Bolts enter quarterfinals
Games Today (Mall of Asia Arena) 4:30 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Phoenix 6:45 p.m. – San Miguel vs TNT KaTropa
Meralco treated Blackwater like a sparring partner ahead of a killer stretch of games before cruising to a 102-75 victory and clinch a quarterfinals berth in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Bolts threw a haymaker in the first half, highlighted by a big second quarter that saw them score 35 points on 69.6-percent shooting on their way to joining Rain or Shine, Alaska and TNT KaTropa in the quarterfinals.
Import Arinze Onuaku finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds while Anjo Caram came off the bench to score eight of his 13 points in the second as Meralco tied TNT for third place at 6-2.
“I thought my guys played with a sense of urgency as far as this having to be a must-win situation for us, especially with the three games coming up in our schedule,” said Meralco coach Norman Black.
Black and company face Alaska on Sunday, TNT on June 22 and Rain or Shine on June 24. The three teams will decide whether Meralco can squeak in a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarters.
Caram starred in that second quarter breakaway that saw the Bolts outscoring the Elite by 20 to take a 59-30 halftime lead. Meralco held a 41-point lead twice, beginning with Mac Baracael’s basket for 93-52, 7:26 remaining in the fourth.
“I thought my guys did a great job at doing that of limiting the Blackwater team in the first three quarters,” said Black. “The bench did a very, very good job in not only maintain the advantage that the first team gave us in the first half but they were able to increase the advantage.”
The veteran mentor also praised Onuaku for providing more energy after what thought was a sub-par showing in last week’s 103-100 overtime victory over Phoenix, though the former Best Import turned in a triple-double.
Cliff Hodge scored 12 points while Jared Dillinger and KG Canaleta added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Bolts.
Henry Walker had 14 points, 13 rebounds and six assists but the Elite dropped to a league-worst 1-9 record. Blackwater entered the game already out of playoff contention.
The scores:
Onuaku 17, Caram 13, Hodge 12, Dillinger 11, Canaleta 10, Amer 9, Tolomia 6, Hugnatan 6, Newsome 4, Ballesteros 4, Sedurifa 3, De Ocampo 3, Salva 2, Baracael 2, Bono 0, Lanete 0. Walker 14, Maliksi 12, Zamar 11, Sumang 10, DiGregorio 8, Al-Hussaini 7, Erram 4, Banal 2, Pinto 2, Sena 2, Palma 1, Cortez 0, Cruz 0, Javier 0. Quarters: 24-15; 59-30; 79-47; 102-75.