Troubled Waters

Reil "KOBE!" Cervantes.
Franchise player.
(Photo credit: Sports5.ph)

Here's where Blackwater Elite finds itself at the end of its maiden season:

Call them this year's biggest loser: PBA wins and losses -wise and also, 2015 PBA Draft -wise. The awful performance was expected, given the fact that the team was barred from making any direct hires from their promising PBA D-League roster and was pretty much asked to form a roster out of discards and no-names.

But then, the franchise's only glimmer of hope, their salvation, the coveted 2015 PBA Draft Number One Pick-- was foolishly sent in a hullabaloo of a trade which involved NLEX, Rain or Shine and Talk'n'Text.  The team lost its 1st pick to TNT to acquire the services of Larry Rodriguez.


Larry Rodriguez-- a decent role player, but definitely not someone (all things considered) worthy of a first rounder, let alone a 1st pick overall.

They could've landed Moala Tautuaa. Or Troy Rosario.

Hell, they could've jump-started the franchise should Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. throw his hat into the fray and automatically be the "Pinoy Cleveland Cavaliers lands LeBron James" story for tomorrow's newspapers.

And the one guy who actually looks and plays like a PBA player despite being a rookie, Brian Heruela? Traded just a few weeks ago to Barako Bull, for Carlo Lastimosa who has yet to find a niche in the pros. Great. A PBA ready rookie going into his 2nd year for a PBA sophomore turning junior who still looks like he needs a year or two in the D-League.

What to say with the roster? They look like a Team MVP discard list.

With best players going to the highest bidder (Heruela to Barako). Wonder if anyone will try their luck with Cervantes next season? He's a gamer. A little bullish and flies solo, but you can't fault a guy who tries.

There's really nothing good to say about this franchise at the moment. With how they went about their business, and even shamelessly changing their jerseys to TNT colors AND DESIGN.

Oh, and they even used Marcus Douthit as import. A known Team MVP hired gun.

Guess we found ourselves a new Air21.

This is why Danny Ildefonso didn't want to waste his time with this team from the start.