PBA: Blackwater snaps seven-game losing skid, defeats Phoenix

Blackwater’s Baser Amer. –PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines–Blackwater bounced back from a brutal beatdown to open the PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign with a 97-85 victory over Phoenix on Saturday inside Mall of Asia Arena.

Baser Amer scored the most points since joining the team last year with 24 points as the Bossing entered the win column after being handed a 46-point beatdown by the visiting Bay Area Dragons last Wednesday.

“I challenged the team that it was only us who could redeem ourselves,” said coach Ariel Vanguardia.

Troy Rosario and Gab Banal, recent pickups from TNT in a three-team trade, also stepped up in helping Blackwater snap a seven-game skid dating back to the Philippine Cup eliminations.

Rosario finally made his Bossing debut and delivered 15 points and 10 rebounds while Banal scored 10.

Import Cameron Krutwig added 17 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists for Blackwater.

His counterpart Kaleb Wesson posted 28 points and 26 rebounds but the depleted Fuel Masters slipped to a 0-2 record to begin the second conference.

RR Garcia and Javee Mocon were Phoenix’s top local scorers with 13 and 11 as the Fuel Masters continued to deal with the departure of top gunner Matthew Wright for Japan and the injury of Jason Perkins.

The scores:

BLACKWATER 97 — Amer 24, Krutwig 17, Suerte 15, Rosario 15, McCarthy 12, Banal 10, Ular 4, Jackson 0, Sena 0, Go 0.

PHOENIX 85 — Wesson 28, Garcia 13, Mocon 11, Tio 9, Camacho 7, Jazul 5, Rios 3, Lojera 2, Adamos 2, Serrano 2, Lalata 2, Robles 1, Muyang 0.

Quarters: 23-24, 54-47, 72-69, 97-85.