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[av_heading heading=’Meralco narrowly beats Phoenix in PBA Govs’ Cup ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
By ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Saturdsy, August 19, 2017
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MANILA – Meralco Bolts recovered from a 15-point second half deficit to escape with a 107-104 win over Phoenix Fuel Masters in the 2017 Oppo PBA Governors’ Cup last night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Reinforcement Allen Durham led the way with double-double 33 points and 16 rebounds.
Garvo Lanete added conference-high 27 points, including six triples, while Chris Newsome and Bacolodnon Reynel Hugnatan contributed 18 and 15 points, respectively.
With the win, the Bolts tied sister team NLEX Road Warriors at second place with 5-1 win-loss slate.
The Norman Black-mentored team were shorthanded heading into the game. Baser Amer and Chris Michael Tolomia were with Gilas Pilipinas Cadets in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games while Clifford Hodge was still out with an injury.
Down by as much as 15 points at 77-62 after a triple by Fuel Masters’ Karl Dehesa, the Bolts started its run behind the three straight three pointers by Lanete to come to within 81-75 late in the third quarter.
The Fuel Masters increased the lead to 84-75 but the Bolts answered with another rally behind Durham, Newsome and Ilonggo Anjo Caram to tie the count at 87-all on a baseline hit by Hugnatan.
The Bolts surged ahead for good at 96-87 on consecutive points by Durham but Fuel Masters was able to come to as close as 105-104 on free throws by Brandon Brown.
Two free throws by Lanete sealed the win for the Bolts.
Brown, who played in place of injured Eugene Phelps, finished with 38 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, while Negrense Jeffrei Chan added 27 points for the Fuel Masters, which dropped to 2-4 win-loss mark.
BOX SCORE:
MERALCO 107 – Durham 33, Lanete 27, Newsome 18, Hugnatan 15, Caram 7, Nabong 4, Dillinger 3, Faundo 0, Atkins 0, Sedurifa 0, Chua 0.
PHOENIX 104 – Brown 38, Chan 27, J. Wilson 12, Jazul 9, Eriobu 7, Alolino 4, Dehesa 3, Intal 2, Kramer 2, W. Wilson 0, Hayes 0, Ababou 0.
Quarterscores: 26-19, 48-57, 75-84, 107-104./PN
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