Blackwater nails first-ever PBA win with upset over San Miguel

Blackwater players celebrate their first taste of victory. KC Cruz

The Blackwater Elite posted their first win in PBA franchise history on Wednesday after defeating the San Miguel Beermen, 80-77, at SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

 

The victory came in their fourth game in the Commissioner's Cup for Blackwater, who went winless in 11 games in the Philippine Cup. Incidentally, the Beermen were the champions of that tournament, but have lost their third straight match to open the current conference.

 

"It's a moment that I will cherish especially by the franchise. After 14 games we finally tasted a victory," said Blackwater coach Leo Isaac, whose team joined the PBA as an expansion franchise this season.

 

"Hopefully, this win can turn things on the brighter side for Blackwater."

 

Naturalized Filipino center Marcus Douthit, a replacement import for the injured Chris Charles, led the way for Blackwater with 20 points and 12 rebounds. 

 

"With the way Marcus is playing now, it would be a tough decision for management (to replace him with Charles)," said Isaac, whose team rallied from a 10-point deficit after the first period. "We can make Marcus inspire us more, be more competitive."

 

 

Douthit's presence relegated his Gilas Pilipinas teammate June Mar Fajardo to a non-factor. The league's reigning Most Valuable Player finished with just five points and nine rebounds in 18 minutes of play. 

 

Brian Heruela and Bryan Faundo added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for Blackwater.

 

The Beermen lost for the second time to an expansion team this conference after also falling to Kia in their opening assigment in the Commissioner's Cup. 

 

Import Ronald Roberts scored 18 points while Chris Lutz added 16 for San Miguel, whose coach Leo Austria earlier admitted that the team was still suffering from championship hangover after winning its first All-Filipino title in 14 years less than two weeks before the start of the new conference.

 

Isaac agreed with his counterpart's assessment. "San Miguel may just be having their hangover in their championship," said Isaac. —JST, GMA News

 

The scores:

 

BLACKWATER 80 - Douthit 20, Heruela 11, Faundo 10, Nuyles 8, Gamalinda 7, Bulawan 6, Salvacion 6, Canada 3, Celiz 3, Ballesteros 2, Laure 2, Acuna 2, Timberlake 0, Reyes 0, Erram 0.

 

SAN MIGUEL 77 - Roberts 18, Lutz 16, Santos 11, Tubid 9, Cabagnot 5, Lassiter 5, Fajardo 5, Ross 4, Omolon 2, Fortuna 2, Maierhofer 0, Kramer 0, Reyes 0, Semerad 0.

 

Quarters: 11-21, 38-44, 60-52, 80-77