Terrafirma denied Blackwater an opportunity to end its long misery after rallying from 12 points down to pull off a 109-103 win Saturday, Feb. 12 in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Import Antonio Hester scored 13 of his 41 points after the Dyip trailed 96-84 with over five minutes to go while comebacking rookie Joshua Munzon made some key plays down the stretch as they snatched victory away from the Bossing.
The escape act allowed the Dyip to snap a three-game skid to go 2-4 and sent the Bossing reeling to a 25th consecutive defeat dating back to Oct. 2020.
“I told them that (Blackwater) is not a weak team and they’re finding their first win,” said winning coach Johnedel Cardel. “I told them also after the three games we lost before the lockdown that we needed this win to get our confidence back.”
Hester also had 13 rebounds, three assists and three steals in 41 minutes for Terrafirma.
Munzon, playing his first game since July after dislocating his finger in the Philippine Cup, bucked a 5-of-14 shooting to finish with 13 points, four rebounds and two steals.
Blackwater’s setback spoiled the impressive debuts of new import Shawn Glover and rookie Rey Suerte.
Glover, tapped as replacement to Jaylen Bond but had to wait more than a month before he can finally see action, was consistent all throughout and fired 35 points while grabbing 17 rebounds.
Suerte came off the bench to score 16 points and added six rebounds and three assists in his first PBA game after being released from his Gilas Pilipinas contract by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
With the two players leading the way, Blackwater took control in third before making that 96-84 scoreline on Glover’s jumper, 5:28 left in the final canto.
But Terrafirma came roaring back in the next three minutes before grabbing the lead, 97-96, on a three-point play by Hester with 2:17 remaining.
Munzon then scored five in a row, first on a three-point play after scoring a fade away shot off a Suerte foul followed by a layup in transition following a turnover by the same Blackwater player.
The Bossing teased a last-ditch rally with a Baser Amer three and Jay Washington layup to cut the Dyip’s lead to a point, 102-101, but Hester converted another three-point play, this time with 23 seconds left to make it a four-point ballgame.
The scores:
TERRAFIRMA 109 — Hester 41, Cahilig 17, Munzon 13, Tiongson 12, Ramos 9, Calvo 6, Daquioag 5, Batiller 4, Camson 2, Go 0, Pascual 0.
BLACKWATER 103 — Glover 35, Suerte 16, Amer 13, McCarthy 12, Ebona 10, Washington 6, Casio 6, Amboludto 4, Ayonayon 1, Melton 0, Paras 0, Escoto 0.
Quarters: 23-24, 52-54, 74-83, 109-103.