Former NBA standout George King Jr. fired 44 points to power the Blackwater Elite Bossings to a 123-111 smothering of the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters on a rainy Tuesday evening at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 6’6” King’s steady hands in the first three quarters helped push the Bossings to their second straight win in the 49th Philippine Basketball Association Governors Cup.
Sedrick Barefield knocked in 11 of 32 points in the final period for the Bossings, who now have a 2-3 win-loss slate in Group B.
King, who is from Fayetteville, North Carolina, unloaded 10 points in the first period, allowing the Bossings to move slightly ahead, 27-23.
When the Fuel Masters took the lead in the second period, 58-53, Barefield’s triple and King’s four-pointer in the 59-second mark pushed the Bossings ahead, 62-58.
The 30-year old King, who once played for the Phoenix Suns, knocked in 15 points in the third period.
A four-pointer from King in the last 32 seconds of the third period gave Bossings a 19-point spread, 103-84.
New import Brandone Francis shot 45 points for the Fuel Masters, who remained winless after four games.
“We knew that their new import was gonna come in and give them some life, give them some motivation, the same way George did for us. So we were expecting them to be ready and be good and they were,” said Blackwater coach Jeffrey Cariaso.
Jason Perkins scored a personal conference-best 29 points on top of eight boards, but the Fuel Masters failed to sustain their fourth quarter uprising.
