Elite fall against Korean side

MANILA, Philippines — Shorthanded Blackwater fell prey to the SK Seoul Knights, 93-77, in the opener of the 2019 East Asia League Terrific 12 at the Tap Seac Stadium in Macau yesterday.

Missing the services of injury-hit top players Bobby Ray Parks Jr. and Mike DiGregorio, the Elite got off to a slow 26-43 start that doomed their chances against the shaph-shooting Koreans.

SK imports Jameel Warney and Aaron Haynes served as the biggest thorns on the Blackwater side as Warney flirted with a triple-double of 26 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists while Haynes added 18 markers and eight boards.

Sniper Kim Min-Soo unloaded four triples to finish with 18 points.

Alex Stepheson chalked up solid 22 markers and 22 boards while Marqus Blakely and Paul Desiderio added 14 and 12, respectively, for the Elite.