THE BLACKWATER Sports Elite ambushed the reigning champions NLEX Road Warriors as they took Game One, 70-67, in the best-of-three finals series in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup yesterday at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City.
Kevin Ferrer scored the go-ahead basket with 14 seconds remaining and the Elite put up a defensive blanket in the dying seconds to preserve the stunning win. It was the Road Warriors’ first loss in the finals as NLEX has won each of their games in the previous four finals series.
NLEX was up, 67-66, when Rob Celiz drove down the lane and found an open Ferrer, who punched in the basket with 14.4 ticks left on the clock.
The Warriors still had a chance at the win but Kirk Long botched the inbound pass and had his pass stolen by Pari Llagas. Allan Mangahas then stretched the lead to three, 70-67, with two freethrows.
The Warriors had two attempts at the game-tying three-pointer but misses by Ronald Pascual and Garvo Lanete did them in.
Blackwater Sports can clinch the title with another victory in Game 2 of the best-of-three series on Tuesday.
Justine Chua led all scorers with 17 points and did a good job keeping seven-footer Greg Slaughter away from the boards.
Allan Mangahas scattered 16 including a pair of threes late in the third quarter that shove the Elite in the lead. He also grabbed 12 rebounds as Blackwater Sports won the battle of the boards, 53-44./Correspondent Jonas Panerio