PBA Analysis: Can Blackwater win the 2022 Philippine Cup championship?



 There are three teams who has a single loss in their record. San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra are two of them. And yes, the third one is Blackwater Elite.

The question then is, do they really have what it takes to win the championship?

If we only look at their current roster, I do not think anyone with a sound mind will say yes. I mean, their starting point guard, Jvee Casio was relegated to back-up role in Alaska. Yousef Taha, their starting center, was not even in the PBA, a year ago. Baser Amer hit two game-winning shots but if you look at his numbers right now, they are so bad.

A different story can be seen if we look at the team numbers. They have the 2nd best net rating! Net rating is an advance stat that takes both offense and defense into account. 

Is it a perfect stat? Not really. But, it shows that Blackwater is running very well on both ends of the court. That is actually what they need to do in the playoffs to have a deep run. 

They should be capable of having a good offense and a formidable defense. Offensively, they are relying on the right aspect, passing. They are currently tied at 1st in terms of assists per game and #1 in terms of ASTS%.

Defensively, they are actually third in terms of opponent points per game. Just behind the defensive juggernauts, Ginebra and Magnolia. What I love about their defense is that they are 2nd terms of 3FG%. Knowing the importance of three-point shooting, that is a good sign for a contender.

So, can Blackwater win the championship?

I am hoping they can.

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