Blackwater is out to stop a five-game slide but will have to go through a Magnolia side eager to bounce back from a loss to San Miguel in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup.
Sedrick Barefield and Blackwater look to end their despair when they collide with Magnolia in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Friday, Nov. 14.
The match starts at 5:15 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
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The Bossing have dropped five straight games for a 1-5 mark at 11th.
But their most recent outing — a 94–99 loss to Converge — showed once again that they can go toe-to-toe with contenders.
Blackwater clawed back from 12 points down in the third quarter and kept the game within reach before ultimately falling short in the closing minutes.
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Barefield exploded for 33 points in the loss, continuing to anchor the Bossing’s offense.
He will banner Blackwater against the Hotshots anew, hoping his strong performance would result in a victory for his squad this time.
Out to help him are Christian David and rookie Dalph Panopio.
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The Bossing, however, will likely miss sharpshooter RK Ilagan again as he continues to recover from a meniscus injury, further thinning their backcourt rotation.
They will face a Magnolia squad eager to bounce back from a 92–94 heartbreaker against San Miguel — and one that is bent to reclaim their spot on top of the standings.
Among the early frontrunners, the Hotshots slid to joint fifth with Converge at 4-2.
For Blackwater, the challenge is immense — but so is the opportunity to finally turn their competitiveness into a long-awaited win.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of One Sports Digital with the help of AI and reviewed by editorial staff for accuracy.]