Elite on the brink

We started the game flat and we cannot let that happen again tomorrow

Alex Stepheson (right) and Blackwater fall prey to Seoul SK Knights.

MACAU — Blackwater came out flat on its opening game to Seoul SK Knights and yielded a 93-77 decision in their Group A battle of East Asia Super League (EASL) Terrific 12 invitational tournament Tuesday at the Tap Seac Multi-Sport Pavilion here.

The undermanned Elite simply lacked manpower to match up against the two-time Korea Basketball League champions, who started the game with a 7-0 run and banked on the trio of Jameel Warney, Min Soo Kim and Aaron Haynes to score the lopsided victory.

The loss put Blackwater in a must-win game against Japan’s Chiba Jets today to stay in contention for a semifinal slot.

“We started the game flat and we cannot let that happen again tomorrow,” said Elite head coach Aries Dimaunahan, whose team was led by 22 points and 22 rebounds from Alex Stepheson.

“We closed the first half the way we wanted but the consistency was not there that’s why we lost the game,” he added.

Marqus Blakely, a late addition to the team following the injury of Aaron Fuller, committed three quick fouls in the first period that compounded the rotation problem of the team as they played without Ray Parks, Mike Cortez, Mike DiGregorio and Rabeh Al-Hussaini due to injuries.

Blackwater, which finished last in this tournament, managed to tie the count at 46-all early in the third period but the Knights, behind Kim and Warney, closed out the period with a 73-61 advantage.

It was all Korean club in the fourth period as Kim’s three-pointer put the game in doubt, 89-69, with 3:55 remaining in the game.

“They have two big and strong imports but slower that’s why the game plan is to run the floor,” said SK Knights head coach Moon Kyungyeun.

“We have lots of positives in this game. We knew we have to play fast to tire them out because we’re in good shape,” said Warney, who suited up for the United States team in World Cup qualifying stage.

Warney flirted with a triple-double performance of 26 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists while Kim, who represented South Korea in the World Cup, added 18 markers.

Paul Desiderio led the local scoring for the Elite with 12 points while Carl Bryan Cruz, an acquisition from a trade with Alaska, had a dismal two-point effort in his Blackwater debut.

Blakely finished with 10 points in just 15 minutes of play as he was hampered by early foul trouble.

“I think our energy was low but we showed resiliency. My body is still adjusting and the players are still adjusting to me,” said Blakely, who left Florida last Friday and just joined the Elite last Sunday for the competition.

“I really hurt my team and it hurt me too. We need to correct that and be better tomorrow,” he added.