, 79-76. Karl Dehesa then finished the game off with a couple of freebies and an open fastbreak as the buzzer sounded.
Victolero was elated with the early returns for Kia.
“It’s early pa, but I’m very happy because lahat ng pinaghirapan namin, lumalabas. The coaches and the players worked hard for this position,” he said.
Heruela led the Elite with 19 points, while Marcus Douthit wound up with 16 markers, 16 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks.
Blackwater fell to 1-4 in the loss. (RL)
The scores:
KIA 83 – Chang 25, N’Diaye 16, Revilla 10, Dehesa 9, Nuyles 6, Yee 4, Bagatsing 3, Thiele 2, Webb 2, Alvarez 2, Pascual 2, Deutchman 0, Avenido 0, Parreno 0.
BLACKWATER 76 – Heruela 19, Douthit 16, Cervantes 13, Reyes 8, Laure 8, Gamalinda 6, Faundo 2, Erram 2, Acuna 2, Timberlake 0, Celiz 0, Bulawan 0.
Quarterscores: 21-16, 34-28, 50-52, 72-72, 74-74, 83-76.
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