Bolts blast BPier, join Kings on top

Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 3 p.m. – Blackwater vs Rain or Shine 5:15 p.m. – TNT KaTropa vs Ginebra

Allen Durham and the Meralco Bolts asserted themselves against an allFilipino GlobalPort side, pulling off a 100-93 victory to regain a piece of the lead with Barangay Ginebra with two play dates left in the PBA Governors Cup eliminations at the MOA Arena in Pasay City last night.

Durham collected triple-double numbers with 22 points, 22 rebounds and 10 assists and Chris Newsome came through with his own sterling all-around game with 28 markers, seven boards and five dishes as the Bolts clobbered a hapless GlobalPort squad minus an import and top local Terrence Romeo.

Cashing in heavily on their domination at the paint, the Bolts took a nine-point lead at the half and pulled away for good in the third quarter, notching a decisive win that assured the team of at least a tie for fourth spot.

Meralco seeks to avoid complications of a tie as they go for a closing 9-2 win-loss mark in a crucial setto versus the San Miguel Beermen tomorrow at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Batang Pier finished the tourney with measly three wins against eight losses. They lost their last game badly as they played without an import, with supposed reinforcement sub Jamal Thomas being measured above the 6-foot-5 ceiling.

In the first game, the Star Hotshots primed themselves up for a virtual playoff match with the NLEX Road Warriors tomorrow, thumping Kia Picanto in a lopsided 128-81 rout that preserved their Top Four hopes.

The Hotshots left nothing to chance, storming to a 65-36 halftime and refusing to let up on the hapless Picanto team that they didn’t spare an embarrassing winless showing in the season-ending tourney.

Coach Chris Gavina and the Picanto went down as the first team to end up without a single win in a tourney since Blackwater suffered the same humiliation in the 2014-15 Philippine Cup.

As the worst performing team in the 201617 PBA season, Kia earned the rights for the first pick in the coming PBA Rookie Draft.