Author: Bon Maddagan
Photo Credit: PBA Images
Blackwater capitalized on an importless San Miguel squad to run away with an impressive win on September 21. The victory not only kept their chance of moving to the next round alive but also tied them with NLEX for the final spot in Group B. Meanwhile, San Miguel’s loss drops them to 6-4, placing them third in the group.
King Dominates the Court
George King lived up to his name. He was superior throughout the game, finishing with a solid 49 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and making 4-point shots. Sedrick Barefield came off the bench and chipped in 14.
For San Miguel, it was Junemar Fajardo and CJ Perez who paced their squad with 23 and 21 respectively while Terrence Romeo continued his strong play with 15 points. But they badly missed the production of their import Jordan Adams who was out for today’s game after suffering a right hamstring strain in their loss against Rain or Shine.
Blackwater controlled the game from the outset, playing with a faster pace than San Miguel struggled to match. But the Beermen, sensing the urgency of the situation, ignited in the second half. They launched a 9-2 run to close the gap to just three points (55-52). Blackwater, though, regained control thanks to King’s impressive shotmaking. The Bossings who were playing with greater cohesion started pulling away in the fourth. RK Ilagan pushed the lead to 14 (91-77) after he crossed Romeo and found Justin Chua for an easy two. King continued his hot streak, connecting on a four-point shot and a layup to stretch their lead to an imposing 22 points (99-77). From that point, the game was effectively decided.
The Scores :
- BLACKWATER 111 – King 49, Barefield 14, Chua 9, David 6, Rosario 6, Kwekuteye 5, Ilagan 4, Casio 4, Escoto 4, Jopia 4, Suerte 4, Corteza 2, Mitchell 0, Ponferrada 0, Montalbo 0
- SAN MIGUEL 94 – Fajardo 23, Perez 21, Romeo 15, Lassiter 5, Rosales 5, Trollano 5, Cruz 4, Brondial 4, Nava 4, teng 4, Manuel 2, Jimenez 2, Ross 0
- QUARTERS: 30-21, 52-43, 85-72, 111-94
