Bossing thwart Road Warriors for 3rd straight win

MANILA, Philippines -- Three in a row for Blackwater.

The Blackwater Bossing have won their third straight game in the PBA Governors’ Cup after getting back at the NLEX Road Warriors, 110-99, for a triumphant start in the second round of the eliminations Friday evening at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

The Bossing is now at .500 after starting the import-laden conference at 0-3. They are still yet to lose since replacement foreign reinforcement George King arrived.

King was his usual dominant self against NLEX, scoring 39 points, hauling down 15 rebounds and dishing out five assists. Troy Rosario added 15 markers and 14 rebounds.

It was a dominant win for Blackwater, who built a lead as high as 20 points in the third quarter, which was just enough separation to thwart a comeback effort by the Road Warriors.

NLEX was able to cut the lead down to just seven, 91-98, with 5:19 remaining after a putback by Robert Bolick.

King, though, took matters into his own hands.

He hit a layup on the other end, which was answered by a split from the line by Jonnel Policarpio.

And, with less than three minutes left in the game, he hit a massive 4-point shot to push the lead back to 12, 104-92.

A pair of free throws by Myke Henry made it a 10 point game, 94-104, with 1:56 to go, but a deuce by King slammed the door shut on any comeback attempt, 106-94.

“We’re fortunate to have won the last three games, but we feel our backs are still against the wall and we need to keep pushing,” Blackwater head coach Jeff Cariaso said after the game.

Blackwater was just unstoppable starting in the second quarter, as they took a massive 61-44 lead at the half.

The lead grew to 20 in the third quarter, 66-46, before NLEX clawed their way back and cut it to nine, 71-80, in the same period.

Rosario, King and Sedrick Barefield, though, hit timely shots to keep their distance.

Barefield, RK Ilagan, Justin Chua and Christian David also finished in double digits for Blackwater with 14, 13, 11 and 10, in that order.

Henry paced NLEX with 26 points, 12 rebounds and six assists to go with three steals.

Bolick had a near triple-double with 21 markers, nine boards and nine dimes, while Robbie Herndon chipped in 18.

NLEX has lost two straight games and is now at 3-3, tied with Blackwater at third place of Group B play.