At last, Blackwater broke into the winning column.
Henry Walker slammed home the game-winner with 3.4 seconds left to lift erstwhile winless Blackwater to an 86-84 squeaker over sliding Magnolia to finally list a win after seven tries in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.
With the game-knotted at 84-all with ball in hand, the Elite went to their prolific import and Walker delivered by finding an opening for a throwdown plus a foul from Curtis Kelly to put the Elite ahead, 86-84, with a free throw to go.
Walker missed the bonus freebie, giving Magnolia a last shot to possibly save the game.
However, Nard Pinto allowed Blackwater to escape, blocking Jio Jalalon’s last-gasp three-point attempt.
As a result, the Elite improved to 1-7 but remained at the bottom. The win allowed the team to keep its very slim chance of making the top eight alive.
On the contrary, Magnolia fell to 3-3 after tasting its second straight setback.
Poy Erram led Blackwater with a monster double-double output of game-highs of 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Allein Maliksi had his best game of the tournament so far, scoring 16 markers.
Walker finished with only 11 markers, none bigger than the last basket of the game.
Blackwater actually trailed by eight, 61-69, entering the fourth but it fought back slowly but surely and completed its comeback through Walker’s heroic jam in the dying seconds.