By ADRIAN STEWART CO

The Blackwater Bossing maintained their slim playoff hopes alive after a 96-86 victory over the Terrafirma Dyip in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday night, January 15.

Justin Chua posted a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds, to go with two assists, to be named Player of the Game as the Bossing snapped a two-game slide to climb to a 2-7 win-loss slate.

“I think it is our will to win. We just want to win,” the Bacolod City-native Chua said in a post-game interview.

“Just keep the good attitude, and sana maawa ‘yung teammates. Just positive energy lang talaga,” he added.

George King led the way for the Bossing with 26 points, but shot 2-of-13 from the four-point line, to go with 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Mike Ayonayon and Frederick Tungcab had 15 and 11 points, respectively.

“We always talked about that there must be a focus [in our game] and that is defense, because that itself will generate our offense,” Bossing head coach Jeffrey Cariaso said after the game.

“We want to do it quicker. The thing I only talked to them before the game was if we got stops, we would get [scoring] opportunities,” he said.

“And that’s what happened in this game,” he added.

Brandone Edwards finished with a double-double of 29 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Dyip, while Mark Sangalang and Brent Paraiso had 17 and 12 points, respectively, as they fell to a 0-10 record./ASC, WDJ

BLACKWATER 96 — King 26, Chua 17, Ayonayon 15, Tungcab 11, David 8, Suerte 7, Escoto 4, Casio 2, Ponferrada 2, Jopia 2, Montalbo 2, Guinto 0.

TERRAFIRMA 86 — Edwards 29, Sangalang 17, Paraiso 12, Pringle 9, Nonoy 9, Ferrer 7, Carino 2, Romeo 1, Hernandez 0, Manuel 0, Ramos 0, Catapusan 0.

Quarterscores: 34-30, 45-49, 71-67, 96-86.