Black Knights Hold Off Blackwater, Secure Second Win

Macau relied on a trio of standout performances to fend off Blackwater, 123-119, claiming their second victory of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Jenning Leung, Damian Chongqui, and Ramon Cao each played a key role in the clutch moments, as the visiting team weathered a late surge from Blackwater. Leung posted 30 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, while Chongqui also scored 30 points, including a crucial three-pointer, and Cao contributed 29 points along with 10 rebounds in an all-around stellar performance.

Head coach Marcus Elliott praised the trio for their bounce-back effort following a subpar performance in their previous game.

“Damian had a big night, Jenning had a big night, and Ramon,” said Elliott. “I’m really happy for Ramon and Jenning because they didn’t really play to their caliber in the last game against TNT.”

The game’s turning point came in the final minutes when Chongqui nailed a go-ahead three-pointer with less than three minutes remaining, giving Macau a 118-116 lead. Leung then took over, scoring crucial baskets in the final 2:07 to keep Blackwater at bay.

Blackwater had a chance to tie the game in the closing moments, but Chao Xingzhao missed the second of his free throws with 8.7 seconds left, and Sedrick Barefield turned the ball over while attempting to set up a potential game-tying shot, sealing the loss.

The Bossing were also without their import, Robert Upshaw III, who missed the game due to a reported calf injury.

“I think that backfired on us, actually,” said Elliott. “It took the life out of Tony, it looked like his motivation went down a little bit, so I think that helped them with Upshaw not playing.”

Tony Mitchell battled through a solid 11 points and 22 rebounds, but his impact was limited without Upshaw drawing defensive attention in the paint.

With the win, Macau improves to 2-8 in their debut PBA season. They’ll aim to finish strong with two remaining games: against struggling Terrafirma on May 2 and playoff-contending Phoenix on May 9.

Blackwater’s Christian David and Paul Zamar each led the way with 21 points, while Sedrick Barefield added 18 points on 7-of-20 shooting. David Murrell and rookie CJ Austria contributed 14 points each, and BJ Andrade chipped in 12, but the team's offensive effort fell short.

Blackwater also drops to 2-8, sitting at the bottom of the 13-team standings. Despite their position, they remain mathematically alive in the playoff race thanks to wins over Magnolia and San Miguel, who sit just above them in the standings.

The Bossing now face crucial matchups against Meralco on May 3 and Converge on May 9, but their postseason hopes are no longer entirely in their hands.