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| Bay Area import Myles Powell drives against Blackwater point guard Trevis Jackson in their PBA game Wednesday. The Dragons torched Bosssing, 133-87, to open their campaign with a bang. Photo credit: PBA Images. |
PBA guest team Bay Area Dragons flexed their wings during opening day of the 2022 PBA Commissioner's Cup as they devoured Blackwater Bossing, 133-87, at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday.
Import Myles Powell led the Hong Kong-based East Asia Super League squad with 41 points to lead all scorers. The former Philadelphia 76er also had eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal to cap off a 29-minute performance.
Powell, who signed with the New York Knicks after going undrafted in 2020, toyed around with the locals, shooting 50 percent (14-of-28) from the field. As good as he is, Powell is only set to play the first four elimination round games of the Dragons before another import, Canadian Andrew Nicholson, takes over the remaining four.
Bay Area controlled the game from the get-go, going on a 14-0 salvo in the first quarter to lead 21-7. From there, there was no turning back.
The Dragons finished the first half up by 28, 64-36.
"I think at the start of the game, our defense was good. We stayed in front of them. We did a good job on the on-balls, and then on the offensive end, we really clicked," Goorjian told reporters after the game.
"We're playing through Myles with the ball in his hands. I thought he made good decisions getting everybody involved, and he was somebody they had trouble guarding," Goorjian said.
Shooting guard Glen Yang finished with 22 points and seven assists, while forward Zhu Songwei scored 13 points for head coach Brian Goorjian's side.
Renato Ular paced Blackwater with 13 points and 14 rebounds, with import Cameron Krutwig backing him up with an almost triple-double tally of 11 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.
Newly-acquired Bossing and former TNT star Troy Rosario was in uniform, but head coach Ariel Vanguardia did not field him in the game.
Meanwhile, NorthPort Batang Pier nipped the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, 92-89, in the second game of the night to get into the win column themselves.
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| Robert Bolick (#8) shoots over Phoenix rookie Tyler Tio as teammate Arwind Santos looks on. Photo credit: PBA Images. |
Robert Bolick led coach Pido Jarencio's side with 21 points and six assists while import Prince Ibeh and former leagur MVP Arwind Santos both had double-doubles with 19 points and 15 rebounds and 10 points and 12 rebounds respectively. Roi Sumang came off the bench to tally 15 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Phoenix led 28-12 in the first quarter before NorthPort turned things around in the next one, limiting the Fuel Masters to only nine points in the second canto, finishing the first half tied at 37-37.
Phoenix managed to get back on top in the second half, growing the lead by as much as 9 points, before Batang Pier mounted a comeback.
The Fuel Masters held on for a six point lead with only two minutes left before Sumang suddenly came alive with a drive, a three-pointer, and a dish to Bolick for the winning trey to seal the game.
Javee Mocon led Phoenix with 24 points, 13 boards, and three assists while import Kaleb Wesson had 14 points and 15 rebounds. Head coach Topex Robinson missed the game as he went under the league's health and safety protocols.
“A win is a win,” said NorthPort coach Pido Jarencio. “We were struggling the whole game. Defensively, offensively, hindi namin makuha. Ang maganda lang is ‘yung puso nandoon, will to win, at players executing in the end, and Mr. Clutch, Robert Bolick, hitting that shot.”
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