MANILA: Rookie teams KIA Motors and Blackwater played the rubber match of their season series in the PBA on Tuesday night, and it turned out to be memorable because of a sprinkling of both the good and the bad.

In the lowest-scoring double-overtime game in the league ever, the Carnival gutted out an 83-76 victory as KIA posted its first winning streak in the Governors’ Cup – two games – and claimed a momentary share of second place in the eliminations at the Cuneta Astrodome.

It was good for the Carnival because they showed a lot of poise and composure, losing a 15-point lead in the first half before winning out in a mano-a-mano duel in the two extensions that saw everything except for both teams making their shots.

It was bad for the Elite after they scored just a total of four points in the extra periods — two in each overtime — as they missed their chance to win back-to-back games for the first time in their PBA lives and climb to the middle of the 12-team pack.

KIA climbed into a tie for second with idle Alaska at 3-1, while Blackwater lost for the fourth time in five games and is back in familiar terrain – the cellar.

Talk 'N Text made it a three-way tie for second after repulsing sister team NLEX, 108-89, in the second game.

Steffphone Pettigrew scored 26 points and Jason Castro came back from sick bay to toss in 19, 13 of them in the first half as the Tropang Texters took early control before eventually handing the Road Warriors their fourth defeat in five games.

Four others tossed in double figures for the Texters in a mighty show of offensive balance even as Asi Taulava paced the Road Warriors with 25 points and import Kwame Alexander tossing in 22 like Asian import Michael Madanly.

Senegalese import Hamady N’Diaye churned out the best game of his PBA career, shooting 16 points, grabbing 23 rebounds and swatting away nine enemy attempts — including four on Marcus Douthit.

N’Diaye also scored two baskets in the second extension, the last a two-handed slam off a Blackwater double team that made it 79-76 with 1:35 left to play.

“It was a very hard game,” Chito Victolero, officially KIA’s assistant coach to boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, said. “In the second overtime, I told my players that this isn’t about the Xs and Os anymore, it was all about pride and the heart.

“I am really very proud of them.”

Jet Chang, KIA’s Asian import, also played his best game, shooting 25 points to pace the Carnival. He also gave out the assist that resulted in that thunderous N’Diaye slam.

Both teams shot poorly from the field all game long, with the Carnival pounding out the victory despite making only 30-of-90 attempts.

Blackwater was just a shade better at 31-for-90 and the hale of misses coming from both sides made for a total of 127 rebounds, with the Carnival grabbing a total of 70 for a franchise mark.

KIA also held on even with starting point guard LA Revilla hitting the showers with still under a minute left in regulation because of six fouls, something which the Elite could not capitalize on even with a big game coming from Brian Heruela.

Heruela led the Elite with 19 markers, including the wide-open layup with 19.5 seconds left in the fourth period that forged the first extension at 72-all.

Both teams then scored in their very first possessions in the first overtime and never did so again, marking another mark in futility for fewest points by two teams combined in any overtime period.

Meanwhile, the newfound confidence of Barako Bull will get a true acid test on Wednesday night when the Energy, the league leaders with a 4-0 record, battle a rejuvenated San Miguel Beer side as action returns to the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Liam McMorrow, the hulking and talented Barako Bull import, will be up against the formidable frontline of the Beermen led by reigning MVP June Mar Fajardo in the 4:15 p.m. contest.

Alaska tries to wriggle out of a tie for second later in the night when it battles defending champion Star (formerly Purefoods) in the 7 p.m. game.

The Hotshots, who are trying to retain the only title remaining from last season’s Grand Slam, are reeling from three straight defeats and would need nothing less than a victory to get back in the thick of the fight.