Marqus Blakely of Purefoods (light) vs Mark Isip of Globalport (dark). PBA IMAGE by Nuki Sabio
MANILA, Philippines—He came back, and he delivered one hell of a line.
Marqus Blakely was all over the place as his Purefoods Star Hotshots broke down the Globalport Batang Pier, 83-70, to start their PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign on a good note at the Cuneta Astrodome Friday evening.
Listed as the smallest import of the conference, the 6-foot-5 Blakely lorded over with 26 points and 19 rebounds including seven blocks as his counterpart, the 6-foot-9 CJ Leslie and the rest of the Batang Pier were put to his mercy.
Purefoods brushed off their paltry start to the second half and went on a 14-0 torrent to go up by 15 points, 57-42, and having Blakely reject four shots, three of which came off consecutive possessions, pretty much helped their cause.
Hotshots head coach Tim Cone said his team came out with a lot more hunger in the defensive end to dictate the game and subdue Batang Pier to their will.
“We’re no longer on the mountaintop, if we want to return there it’s gonna be through the defensive end,” Cone said as his team started the conference with a 1-0 start. “Our team showed a lot more hunger and became a really tough defensive team.”
Blakely went nuts in the end game leading the Hotshots in a 10-2 dash to put them up by 18, 83-65, including highlight reel worthy alley-oop jam off the pass from Mark Barroca.
Cone said that the arrival of Blakely was like a warm blanket over the team as the University of Vermont alum was like a long lost brother that came home for the holidays.
“Marqus is like a warm blanket,” said Cone who is now coaching Blakely for the third time, the previous two stints resulting in two Governors’ Cup titles. “He’s comfortable with our defensive schemes and he plays so much bigger than a 6-foot-5 guy, he’s playing like 6-foot-9.”
Blakely played through a popped left shoulder in the second quarter. Fortunately for him it popped right back.
Cone, however, is still concerned with his import as he knows very well that Blakely would be sore for the next few days.
Barroca and Mallari chipped in a combined 21 points for Purefoods.
Leslie led Globalport with 25 points and eight rebounds while Terrence Romeo added 19 for the 1-1 Batang Pier.
Box scores:
PUREFOODS 83—Blakely 26, Barroca 11, Mallari 10, Yap 9, Melton 8, Pingris 6, Devance 6, Maliksi 5, Reavis 2, Alvarez 0, Pennisi 0, Gaco 0, Allado 0
GLOBALPORT 70—Leslie 25, Romeo 19, Miranda 10, Pringle 4, Ponferrada 4, Semerad 3, Taha 2, Isip 2, Pinto 1, Buenafe 0, Baclao 0, Nabong 0