Terrafirma keeps hot start as it goes 3-0 by repelling Blackwater

ANTIPOLO, March 19 ------ Terrafirma stretched its dream run to three games, beating Blackwater, 99-88, on Wednesday in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner's Cup at the Ynares Center.

The Dyip went on a 10-0 start, eventually preserving the lead despite a challenge from the Bossing to remain on top of the standings with a 3-0 win-loss mark. Mubashar Ali had 22 points and 23 rebounds, while Paolo Hernandez had 22 points on 6-of-14 from the field for the Dyip, who moved one win away from equaling their best start in franchise history when the then-Mahindra Enforcer went 4-0 during the 2016 Governors' Cup.

The Dyip went on a barrage of outside shots to start the match-up with Hernandez's three following JM Bravo's trey of his own. Jerrick Ahanmisi made it 10-0 after he buried a four-pointer and never looked back. Terrafirma led by as many as 20 points but was only down by one at the half, 50-49, but the Dyip weathered the storm with a 25-17 third quarter. “Sobrang ganda ng start namin pero we tend to go one-on-one in the second quarter. ‘Yun ang problem pagka-young team. Sometimes, nalilihis. We see to it na bumalik sa dating direksyon which is to run the system,” said Terrafirma coach Ronald Tubid.

Ahanmisi had 18 points including two fours, and Joseph Eriobu added 12 points and seven rebounds for Terrafirma. Sedrick Barefield had 25 points, but Daniel Ochefu only had 11 points and seven rebounds in the loss by the Bossing.

The scores:

Terrafirma 99 – Ali 22, Hernandez 20, J. Ahanmisi 18, Eriobu 12, M. Ahanmisi 10, Bravo 7, Chiu 7, Zaldivar 3, Umali 0.

Blackwater 88 – Barefield 25, Ochefu 11, Andrade 10, Ilagan 9, Mendoza 8, Tratter 7, Una 6, David 5, Panopio 4, Escoto 3, Guinto 0, Mallillin 0, Jopia 0, Murrell 0.

Quarters: 33-15; 50-49; 75-66; 99-88.

Source: spin.ph