Newsome lifts Meralco past NLEX
Games Today (Mall of Asia Arena) 4:30 p.m. – Mahindra vs Phoenix 6:45 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Brgy. Ginebra
The Meralco Bolts may have raised the curtains to the Chris Newsome era. Deferring to Jimmy Alapag during their time together last season, Newsome basked in the solo spotlight yesterday by scoring 28 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to lead the Bolts past the NLEX Road Warriors, 106-93, in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With Alapag retiring a second time, and perhaps with finality, Newsome displayed facets of his own game as he slashed his way through the porous NLEX defense while taking at least two shots to the head – one from Asi Taulava and another from Eman Monfort.
He was 11 of 16 from the field with two 3-pointers and 5 assists, combining with rookie Ed Daquioag in a finishing 13-point run that put away the Road Warriors.
“We knew NLEX had a lot of energy because we played them in Cebu during the off-season; we expected a lot of fire from them especially with coach Yeng Guiao,” Newsome said. “But we were able to stick to our game plan and play hard.”
Daquioag, acquired by Meralco in the special draft for Gilas Cadets out of University of Santo Tomas, added 23 points on 9 of 14 from the floor, while Cliff Hodge added 12 points and Andrew Caram 11.
A 3-pointer by Daquioag gave Meralco an 88-84 lead with 6:22 remaining and NLEX was unable to match the Bolts’ strong closing performance anchored around their fleet-footed guards.
Trying to mirror the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in their propensity to gun away from the outside, the Road Warriors paid the price after missing 28 of 39 three-point attempts. Kevin Alas went 2 of 6 in 3s, Glenn Khobuntin 0 of 4 and Mac Baracael 1 of 7.
Newsome went down clutching the top of his head in the middle of a 9-0 run in the third quarter after Taulava, faked off his feet, landed a forearm on the former Ateneo Blue Eagle. A few minutes later, Newsome again crashed to the floor clutching his mouth after Monfort caught him square on the face with his arm during a rebound play.
Late in the evening, the Alaska Aces suffered yet another torturous defeat to defending champion San Miguel Beer, 93-88, extending to the 42nd season a life of torment at the hands of SMB that began two years ago.
Decimated by injuries to key players Sonny Thoss, Noy Baclao and Calvin Abueva and by a team-imposed disciplinary action on Vic Manuel and Chris Exciminiano, the Aces nonetheless kept SMB in a choke-hold for most part of their first meeting this year only to see the Beermen, as in Game 4 of the 2015 Philippine Cup Finals, manage to again squirm free.
A passing error in front of the Alas- ka bench set up RR Garcia for two free throws that broke an 88-all count. Aces rookie Carl Bryan Cruz then missed consecutive attempts from point-blank range and Marcio Lassiter added two more from the line for SMB, which was without an ailing Alex Cabagnot.
Newsome 28, Daquioag 23, Hodge 12, Caram 11, Nabong 11, Yeo 7, Grey 6, chua 4, Al-Hussaini 2, Faundo 2, Amer 0, Bono 0, Hugnatan 0, Uyloan 0. Anthony 15, Camson 14, Lanete 14, Soyud 14, Alas 10, Lastimosa 10, Villanueva J. 7, Baracael 5, Guinto 4, Khobuntin 0, Monfort 0, Taulava 0. Quarters: 21-25; 56-54; 79-77; 106-93 Fajardo 23, Santos 16, Lassiter 14, Garcia 13, Espinas 12, Agovida 8, Tubid 2, McCarthy 2, Ross 2, Van Opstal 0. Casio 20, Dela Cruz 15, Mendoza 12, Cruz 11, Banchero 7, Galliguez 5, Jazul 5, Racal 5, Magat 5, Hontiveros 3. Quarters: 16-22; 44-53; 70-72; 93-88