PBA: Hotshots end losing run, rout Elite

Denzel Bowles vs Elite defender. PBA IMAGES

Star put an emphatic end to its winless start as it steamrolled Blackwater, 122-103, in the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Denzel Bowles scored 28 points while Allein Maliksi added 23 points off the bench for the Hotshots, who won their first game after a 0-3 start.

“The ball movement was really good. Everything was clicking today. Local support and then Denzel at the right time. Everything was very timely today,” said Star head coach Jason Webb, whose team had 30 assists and shot 55% from the field.

“It was very frustrating for us to start the year. We’re relieved that we finally got one. The league is tough,” Webb added.

The Hotshots led from start to finish and pulled ahead by as much as 28, 109-81, after going on a 15-0 run that put the Elite away for good.

Bowles had a couple of highlight dunks during the blistering stretch — the first off a lob from Justin Melton and the other coming down the lane before hammering in a one-handed stuff.

James Yap scored 15, 13 coming in the first quarter while Mark Barroca and PJ Simon contributed 10 each.

MJ Rhett had 30 points, 21 rebounds and six assists and his jumper got the Elite to within 13, 94-81, with still 10:09 left.

But it was all Star from that point on.

With Justin Melton pushing the tempo, Star delivered the finishing kick with Maliksi scoring seven of Star’s 15 points during the critical stretch.

The Elite saw their two-game winning streak snapped as they slid to 2-2.