Veteran guard Mike Cortez flashed his old deadly form and helped the Blackwater Elite beat the GlobalPort Batang Pier for the first time, 115-103, yesterday in the 41st PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
In scoring their first-ever win over the Batang Pier, the Elite snapped a two-game slide to even their record to 3-3 (win-loss) in the mid-season tournament.
Cortez, known as the “Cool Cat,” fired off 22 points and dished out seven assists to win the Best Player of the Game award.
MJ Rhett bounced back from dismal performances in the team’s last two games as he topped the Elite with 30 points and 13 rebounds.
The Batang Pier went down with their third straight defeat to drop to 2-4.
It was a close game early on as the two squads forged a 27-all standoff.
Scoring baskets and dishing off assists, Cortez took over as he ignited a 16-2 rally that gave a fat 62-48 lead.
Blackwater continued its rampage in the third and erected a 20-point bubble, 76-56.
The Batang Pier, who played without the injured Stanley Pringle, suffered a major blow in the fourth when GlobalPort’s Terrence Romeo failed to suit up due to a sore right calf.
The Batang Pier refused to give up and were just 79-87 entering the payoff period.
Cortez himself helped Blackwater stave off the rallying Batang Pier as he nailed two straight triples that triggered a 13-0 run, giving the Elite a 111-91 lead with only 5:02 left.
Several other Blackwater locals also stepped up with Art Dela Cruz, Reil Cervantes and Carlo Lastimosa firing 16, 13 and 12 markers, respectively.
Import Calvin Warner led the way for the Batang Pier with 26 points and 22 rebounds.
Romeo settled for just 17 points, while Jonathan Uyloan, Keith Jensen and Paolo Taha added a combined 39 points.
THE SCORES
BLACKWATER (115)– Rhett 30, Cortez 22, Dela Cruz 16, Cervantes 13, Lastimosa 12, Gamalinda 9, Reyes 7, Bulawan 2, Erram 2, Tiongson 2, Sena 0.
GLOBALPORT (103)– Warner 26, Romeo 17, Uyloan 15, Jensen 12, Taha 12, Kramer 8, Semerad 7, Mamaril 5, Washington 1, Fortuna 0, Maierhofer 0.
QUARTER SCORES: 27-27; 62-51; 87-79; 115-103.
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