By Ivan Saldajeno
QUEZON CITY--With their lineup still intact especially with Marqus Blakely back despite a coaching change, many tapped Star among the title contenders in the PBA Governors' Cup.
After their game on Friday night, however, the Hotshots found themselves at the cellar after bowing to the league's "babies".
Exactly a week after Mahindra pulled the upset ax against Star, it was Blackwater's turn to hand them a stunning defeat with a 100-98 squeaker at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Despite not scoring at the death, JP Erram provided the needed help for the Elite, dishing the assist for Eric Dawson's go-ahead layup and making a huge block on Allein Maliksi to drop the Hotshots to an early 0-2 hole.
The game was close all throughout the game, especially in the fourth quarter despite Blakely fouling out with 10:04 left.
Blackwater eventually took a five-point cushion, 91-86, with 3:05 to go in the game, but a 7-2 Star run anchored upon treys from Maliksi and James Yap tied the game at 93 apiece with 1:44 remaining.
Dawson and Carlo Lastimosa converted buckets to put the Elite back up, 97-93, with 52.4 seconds left, but an Ian Sangalang jump hook and another triple from Maliksi gave the Hotshots the lead, 98-97, with 14.9 seconds to go.
Erram then found Dawson inside for the lefty lay-in that gave Blackwater the lead back, 99-98, with 9.6 seconds left.
Maliksi tried to drive to the lane only to see the towering Erram swatting his runner.
Dawson actually gave Star a chance to steal the win as he missed the second of his pair of charities, but with the team without a timeout with 2.1 seconds to go, Yap could only settle for a desperation heave from three-quarter court that was off the mark.
Erram led six Elite players in double digits with 16 points along with six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks, but none was more important than his clutch dime to Dawson and the game-saving swat against Maliksi.
Dawson added 14 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and one steal.
Maliksi finished with 20 points on four triples, while Sangalang, having to play extended minutes with Blakely staying in the bench for good, contributed 18 points, six rebounds, and one block for the Hotshots, who join the GlobalPort Batang Pier and the Phoenix Fuel Masters at the bottom with identical 0-2 records.
Box Scores:
Box Scores:
Blackwater 100-Erram 16, Canada 14, Dawson 14, Lastimosa 12, Gamalinda 10, Pascual 10, Cortez 9, Sumang 6, Cervantes 5, Melano 4, Dela Cruz 0, Reyes 0, Sena 0, Vosotros 0
Star 98-Maliksi 20, Sangalang 18, Blakely 12, Pingris 12, Simon 9, Barroca 8, Yap 8, Mallari 5, Garcia 4, Pascual 2, Brondial 0, Reavis 0
Quarterscores: 22-17, 42-42, 75-75, 100-98
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
Star 98-Maliksi 20, Sangalang 18, Blakely 12, Pingris 12, Simon 9, Barroca 8, Yap 8, Mallari 5, Garcia 4, Pascual 2, Brondial 0, Reavis 0
Quarterscores: 22-17, 42-42, 75-75, 100-98
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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