Bolts blow 16-point lead, recover in the end
Games Tomorrow (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:30 p.m. – Blackwater vs Kia 7 p.m. – GlobalPort vs Magnolia
The Meralco Bolts, playing with their backs against the wall, got productive showing from the second unit and escaped with a 92-90 victory over the Phoenix Fuel Masters last night to stay in the quarterfinal hunt of the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Garvo Lanete topscored for Meralco with 24 points while being joined by fellow reserves Anjo Caram, Jason Ballesteros and Nico Salva and starter Chris Newsome in holding off Phoenix’s last chance at sending the game into overtime and produce only its third win in nine games this conference.
Meralco remained in the chase for a top eight finish in the eliminations, though faces an uphill climb going into the last two games against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on Sunday at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan and the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok on Feb. 24 in Cagayan de Oro City.
That is why Coach Norman Black was quick to praise his players’ resolve despite the odds.
“We really had to dig deep to get back in this basketball game,” said Black, whose team led by 16 in the first half and 14 at the break but allowed Phoenix to take command 7570 going into the fourth.
“It takes a lot of will power for the players to say no and we will win this game, and that’s what the players did,” he added. “We treated this game as if it was a championship game.”
Meralco’s win could come at a costly price after Cliff Hodge didn’t return after banging knees with Willie Wilson late in the third quarter while drawing a foul in the baseline. The Bolts are hopeful that Hodge won’t sustain another setback after missing the early part of the conference with an ankle injury.
Wilson scored 24 points and Wright had 16 points, including a pair of three-point plays in the third but Phoenix blew a chance at tying NLEX and Ginebra for a share of fifth and fell to 4-5.
Jeff Chan could have won it for Phoenix in the final seconds but his three-point shot against Newsome was off the mark.