Roi Sumang dropped a career-high 32 points to lift the Blackwater Elite to a pulsating 107-106 victory against the NLEX Road Warriors in the Oppo PBA Governors’ Cup on Sunday at SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
“Super Sumang” poured in 22 points in the first half, and made huge plays down the stretch as the Elite notched their second straight win to improve to 2-3 and move up to ninth place.
Import Henry Walker also scored 29 points, 15 rebounds and six assists while Mike Digregorio contributed 18 points.
Behind Sumang, the Elite built a 49-38 lead in the second quarter against the much-favored NLEX squad which came into the game as the second-best team in the team standings.
But NLEX didn’t go away easily as it knotted the score at 84-all heading into the final frame and make it a tightly contested game.
Sumang, who became quiet in the second half, then made his presence felt. He buried back-to-back triples to push the Elite’s lead, 107-101, with 2:30 left.
He also made a huge block on Alex Mallari who tried to convert a fastbreak layup.
But NLEX fought back, with Kevin Alas and Aaron Fuller combining for five unanswered points. And after blunders by Blackwater, the Road Warriors had a chance to snatch the victory with one second left.
Off a timeout, coach Yeng Guiao set up a play that would free Larry Fonacier for a jumper. But his turnaround jumper went off the rim.
Alas had a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds but his numbers weren’t enough for NLEX which settled for a 5-2 card.
The scores:
BLACKWATER 107 – Sumang 32, Walker 29, Digregorio 18, Erram 8, Cruz 7, Pinto 7, Gamalinda 4, Sena 2, Miranda 0, Canaleta 0, Pascual 0.
NLEX 106 – Alas 19, Quinahan 13, Fuller 13, Al-Hussaini 11, Tiongson 11, Fonacier 10, Baguio 7, Mallari 6, Soyud 6, Monfort 5, J. Villanueva 5, Lastimosa 0.
Quarters: 32-29, 59-56, 84-86, 107-106.
