Blackwater Coach Ariel Vanguardia. –PBA PHOTOS SMALL
MANILA, Philippines – Blackwater found its winning form and more on Wednesday night after taking on Terrafirma with a 93-86 loss in the PBA Commissioners Cup.
Bossing, once the tournament’s spanking boys, held off Dyip at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, while finally being able to craft what they’ve been missing from this conference for the past five games.
“I think we did a great job with our readiness. Good luck,” coach Ariel Vanguardia said in Filipino shortly after the competition which resulted in him being penalized 500 points in the tournament.
“If their run were to happen in the fourth quarter, we probably wouldn’t be able to make it through,” he added.
Cameron Krutwig had 29 points and 24 rebounds, while Baser Amer added 21 points in a scoring attempt to give the club a 3-3 lead.
“Keeping that lead, we took a 14-point lead in the third quarter. [We] sort of let it go [but] We finally showed toughness and grit,” said Bossing’s American import company.
As Blackwater considers the commendable things it has done to prevail. Vanguardia couldn’t help but see its club in Terrafirma, which has now lost 21 in a row.
“We were in that situation,” he said. “It was the same situation [for us] last year. We were hungry for a win and we played well. We just couldn’t get over the hump.”
“We know it all too well: Work hard, train hard, plan games and prepare well. Now it’s the opposite,” he added.
Terrafirma is currently losing eight times trying Blackwater’s infamous drop, this ending with Magnolia in the Governors Cup last March.
And just like its allegation, Vanguardia believes that Terrafirma also has the ability to capture its vortex.
“I look forward to them [overcome it]. I know what they’re going through. We got over that. That just makes them a dangerous team,” he said.
“All their games are close games. And I really felt our final year through them,” he added.
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