BLACKWATER is in an unfamiliar territory and Head Coach Leo Isaac knows about the responsibility of being on top.
Sharing the lead with Rain or Shine at 2-0 won-lost, the Elite try to stay solo at No. 1 against perennial contender TNT Katropa in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Dioceldy Sy franchise is on a hot start, beating Phoenix (94-87) and Meralco (86-84) behind the solid performance of rookie Mac Belo.
“For sure, management is happy with this victories. ‘First time Blackwater is at the top of the team standings,” Isaac said. “But what’s running on my mind now is that the other teams will be preparing harder for us, unlike in the past years.”
Isaac is right. In the Elite’s first two Philippine Cup stints, the squad had a combined record of three wins and 19 losses—including an 0-11 card in its 2014 debut.
But this year, Blackwater is playing with a different bravado, thanks to Belo’s all-around performance and the support cast that includes veteran guard Denok Miranda, sophomore forward Art de la Cruz and Kyle Pascual.
But the Elite will be tested by Katropa, who are coming off a huge 108-103 victory over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel behind the solid performances of Ranidel de Ocampo and rookie Roger Pogoy, Belo’s teammate at Far Eastern University (FEU).
De Ocampo had 22 points, most came when TNT Katropa rallied, while Pogoy added 15 points to give acting Head Coach Josh Reyes his first win in the PBA after losing his debut to the Elasto Painters.
Nash Racela is expected to call the shots on Friday for Katropa, after his Tamaraws lost to Ateneo de Manila in their University Athletic Association of the Philippines Final Four match on Wednesday, 69-68, also at the Big Dome.