PBA: Blackwater scores first win with rout of NorthPort

Blackwater Bossing’s Sedrick Barefield during a PBA Philippine Cup game against NorthPort Batang Pier. –PBA IMAGES

Blackwater atoned for its two blowout defeats to open the PBA Philippine Cup by pulling off a convincing win at the expense of NorthPort, 120-98, on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Sedrick Barefield and Christian David sizzled in the third quarter as the Bossing built on their slim halftime lead on their way to the win column of the all-Filipino tournament.

Barefield scored 20 and David added 19 while getting plenty of help as Blackwater prevailed after losing by an average of 26.5 points to Magnolia and Converge.

RK Ilagan had 17 points and eight assists, Richard Escoto contributed 15 while BJ Andrade added 14 points, five rebounds and three assists.

READ: PBA: Abu Tratter returns to Blackwater, reunites with Cariaso

The Bossing frustrated a Batang Pier side that dropped their second straight despite the return of Arvin Tolentino from a hip flexor injury against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

Joshua Munzon’s 27 points and William Navarro’s 24 points and 11 rebounds were not enough to prevent NorthPort from falling to 1-2.

Tolentino added 15 points on 6-of-17 shooting.

The two teams met for the first time since pulling off a trade that sent veteran big man Abu Tratter to Blackwater in exchange for sophomore guard James Kwekuteye.

Tratter played 11 minutes and posted two points and five rebounds for Blackwater while Kwekuteye went scoreless in almost nine minutes for NorthPort.

Blackwater’s next match is on May 2 against NLEX at the newly-built Ynares Center in Montalban, Rizal while NorthPort tries to redeem itself on April 30 by facing Barangay Ginebra at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.