HE MAY not share a bloodline with NBA legend Charles Barkley, but Blackwater Bossing import Kentrell Barkley showed the same bully-ball DNA in his debut with the Blackwater Bossing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Governor’s Cup on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at the Ynares Center in Montalban.
Barkley dropped a triple-double of 29 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists to anchor the Bossing’s 131-108 surprising demolition of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Barkley said after the game that he simply wanted to set the tone and show his teammates the way, which earned the delight of head coach Patrick Aquino.
“Just happy that, you know, everybody stepped up, everybody played with the mindset of winning the game and they never gave up. Hopefully, this good start would continue more in the games to come,” Aquino said in an article at PBA website.
Local support came plenty for Blackwater as Sedrick Barefield fired 24 points, including a telling 14-point explosion in the third period that fueled a decisive 19-5 blast, stretching the Bossing’s lead to a staggering 31 points at 91-60.
RK Ilagan chipped in 22 markers, Dolph Panopio added 19 and James Una and Abu Tratter rounded out the balanced attack with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, in the season opener on Friday, July 10, Gilas Pilipinas legend Jimmy Alapag was greeted with a win in his first coaching duties in the PBA as the NLEX Road Warriors had a commanding 114-75 win over the guest team Macau Giant Pandas.
“I’m really happy with the group, with their competitive spirit and unselfishness,” Alapag said on the PBA website. / RSC