The Blackwater Bossing will shoot for win No. 2 to start the conference, while the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots are eyeing to score their first win when these two clubs go at it each other at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

Catch this game live on Friday,  July 17, 2026 at 7:30 pm, Manila time.

Blackwater Bossing (1-0)

Projected Starting Five:

  • RK Ilagan
  • Sedrick Barefield
  • CJ Austria
  • Kentrell Barkley
  • Abu Tratter

Blackwater scored a big upset right out of the gate of its Governors’ Cup campaign, as the Bossing stunned the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in a 131-108 win in Montalban. Import Kentrell Barkley had a memorable PBA debut, posting a triple-double of 29 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, while also shooting 12/21 from the floor and 5/7 from deep. 

Barkley was not without great support from the locals, too. Sedrick Barefield popped off for 24 points, while RK Ilagan stunned Rain or Shine with 22 points on 8/12 shooting. Blackwater finished the previous conference on a four-game losing skid, but showed plenty of fight in the ROS game, and that could continue into this showdown against Magnolia. Before their win over the Elasto Painters, the most recent victory by the Bossing was their 97-91 triumph against Magnolia on March 22, 97-91. 

Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots (0-1)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Jerom Lastimosa
  • Javi Gómez de Liaño
  • KJ Buffen
  • Rome dela Rosa
  • Ian Sangalang

Magnolia has some bad taste to rinse off its mouth after a brutal collapse in its conference opener. The Hotshots squandered a 16-point lead and lost to the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters,  98-86, in Montalban. Magnolia’s loss wasted the 20-point output of Zav Lucero and put more pressure on import K.J. Buffen, who had a pedestrian 15 points. Buffen grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out five assists, but his scoring total won’t cut it for a reinforcement in the PBA. 

Nevertheless, the setback at the hands of the Fuel Masters was not the end of the world for the Hotshots, who can be better. Blackwater comes into this Friday’s game with plenty of confidence after a win and given its previous win against the Hotshots, but it will have to prove against Magnolia that its win over Rain or Shine wasn’t a fluke. The Hotshots are also winners in six of their last seven meetings with Blackwater.

Picks

Spread: Blackwater Bossing (+3.5)

Over/Under: Over (197.5)