By Elmer Manuel
STAR opened up its PBA Governors’ Cup campaign in fiery fashion, whipping Blackwater 103-86 to jumpstart its campaign in the season-ending conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Peter Jun Simon took charge on the locals’ scoring, finishing with 20 points off an impressive 8-of-10 shooting from the field at a time when Hotshots import Cinmeon Bowers is still adjusting to their system.
He was later named Best Player of the Game.
Bowers, along with Allein Maliksi, capped the night with 15 points apiece while Ian Sangalang and Rafi Reavis were the other Star players in double figures, finishing with 14 and 11 points, respectively.
The Hotshots overshadowed the all-around performance of Blackwater import Trevis Simpson, who led the Elite with 24 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists, but failed to lift his squad to victory after he was injured in the payoff period.
Blackwater suffered its second straight loss.
“We wanted to tighten our defense in the second half,” Star coach Chito Victolero said. “Good thing, ‘pag maganda nangyayari sa depensa namin, maganda rin nangyayari sa opensa.”
“Siyempre malaking bagay rin sa amin yung nawala yung import nila,” he added.
Blackwater was already knocking on Star’s door as it trailed by five, 70-75, in the early goings of the payoff period when the Elite hit a snag as Simpson was pulled out because of injury barely 24 seconds passed in the final quarter.
The window of opportunity was not lost to the Hotshots, which broke away with a crippling 26-5 run and put up their biggest lead at 21, 101-80 following a Mark Barroca basket with two minutes and 30 seconds left.
Bowers still finished with decent numbers of 15 points, eight boards, five assists, and one block in almost 30 minutes.
The result also put to naught the solid showing of Poy Erram, who registered 11 points, 15 boards, and seven blocks in just his third game back after being out with a knee injury.
The scores:
Star (103) – Simon 20, Maliksi 15, Bowers 15, Sangalang 14, Reavis 11, Lee 7, Ramos 7, Barroca 6, Dela Rosa 6, Mendoza 2, Melton 0, Javier 0, Brondial 0, Abundo 0.
Blackwater (86) – Simpson 24, Erram 11, Digregorio 11, Cruz 10, Banal 8, Cervantes 5, Sumang 4, Buenafe 3, Sena 2, Canaleta 2, Pinto 2, Gamalinda 2, Aguilar 2, Pascual 0.
Quarterscores: 28-22, 49-40, 75-68, 103-86.
Games Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:15 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs. NLEX
7 p.m. – Phoenix vs. Globalport