By REYNALD MAGALLON
Blackwater is looking to prove that it’s more than just aiming to be competitive but to actually win games even in the group which head coach Pat Aquino deemed as the ‘Group of Death’ in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup.
And that goal was more so visible through the first two games for the Bossing where they caught big fishes in contenders Rain or Shine and Magnolia to go 2-0 so far in the Group B standings.
“I think it’s about time that we take a look at Blackwater,” said Aquino, whose team is now one win away from tying its franchise-best start of 3-0.
“That’s our motto right now. We try to compete with all of them. I think we are in the group of death. All tough teams. All champion teams,” he added the former Gilas Women coach.
Aside from Magnolia and Rain or Shine, Blackwater is also pooled with Barangay Ginebra, Meralco and also the unbeaten Phoenix.
But after the dominant 131-106 win over Rain or Shine and a grind out 89-81 victory over Magnolia, all signs point to Blackwater enjoying its one of the most promising conferences.
For Aquino, it’s simply all the players buying into the system with import Kentrell Barkley leading the charge and stars like Sedrick Barefield and the fit-again RK Ilagan providing ample support.
“Again, with the players buying in with what we are doing, I guess we start preparing well all the time. The thing is (I’m) just happy, laging masaya ako,” said Aquino.
“Credit is due to the players, not me. They played until the end. That’s what we talked about, having to finish the game. I know I’ve said in the huddle, ‘no frustration.’ I know sometimes that we are not gonna get our shots, we are not gonna play good defense. But just continue playing, and I’m just happy with the way we played today,” he furthered.
“Yung mga players ko, they are having fun. Let’s have fun and play as hard as we can,” he added.
