BLACKWATER got off to the rousing start it wanted by fashioning a 103-84 drubbing of Converge Wednesday in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
Chris Ortiz made an impressive debut with 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, but the help of his local teammates proved indispensable as the Bossing won their first official game under new head coach Jeff Cariaso while snapping out of a nine-game skid dating back to the last Governors' Cup.
It also marked the first time Blackwater won over Converge in a regular conference and gave Cariaso some measure of revenge over the team that gave him the pink slip in April of last year.
The 50-year-old former player-turned-coach said he was harboring no ill-feelings about the matchup. "I think it's one of those first games that we wanted to, you know, get under your belt a little bit," he said.
"Despite who that first game was, it was very important that we come out on a positive note and I think the guys did that tonight," added Cariaso before heaping praises on Ortiz, a member of Puerto Rico's national team, who added three steals, and two blocks.
Sponsored content: "I've always imagined Chris Ortiz playing the way he did tonight and what I mean is him being versatile. Me, personally, I've never had an import that's as versatile as he is where he can score from pretty much any place on the court," stated Cariaso.
"So him being my first import to have that kind of skills... it gives us a variety of things we could do, so we're happy with his first-day performance."
The locals readily took the cue as Jayvee Casio finished with 15 points, Mike Ayonayon 13 points and six rebounds and Rey Suerte put up 12 markers, six boards and five dimes as Blackwater's other guards overcame the absence of Baser Amer (calf muscle).
Ortiz actually missed all of his seven shots from beyond the arc and Christian David, the No. 2 overall pick in last September's draft, missed all his first four tries before canning a jumper late in the game.
Those were not enough to keep the Bossing from easily shrugging off the FiberXers' vaunted pressure defense while mustering the runs that mattered most in erecting as much as a 91-64 lead nearing the midway point of the last quarter.
Sponsored content: It all started late in the second period when Blackwater went on a 12-0 run to raze a 31-33 deficit take 43-33 lead.
After taking the half at 50-40, the Bossing opened the third quarter with a torrid 4-of-5 field shooting for a 61-42 spread and never looked back from there, going to the final frame with a very comfortable 75-55 cushion.
Tom Vodanovich had 20 points and 18 rebounds for Converge, free agency pickup Mark Tallo added 15 points, Alex Stockton 14 and Jerrick Balanza 12 as the FiberXers got bogged down by a 32-of-95 clip from the field. (NC)
