By Elmer Manuel
A TIMELY change in reinforcement proved to be beneficial for Blackwater as it finally barged into the win column at the expense of Phoenix via a 92-86 victory in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The entry of Henry Walker, the former NLEX import who replaced the injured Trevis Simpson, proved to be a smart move for the Elite as they snapped their three-game losing skid and improved to a 1-3 card while dealing the Fuel Masters their third straight loss for a 2-3 win-loss record.
Walker made his presence felt on the get go and opened his debut with Blackwater with a double-double performance of 32 points and 15 rebounds. He was later named Best Player of the Game.
On the locals’ side, Mike Digregorio led the charge with 28 points and was the only other Elite player in double figures.
“Finally, we were able to get the win and special thanks to our new import, Mr. Henry Walker, who gave the inspiration for everybody to come out as winners,” Blackwater coach Leo Isaac said.
“In the last few minutes, he (Walker) was already complaining of cramps, and he was challenging his teammates to be on top of the situation,” he added. “But still, he was able to hit shots and grab rebounds and we’re very happy that we have an import like Walker.”
Walker’s last two points came from the charity stripe that gave the Elite a four-point, two-possession lead with eight seconds left to ice the game.
On defense, the Elite put the clamps on prolific Phoenix import Eugene Phelps, who was held to just 13 points on just 13 attempts in 40 minutes.
Five players scored in double-figures for the Fuel Masters, but no one reached the 20-point barrier as RJ Jazul and Mark Borboran chipped in 13 and 12 points, respectively, in a losing effort.
Meanwhile, the Philippine national men’s basketball team arrived in Lebanon on Sunday just a few days before the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup slated this week in Beirut.
Gilas Pilipinas will play its first game on Wednesday against defending champions China in the finals rematch of the tournament’s last edition in 2015.
While much is expected from Gilas Pilipinas, the squad endured many obstacles ahead of the tournament. The team only had two weeks of preparation time for the tournament, while some of its rivals have trained for months.
The team is also playing without top naturalized player Andray Blatche and the injured center June Mar Fajardo, leaving the Filipinos handicapped in the middle.
Still, the Gilas Pilipinas squad composed of Jayson Castro, Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo, Japeth Aguilar, Christian Standhardinger, Jio Jalalon, Matthew Wright, Carl Bryan Cruz, Raymond Almazan and Gabe Norwood vowed to give their all and show their big fighting heart against the best teams from Asia.
After their much-anticipated match against China, the Filipinos will also take on Iraq on Friday and Qatar on Sunday in Group B.
The FIBA Asia Cup is billed as the continent’s premier basketball tournament. Unlike in the past, it will no longer serve as a qualifier for the FIBA World Cup or the Olympics.
This year marks the debut of Oceania giants Australia and New Zealand which Gilas Pilipinas might face in the later rounds.
The scores:
Blackwater (92) – Walker 32, Digregorio 28, Gamalinda 9, Canaleta 5, Aguilar 5, Erram 4, Cruz 3, Miranda 3, Sumang 3, Belo 0, Banal 0, Cervantes 0, Sena 0, Pascual 0.
Phoenix (86) – Phelps 13, Jazul 13, Borboran 12, W. Wilson 11, Alolino 10, Baguio 8, Intal 8, Eriobu 7, Dehesa 2, Kramer 2, Lanete 0, J. Wilson 0.
Quarterscores: 23-32, 51-47, 66-66, 92-86.
Games Aug. 13
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:30 p.m. – Kia vs. Rain or Shine
6:45 p.m. – Meralco vs. NLEX