Here are the live scores, updates, and results of the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup between the Blackwater Bossing and the Bay Area Dragons scheduled on September 21, 2022, at 3:00 PM.
The Bossing definitely would like to bring their game to the next level after their noticeably improved campaign in the All-Filipino Cup. At the same time, the Dragons will try to make it an early statement in the Philippine basketball scene as they try to snare their first prey.
After their dismal outings prior to the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup where they logged a dismal 29-game losing skid, all of a sudden Blackwater got energized and finally learned how to win games. They even reached the Quarterfinals of the All-Filipino Cup after registering five victories. Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel Beermen, and the Magnolia Hotshots Chicken Timplados are some of the big PBA clubs they able to defeat.
One of the surprising players that showed impressive moves for the Bossing is Ato Ular who is the early favorite for this year’s PBA Rookie of the Year. Ular averaged 14.1 points and 8.36 rebounds per outing which puts him as a consideration for an elite big man in the league.
To boost their chances in this import-laden conference, Blackwater made a player movement as they acquired Troy Rosario and Gab Banal from TNT KaTropa.
“Troy and Gab give us plenty of playoff experience, so iyun lang titingnan namin. We’d like to stay positive. We are moving forward from now on. Part naman ng challenge as a coach, to make it work,” said Blackwater head coach Ariel Vanguardia.
For the visiting team and the added ballclub for PBA’s second conference, the Bay Area Dragons will try to do their domination early in the tournament. Though their players are composed of Chinese-looking players yet according to Vanguardia their passport is from a non-China country.
“Factor lang, we don’t know kung sino dapat mga locals nila,” said Vanguardia. “Madami silang Canadian and American passport holders, mga dual citizens, so hindi namin alam kung sino ia-allow under PBA rules, kung sino eligible sa kanila. Pero definitely dapat isa lang American nila.”
Apart from Andrew Nicholson (Bay Area import) who is a first-round pick in the NBA and was a previous member of the Washington Wizards and the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA, the guest team will also have their 7-foot-5 center Liu Chuanxing.
“Very strong ang team na iyon,” noted Vanguardia. “They have the size, speed, tapos mga shooting, grabe shooting. Ibang klaseng game, hindi sila PBA-style.”