“Winning is hard,” Blackwater team owner Dioceldo Sy said in the dugout at Smart Araneta Coliseum after the game.

The first quarter ended in favor of the Hotshots with a five points advantage but Blackwater retaliated as Rey Suerte registered two points to close the gap into one and another three to control the game and ended the half with three points advantage, 48-45.

But Blackwater refused to lose control as Magnolia’s Mike Harris laddered into two personal fouls with five minutes left as the two teams tried to break free from a deadlock with Blackwater taking the advantage at the end of the third quarter, 71-66.

Magnolia did not squander in the last quarter as Aris Dionisio marked a three-point shot in the crucial moment to close the gap 92-95 but the defensive Blackwater did not leave Dionisio and even Mark Barroca free.

For Magnolia coach Chito Victolero, the Bossing’s win was bound to happen and that they are worthy of victory.

“It was bound to happen—that (Blackwater) finally gets to win. They just didn’t know when. It happened tonight,” Victolero said.

“They deserved to win. They worked hard. And those are things that could not be taken away from them,” he added.

The scores: 

Blackwater 101 – Glover 33, Suerte 16, Paras 12, Casio 12, Ebona 8, Desiderio 8, McCarthy 6, Ayonayon 6, Washington 0, Amer 0, Ambolutdo 0, Melton 0

Magnolia 100 – Barroca 27, Harris 21, Dionisio 14, Lee 12, Reavis 5, Sangalang 5, Dela Rosa 4, Brill 3, Ahanmisi 2, Corpuz 0, Escoto 0

Quarters: 16-21; 48-45; 71-66; 101-100