HOTSHOTS OUT FOR ELITE SCALP
TIME is running short on Blackwater’s bid to come up with a relatively decent performance in its maiden PBA campaign.
That explains why the Elite are out to come up with their worthiest performance yet when they collide with a resuscitated Purefoods Star squad Tuesday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Gametime is at 4:15 p.m.
“We are going to give our very best,” was coach Leo Isaac’s terse statement on the eve of the match, which his Blackwater crew is bent on winning to snap out of a 0-6 start that has kept it mired at the bottom in its pro league debut still winless after six starts and in danger of missing out making it among the 10 teams advancing to the playoffs following the 11-game eliminations.
There is still hope for Isaac’s team, but that grows dim with each game.
Purefoods, on the other hand, seems to have shaken off the early season doldrums that followed its Grand Slam campaign as San Mig Coffee in the previous season and is now shooting for a second straight win that would jack its win-loss record to an even 3-3 and a tie with idle Meralco at sixth.
The Hotshots laid proof of that by coming back big-time from a 17-point blowout to Barangay Ginebra and walloping NLEX 92-76 last Friday.
“Hopefully, this will be a harbinger for us. If we keep (our game) going like this) we’ll be okay,” said Purefoods coach Tim Cone, referring to the way his first and second groups shared the ball, pounded it inside and emerged with a team season-high 53 percent shooting (38-for-72) from the field.
That should have left Blackwater green with envy.
In their 56-69 loss to streaking Alaska earlier the same day, the Elite were held to just 20 points at halftime and 38 through three quarters, the all-time lowest productions for an expansion franchise and equaling the 13th and 12th all-time lowest, respectively, in league history.
Blackwater’s 56 points, on 23-for-76 field shooting, are also the second lowest in the conference, next only to fellow new team Kia when the Sorento lost to Ginebra 55-87 in Lucena City last Oct. 25.
How the Elite fashion their own big rebound should be the biggest question as there are only a handful of games left for them to snap out of their rut and make it among the 10 teams advancing to the playoffs following the 11-game eliminations. (NC)
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