Black Knights finally score as ex-Laguna resident shines
Jenning Leung spent the early years of his childhood in Los Baños, Laguna, not only as a student at Brent International School but having to experience what life is in the Philippines.
For Leung, one of the players seeing action for the Macau Black Knights, who finally got their first win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup by defeating the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 119-107, it was an experience like no other.
“My experience in the Philippines has been amazing and it’s my second home,” Leung said after Tuesday’s breakthrough triumph at Ninoy Aquino Stadium where he dropped 32 points built on seven three-pointers and one four-point shot.
Leung’s father is from Hong Kong while his mother is from Canada, and they came over to the country when he was just a 1-year-old baby. He recalled having played in barangay leagues in Laguna and won championships with Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone’s son, Kevin, at Brent.
Until teenage years
“It was so much fun,” Leung said, adding that games were “really physical.”
He was in the Philippines until he was 17, before finding his way back through stints with the Black Knights prior to being a guest team for the midseason conference.
And Tuesday saw Leung knock down outside shots during the second half that enabled Macau to cool off whatever comeback hopes Titan Ultra had and notch win No. 1 after seven straight defeats to start off the second conference.
“I feel like we should already have a couple of wins coming in, but it feels good,” said coach Marcus Elliott, who also got key contributions from import Tony Mitchell, Damian Chongqui and Phoenix Shackelford.
Macau had a few chances to win, particularly against Converge, Magnolia and NLEX. The Black Knights finally got it done, giving themselves a ray of hope that a playoff spot can be snatched with four games left.
“I think it’s just pride,” Leung said. “We’re knocking on the door for a couple of wins, and I think we all played with a lot of pride and we don’t want to keep losing. Every game is a chance to get a win so we came together and we got the win.”
Meanwhile, Bennie Boatwright and Bol Bol share the spotlight as they look to lead their respective teams to victories against separate opponents on Wednesday at the same venue as San Miguel battles Blackwater at 5:15 p.m. and TNT clashes with Converge at 7:30.
