BLACKWATER got a first-hand experience on what the Bay Area Dragons are made of.
The Bossing played the Dragons in an exhibition match over the weekend and were dealt a 121-83 beating at Kerry Sports in Taguig.
Coach Ariel Vanguardia though, didn’t have the benefit of fielding an import as 6-foot-9 Loyola-Chicago standout Cameron Krutwig wasn’t around yet when both sides played the tune-up match.
See: Blackwater taps Cameron Krutwig as import for Commissioner's Cup
The 23-year-old Krutwig arrived in the country on Sunday night and will suit up when Blackwater takes on the Dragons anew this week.
“Dapat talaga may import,” said Vanguardia, noting too, how the local players of the Dragons were also up to the task.
“Magagaling yung mga Chinese CBA players nila. Malalaki na shooters.”
The Dragons recently added rising CBA star Zhu Songwei and veterans Ju Mingxin and Liu Xiaoyu to their lineup that will see action in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup as a guest team and in the East Asia Super League home-and-away tournament.
In the game against the Bossing, the Manila-based Chinese team also played import Myles Powell and 6-foot-6 guard Hayden Blankley.
And then there’s massive 7-foot-5 Liu Chuanxing who Blackwater’s bigs had to deal with.
“He (Big Liu) improved a lot,” said Vanguardia of the back-up center of the Chinese national team.
Aside from not having an import, Blackwater also saw action without veteran point guard JVee Casio, gunner Rey Suerte, and injured players Yousef Taha and Joshua Torralba.
“Second half naubos na kami,” said Vanguardia of the Bossing, who made the playoffs of the Philippine Cup before bowing to top-seed San Miguel.
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