The Blackwater Bossing is a professional basketball team owned by Ever Bilena, Inc. that is playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) beginning in the 2014–2015 season. The franchise started as one of the founding teams in the PBA Developmental League. It transferred to the PBA after being accepted as an expansion team. The team is named after Ever Bilena's brand of men's fragrances.
| Blackwater Bossing | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 2024–25 Blackwater Bossing season | |||
 | |||
| Founded | 2014 | ||
| History | Blackwater Elite (2014–2021) Blackwater Bossing (2021–present) | ||
| Team colors | Red, black, white | ||
| Company | Ever Bilena | ||
| Board governor | Silliman Sy | ||
| Team manager | Johnson Martinez Rhona Tibor (assistant) | ||
| Head coach | Jeffrey Cariaso | ||
| Team captain | Troy Rosario | ||
| Ownership | Dioceldo S. Sy | ||
| Affiliation(s) | Blackwater Bossing Red President | ||
| Retired numbers | 1 (11) | ||
| |||
History
editBlackwater was one of the founding teams in the PBA Developmental League (PBA D-League). It won one PBA D-League championship. The team's predecessor was the Blu Detergent team[1] in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL), best known as the first Philippine basketball team of Asi Taulava.[2]
PBA
editOn April 10, 2014, Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc., along with Manila North Tollways Corporation (NLEX Road Warriors) and Columbian Autocar Corporation (Kia Sorento), were approved by the PBA Board of Governors to become expansion teams in the PBA.[3] Upon entry to the PBA, the three teams will select players from a dispersal draft in July consisting of unprotected current PBA players and free agents.[4] They will also pick rookies in the 2014 PBA draft in August.[5]
Blackwater and the NLEX Road Warriors became the first franchises to enter the PBA from its D-League.
With the help of Gilas player Marcus Douthit, Blackwater got their first win in the 2015 PBA Commissioner's Cup against San Miguel Beermen, 80–77.
In August 2020, it was reported that the team would change its name to "Blackwater Bossing".[6] The new branding, including the team's logo and jersey design, was unveiled in September 2020.[7]
International stint
editOn July 12, 2018, Blackwater Elite completed a six-game sweep of the Pacific Caesar 50th Anniversary Pro Tournament in Surabaya, Indonesia.[8]
The following week, they represented the Philippines along with NLEX Road Warriors in the Asia League's Summer Super 8 Invitational Tournament held in Macau.[9]
Current roster
edit| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Players
edit- Dylan Ababou (2016–2017)
- Val Acuña
- Raymond Aguilar (2016–2017)
- Jason Ballesteros (2014–2016)
- Raphael Banal (2016–present)
- Mac Belo (2016–present)
- Gilbert Bulawan (2014–2016)
- Niño Canaleta (2017–present)
- Jerick Cañada
- JR Cawaling
- Robby Celiz
- Reil Cervantes
- Mike Cortez
- Mark Cruz (2017–present)
- Arthur dela Cruz (2015–2017)
- J.P. Erram
- Bryan Faundo
- James Forrester (2016–2017)
- Riego Gamalinda
- Frank Golla (2016)
- Brian Heruela
- Carlo Lastimosa
- Eddie Laure
- Dave Marcelo (2017–present)
- Jason Melano
- Denok Miranda (2016–present)
- Alex Nuyles
- Bobby Ray Parks Jr.
- Kyle Pascual
- Tristan Perez (2016–present)
- John Pinto (2016–2019)
- Raphael Reyes
- Larry Rodriguez
- Sunday Salvacion
- James Sena
- Roi Sumang
- Chris Timberlake
- Juami Tiongson
- Almond Vosotros
Imports
editMarcus Douthit (2015 Commissioner's) & (2015 Governors')
Imad Qahwash (2016 Governors')
Chris Ortiz (2023–24 Commissioner's)
Retired numbers
edit| Blackwater Bossing retired number | |||
| N° | Player | Position | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Gilbert Bulawan | PF/ C | 2014–2016[a] |
- a – The team retired his jersey number in his honor during Blackwater's first game in the 2016 PBA Governors' Cup versus the NLEX Road Warriors on July 16, 2016. He collapsed and died during the team's practice on July 3, 2016.[10][11]
Coaches
edit- Leo Isaac (2014–fired 2018)
- Bong Ramos (2018–fired 2019)
- Aries Dimaunahan (2019 as interim coach)
- Nash Racela (2019–fired 2020)
- Ariel Vanguardia (2021–2023 as interim coach)
- Jeffrey Cariaso (2023–present)
Season-by-season records
edit- Records from the 2024–25 PBA season:
| Conf. | Team name | Elimination round | Playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | W | L | PCT | Stage | Results | ||
| GOV | Blackwater Bossing | 5th in Group B | 5 | 5 | .500 | Did not qualify | |
| COM | TBD | TBD | TBD | – | TBD | TBD | |
| PHI | TBD | TBD | TBD | – | TBD | TBD | |
| Total elimination round | 5 | 5 | .500 | TBD | |||
| Total playoffs | TBD | TBD | – | TBD | |||
| Total 2024–25 | 5 | 5 | .500 | TBD | |||
| Total franchise | 71 | 202 | .260 | 0 Championships | |||
*one-game playoffs
**team had the twice-to-beat advantage
Awards
editIndividual awards
edit| PBA Mythical Second Team |
|---|
PBA Press Corps Individual Awards
edit| Defensive Player of the Year | All-Rookie Team |
|---|---|
All-Star Weekend
edit| All - Star Selection |
|---|
|
2016 2017 2018
2019
2024 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Blackwater set to join PBA as 11th franchise". Philstar.com. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
- ^ Richard Dy (September 16, 2014). "Expansion ballclub Blackwater Sports keen to show it belongs ahead of PBA debut". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
- ^ "PBA approves entry of new teams NLEX, Kia, Blackwater for next season". InterAksyon.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
- ^ "PBA readies dispersal draft". Philstar.com. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
- ^ "solarsportsdesk.ph". Solarsportsdesk.ph. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
- ^ Goodbye, Elite. Hello, Bossing as Blackwater to adopt new moniker, Gerry Ramos, spin.ph, August 1, 2020
- ^ From the wires (September 18, 2020). "Blackwater Bossing unveil new logo ahead of PBA bubble". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
- ^ "Blackwater sweeps Pacific Caesar Basketball Pro tourney". Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ^ Lintag, Paul (July 13, 2018). "SUPER 8: PBA's NLEX, Blackwater, set for Macau invitational". ABS-CBN Sports. Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
- ^ Blackwater set to retire jersey of fallen Gilbert Bulawan Archived July 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Rey Joble, Interaksyon.com, July 4, 2016
- ^ Blackwater gives tribute to late player Gilbert Bulawan after retiring jersey no.11, Gerry Ramos, SPIN.ph, July 16, 2016