Canaleta...

with injuries.

Meralco is also looking at Canaleta to enhance Meralco’s chances in the Philippine Cup. The Bolts won just four games in the last two all-Filipino tournaments, a reversal to their strong campaigns in importladen conferences.

“Bibigay ko lang best ko every game,” Canaleta said in a TV interview. “Yung pagkawala nila RDO at Cliff, very big hole na dapat matakpan ko. Basta bigay ko lang best ko every game.”

Baser Amer had 17 points, 12 assists and five rebounds and Jared Dillinger delivered 15 points and 11 rebounds for Meralco.

Meralco overcame a 39-27 second quarter deficit to put Blackwater in a 44-all tie at the half. The Bolts then scored 19 straight points, with Canaleta and Dillinger leading the charge with their long-range shots, to turn a 54-50 deficit with 8:16 to go in the third into a 69-54 lead four minutes later.

Canaleta gave Meralco its first 19-point lead, 90-71, on a triple with 8:23 remaining in the fourth. The Bolts seemed to have a clear path to victory, ahead 98-87, 1:42 to go, but the Elite scored eight straight to pull within three.

Then Canaleta used a pickand-roll play with Amer to set up the game-clinching three.

Raymar Jose, the third pick in the draft, had 16 points and six rebounds for Blackwater in a losing cause.

Canaleta 25, Amer 17, Dillinger 15, Newsome 12, Lanete 8, Ballesteros 6, Tolomia 6, Baracael 5, Faundo 4, Hugnatan 3, Caram 2, Salva 0.

Jose 16, Maliksi 16, Sumang 15, Belo 13, Erram 11, Cortez 8, Javier 6, DiGregorio 6, Sena 4, Pinto 3, Cruz 0, Banal 0, Marcelo 0.

Quarters: 23-27; 44-44; 77-66; 103-98.