The Meralco Bolts were staring at a 0-3 start when they took on the Blackwater Bossing on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. With adversity setting in early in their PBA Philippine Cup campaign, the Bolts responded like the champs they are, picking up a crucial 105-96 victory over the Bossing.
What Happened?
The Bolts dominated the second quarter, opening it up with a 17-2 run to turn a 29-24 lead into a 46-26 cushion before ultimately finishing the first 24 minutes with a 61-39 advantage. Blackwater clawed back after intermission, outscoring the Bolts 35-23 and at one point inching to within 79-74. But Meralco scored the last five points of the third—two freebies from CJ Cansino and a last-ditch trey from Allein Maliksi—to extend the lead back to double digits. A quick 7-0 blitz allowed Blackwater to threaten within 84-81, but the Bolts scored the next 11 points to restore order and ultimately held on.
Who Stood Out?
Shackled in Meralco’s first two games, Chris Newsome finally broke out, scoring 22 points on a hyper-efficient 6-for-9 clip from the field and 9-for-10 from the line. Old reliables Maliksi and Cliff Hodge also showed out, with Maliksi dropping 13 markers and Hodge putting up 14 points and 8 boards.
It was double trouble on the other side as Sedrick Barefield and RK Ilagan torched the Bolts for a combined 66 points—34 from Barefield and 32 from Ilagan. Both shot over 50% as a bonus, with the former going 12-for-21 and the latter shooting 6-for-10.
3 Keys to the Game
- Paint play. The Bolts attacked the interior from the get-go and outscored the Bossing big in the paint, 54-34. Aggressively attacking the heart of Blackwater’s defense also allowed Meralco to get to the line 37 times—28 of which the Bolts converted.
- Meralco’s balanced offense. Points haven’t come easy for the Bolts in their first two games, but the offense was flowing against the Bossing, especially in the second quarter. A big reason for it was the balanced offense that saw six Bolts finish in double digits. In contrast, only Abu Tratter provided additional firepower aside from Ilagan and Barefield.
- Second-quarter storm. The difference in this game was Meralco’s outstanding second quarter, where they built a 22-point halftime lead. It proved insurmountable in the end as Blackwater just didn’t have enough to pull ahead despite an explosive comeback in the second half.
Next Up for the PBA
The PBA returns to Smart Araneta Coliseum again on Friday in what promises to be a compelling twin bill. The first game will have the Magnolia Hotshots taking on the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, while the second game will feature a showdown between Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Meralco.
Magnolia vs. Titan Ultra | Ginebra vs. Meralco
