Here are the players who made the biggest impact on May 13 and the stats to prove it.
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE DAY:
Bol Manute Bol TNT C 34 PTS | 14 REB | 3 BLK | 59.8 FPS
Outside of one game, Bol has consistently produced at this level on the scoring end in this conference. He has also been equally impressive on the boards, posting double-digit rebounds in every game so far. Regardless of his inefficiency, he should have no trouble maintaining this kind of production in the playoffs.
Clinton Daniel Chapman MAG PF 21 PTS | 12 REB | 3 AST | 38.9 FPS
This was definitely an improvement from their previous matchup. Chapman went 8-for-16 from the field today after struggling last time, when he shot just 4-for-13. Still, both performances against Meralco have been subpar by his standards. Regardless, he remains capable of catching fire offensively, as he has done multiple times in this tournament.
Christopher Elijah Newsome MER SG 23 PTS | 4 REB | 2 STL | 37.3 FPS
Limited to just seven points in their previous game against Magnolia, Newsome responded in a huge way today, going 7-for-10 from two and 9-for-9 at the line to lead all players in scoring. Still, they have lost back-to-back games to the same team, and they will need him to play at this level again to avoid a third-straight defeat.
Roger Ray Pogoy TNT SG 15 PTS | 3 REB | 3 STL | 29.6 FPS
Pogoy had a rough start to this game, scoring just 1 point in the first half. But he completely turned it around in the third quarter, scoring 12 points. This was the third time in four games that he’s scored in double digits, which is a big improvement after failing to do so in his first five games of the conference.
Louelljay Gonzales NLX PG 11 PTS | 7 REB | 5 AST | 26.9 FPS
The only issue for Gonzales today was the turnovers, as he led all players with five. But he made up for it with a brilliant all-around performance, particularly on the scoring end, where he reached double figures for the first time in four games.
Jerom Lastimosa MAG PG 17 PTS | 3 REB | 2 STL | 26.6 FPS
On two-pointers, Lastimosa was exceptional, going 6-for-8 to finish with his best scoring game since last month. While he had a fantastic game overall, some issues were hard to ignore. From the line, he was shaky, missing three crucial free throws in the fourth quarter. Turnovers have also been a huge problem lately, as he’s averaging 2.8 in his last four games.
Marvin Jones MER C 16 PTS | 6 REB | 2 BLK | 26.2 FPS
Though Jones has been a reliable anchor for Meralco throughout the conference, he hasn’t looked the same lately. Offensively, he’s been really off, shooting just 3-for-15 from the field today and going 0-for-7 from deep over his last two games. He was also less productive on the boards, posting back-to-back subpar outputs.
Calvin John Oftana TNT SG 19 PTS | 5 REB | 1 TO | 24.0 FPS
Despite some inconsistency, Oftana has largely delivered on offense this conference and he brought that version of him today, shooting 7-for-12 from the field to finish as the game’s second leading scorer. In the last three games, he has been locked in from the three-point area, averaging 3.3 threes.
Robert Lee Bolick NLX PG 15 PTS | 3 REB | 4 AST | 23.6 FPS
Overall, this was a very effective performance for Bolick. Offensively, he finished as the team’s second-leading scorer while shooting 5-for-8 from the field and committing just a single turnover. Still, he could certainly have done more if not for the foul trouble. Regardless, Bolick should be in line for a bigger performance next time.
Kier John Quinto MER SF 10 PTS | 3 REB | 2 STL | 20.1 FPS
Though he’s been inconsistent in this conference, Quinto has started to build some rhythm offensively lately, finishing with double-digit points for the fourth time in five games. Still, the team will need him to bring more to the table for them to finally secure a win against Magnolia.
Anthony Paul Semerad NLX PF 11 PTS | 5 REB | 2 AST | 20.0 FPS
Throughout the conference, Semerad has been a major threat from the three-point area, knocking down 27 threes across 11 games. He was up to that standard today, converting 3-of-7 attempts and finishing with his sixth double-digit scoring game of the tournament.
Andy Mark Barroca MAG PG 9 PTS | 5 AST | 1 STL | 18.7 FPS
Compared to his performances in the previous weeks, Barocca has been far from that level in both games against Meralco. Still, the veteran guard should continue to handle a significant role as they go against the same team once more.
Jayson Castro TNT PG 14 PTS | 3 AST | 1 STL | 17.5 FPS
Castro provided a huge impact on offense, going 7-for-7 from the line for his best scoring game of the tournament. While the veteran guard will not always deliver at this level offensively, he has consistently made a strong impact in the conference through his contributions in the secondary categories.
Ian Paul Sangalang MAG C 10 PTS | 3 REB | 2 AST | 16.6 FPS
In their last two games against Meralco, Sangalang has really made his presence felt, averaging 9.5 points while going 8-for-14 from two-point range. Since scoring zero points against NLEX, the big man has been a consistent contributor from that area and should continue to do so in their next game.
Xyrus Dane Torres NLEX SG 14 PTS | 1 AST | 2 TO | 13.5 FPS
In the Philippine Cup, Torres has emerged as one of the team’s top contributors, averaging 10.8 points on 50% shooting from two across 12 games. However, he has been well below that standard this conference. Today, though, he stepped up in a huge way, knocking down 4-of-6 attempts from three-point range.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE DAY:
Deschon Winston NLX SG 10 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST | 19.0 FPS
Overall, Winston had an impactful performance, finishing second in the game in assists while also grabbing three offensive rebounds. Offensively, however, he has struggled, shooting 3-for-12 from the field. Still, he has been highly impressive this conference and should be able to bounce back in the next game.
