Defensive zap
Meralco brings out the stops, leans on Amer to tack fourth straight loss on Alaska
Coach Norman Black simply wanted his charge store cover from a let down against NLEX last week. The decorated mentor got exactly that and more in the Bolts ’101-75 drubbing of hapless Alaska in friday’ s PBA Governors’ Cup contest at Mall of Asi aa rena in Pasay.
“Ou rd efense in the second half was very, very good, particularly in the third quarter ,” Black told reporters in the post game chat .“Combine that with the fac tt hat Baser Amer g otr eally hot.”
Amer finished with a team best 27 points built on a 6- for -11 shooting cli pf rom deep. Allen Durham tossed ina near tripledouble with 25 points ,15 boards and nine assists.
“We really wante dto focus on trying to establish ourselves as a good defensive team,” Black said after Mer al co rose to 2-1 for the tournament.
Meralco’s defense, one that its mentor rued was barely felt in their losi ng s tand against NLEX, was especially harsh to the Aces’ starter san dt heir new import ,F rank House.
Coming in tor eplace an injured Justin watts, house only had eight points. Alaska, which dropped it sf ourt hs traight game, g ott heg ood sf ro mch ris Banchero and Simon Enciso, who each tallied 15p oints.
Not only did the bolts make a statement defensively, but Black felt li keh i swa rd swe re also able to get back on their usual for man d prime themselves up for a Sunday showdown against Phoenix.
“We felt we le to urselves down in the last game,” he said. “It ’sab ig weekend for us… Even
We felt we let ourselves down in the last game. It’s a big weekend for us
NORMAN BLACK Meralco head coach
though Phoeni xl os tt heir [previous match], they played quite well against TNT.”
“They had a chance to win the game, particularly up until the last si xm inutes of the game. So we’re really expecting a tough… and a very physical game,” Black added.
Magnolia also flashed its migh to n defense when it mattered to hol do ff Rain or Shine, 69-68, in the second game.
“It ’sa tes to f our character. We were just mentally [tougher] in the end,” said Hotshot sc oach Chito Victolero ,wh ose charges improve dto 2-1. INQ