PBA-DL: Blackwater book first trip to Finals, withstand late Boracay Rum charge

The Blackwater Sports Elite are heading into the 2013 PBA D-League Foundation Cup Finals with an 82-74 win over the Boracay Rum Waves, Tuesday at the Blue Eagle Gym.

Blackwater had won game one of the best-of-three series, 79-69, a week prior, but Boracay Rum rallied back to take game two by a score of 69-65. Now in their first Finals series, they will attempt to dethrone the NLEX Road Warriors, who have won all four of the previously contested league titles.

Point guard Allan Mangahas was named Best Player of the Game with 22 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

"Tingin ko yung steal ni Kevin Ferrer yung naging turning point nung laro nung naging limang puntos yung lamang namin," said Blackwater head coach Leo isaac after the game.

"Dalwang beses lang siya nag-practice sa amin kasi sprained yung ankle niya pero pinakita niya talaga na gusto niyang manalo," Isaac said about Ferrer.

Blackwater Sports opened the game with a 5-2 lead capped by a triple from Gio Ciriacruz. Allan Mangahas then doubled this lead lead with an and-one play at the 7:37 mark of the first.

Boracay Rum committed consecutive turnovers, which allowed Blackwater to build a 14-5 lead. An alley-oop play finished by Maclean Sabellina finally stopped the bleeding for the Waves.

Two Justin Chua free throws at the 3:07 mark gave Blackwater their first double-digit lead of the game at 18-8. Former PBA player Jonathan Fernandez was then inserted into the Boracay Rum line-up, and he proceeded to sink a trey to cut the Blackwater lead down to seven points at 18-11.

With 11 seconds left in the first quarter, Paolo Taha swung an elbow which opened a cut on the forehead of James Mangahas. Taha's teammate Jeff Viernes then banked in a triple as the buzzer sounded to further trim the Blackwater lead to just four points at 18-14.

"I thought we had a good start pero yung bad habits namin lumalabas," Isaac said.

"Buti na lang we were disciplined in the last six minutes of the game. Tingin ko disiplina, both offensively and defensively, ang nagpanalo sa amin."

Boracay Rum knotted the game in the second period at 18-all after a basket from Fernandez and two free throws from Taha.

After a quick Blackwater run, Viernes tied the ball game anew at 24-all. A Stephen Siruma lay-up at the 6:23 mark of the second finally had the Waves up front though, 26-24.

With 3:48 left in the first half, Blackwater suffered another casualty as Chua's nose was bloodied up on a rebound play.

The Waves continued to show intensity on defense by forcing Blackwater to either tough shots or turnovers to build a 34-27 lead.

A fast break triple from Allan Mangahas however trimmed the Boracay Rum lead to three points with 2:02 left in the second, and the two sides maintained that difference, as the Waves went to the halftime break holding a 37-34 lead.

Jeff Viernes led all scorers at the half with 11. He was backed up by Sabellina who had eight. Siruma and Ezer Rosopa added five apiece for Boracay Rum.

Blackwater on the other hand was led by Allan Mangahas, who had 10 points. Robby Celiz added eight points while Chua chipped in seven points and seven rebounds before his untimely exit.

The Waves were able to get the upper hand in the second quarter as they forced Blackwater to commit six turnovers. Boracay Rum also made a living from the free throw line with 12 made charities in the second.


Blackwater crashed the boards early in the third quarter to keep the game close. Paulo Pe and Chua both scored points following offensive rebounds to cut the Boracay Rum lead down to 2 at 41-39. However, Sabellina and Taha were there with the counter, bumping their lead back up to six at 45-39.

Allan Mangahas kept Blackwater within striking distance as a lay-up and a free throw from the former Mapua Cardinal tied the game at 47-all with 3:39 left in the third.

Blackwater finally retook the lead at the 1:17 mark via a triple from Hyram Bagatsing. Ferrer then added a basket for a 56-53 count in their favor, but Ken Acibar tied the game for Boracay Rum with his own triple.

Things went down the wire though, as Viernes scored on a long jumper with a second left in the third to give the Waves a 58-56 heading into the payoff period.

Blackwater did not waste any time in the fourth quarter as Celiz canned a three for a 59-58 lead. Fernandez stepped up for the Waves with a trey but Bagatsing scored on a put-back for a 63-all deadlock at the 8:07 mark of the fourth.

With the game still tied at 65-all, Allan Mangahas drove into the lane and completed at and-onr play with only 4:37 left in the game. Chua added a basket for a three-point Blackwater lead but Viernes knotted the game anew at 70-all with a triple.

However, Siruma was called for his second delay of game violation which resulted in a made free throw by Allan Mangahas and a 71-70 count in favor of Blackwater.

Pari Llagas added a jump hook followed by a fast break lay-up off a Ferrer dish for a 75-70 advantage for Blackwater with only 2:16 left in the game.

Acibar converted a triple to keep the the Waves in the game but Fernandez committed their second straight delay of game technical, though Blackwater missed the charity.

Llagas was fouled on the next play but he only managed a split, making it 76-73 with only 1:37 left in the game. Boracay went to their veteran Fernandez who also scored on a split from the line, making it a two-point affair late.

Boracay's usually reliable point guard Viernes turned the ball over two straight times to give Blackwater opportunities to add to their lead. Free throws from Ferrer and Allan Mangahas wound up sealing the deal for Blackwater Sports.

"If you want to make a mark in the D-League, you have to challenge NLEX.," Isaac said. "Gustong kong isipin ng players ko na kaya nila yung NLEX players. Tao lang rin sila. Kanin rin ang kinakain nila."

Blackwater Sports shot a respectable 42.2 percent from the field compared to only 36.5 percent for Boracay Rum. They also dominated the boards with 47 rebounds to only 38 for the Waves.

Game one of the 2013 PBA D-League Foundation Cup Finals will be on Thursday, 3pm, at the Ynares Sports Arena.  - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

Blackwater Sports 82: Mangahas A. 22, Celiz 14, Ferrer 11, Llagas 11, Chua 10, Bagatsing 8, Ciriacruz 4, Pe 2, Vigil 0, Mangahas J. 0, Austria 0, Suguitan o

Boracay Rum 74: Acibar 16, Viernes 16, Sabellina 12, Fernandez 8, Taha 8, Siruma 5, Rosopa 5, Arellano 2, Eguilos 1, Ilagan 1, Pasculado 0, Tagarda 0

Quarter scores: 18-14, 34-37, 56-58, 82-74