The Meralco Bolts absorbed a heartbreaker of a loss on Wednesday, dropping a razor‑thin 98‑97 decision to the Phoenix Fuel Masters at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Even so, they can revel in what appears to be the return to form of veteran marksman Allein Maliksi.
Ravaged by injuries in the past couple of years and hardly seeing playing time anymore, Maliksi came off the Meralco bench and poured in 15 points, including 12 in the second quarter alone when the Bolts wiped out Phoenix’s early 15‑point lead. The former UST Growling Tiger spiked his night with 4 triples as he, for the first time in a while, looked like the Allein Maliksi of old.
Allein Maliksi Always Putting in the Work
Asked afterward about his contributions in Meralco’s near win, Allein Maliksi pointed to the work he puts in every single day as the defining reason he was able to dish out a vintage performance in the Bolts’ PBA Governors’ Cup opener.
“It doesn’t change ‘yung work ethic na binubuhos ko sa trabaho. Since rookie days up to now, same work ethic din,” Maliksi told Rebanse after the game. “Nakikita naman nila na talagang nagtatrabaho ako. Nagpe‑prepare ako na kahit minsan gamitin o hindi gamitin, always ready lang ako everytime tinawag ‘yung number ko.”
A 15‑year veteran, Maliksi has seen his minutes dwindle over the past few years in part due to a medley of injuries (the latest being sciatica and bone spurs in his knee) and in part due to younger talent taking over.
On Friday, the eighth overall pick of the 2011 PBA Draft showed he still has something left in his 36‑year‑old body. And that is no doubt a credit to the work ethic he had previously alluded to.
Now, as Meralco looks to improve upon its semis stint in the Commissioner’s Cup, do not be surprised if Allein Maliksi gets his number called a little more this conference.
And rest assured he will be ready.
