Hotshots, Elite out for first win
One side between the Star Hotshots and the Blackwater Elite breaks into the win-column of the 2016 PBA Governors Cup as they clash Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Each side off to a losing start, the Hotshots and the Elite both hope to start picking W’s as they square off at 7 p.m.
The Hotshots fell to a 92-100 upset by the Mahindra Enforcers in overtime on opening day while the Elite bowed down to the NLEX Road Warriors, 90-96, on Saturday, crumbling on Henry Walker’s monstrous 44-point game.
Odds are stacked heavily on the Hotshots’ side with their perfect 5-0 win-loss record versus the Elite.
In their most recent tiff during the Commissioner’s Cup eliminations, Star mangled Blackwater, 122-103.
Marqus Blakely and Eric Dawson figure in a duel of veteran PBA imports. Dawson should have an Asian import partner in Imad Qahwash. It is still uncertain, however, when will the Palestine player be available to join the Elite.
The Hotshots failed to finish off the Enforcers in regulation play and succumbed in overtime.
Blakely put in 21 markers and 15 boards for the Hotshots who also drew double-digit outputs from Mark Barroca (15), PJ Simon (12) and trade recruit RR Garcia (10).
James Yap had a woeful 1-of-12 field shooting and finished with only four points.
Yap missed a three-pointer in the waning seconds and the game went into overtime at 87-all.
The Elite, meanwhile, just didn’t have an answer to Walker and his PBA best performance.
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