MANILA – Meralco Bolts survived an endgame surge from Phoenix Fuel Masters to pull off an 82-76 victory in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Aaron Black led the way for the Bolts with 18 points, including four three-point conversions, while Chris Newsome chipped in 15 points as they improved to a 4-5 win-loss slate.
Chris Banchero tallied 14 points, including some crucial hits with under a minute left, and Allein Maliksi ended with 13 points for the Bolts, which kept its quarterfinals hopes alive after ending its two-game slide.
After trailing for most part of the first half, the Bolts turned things around in the third quarter behind Black and Newsome for their biggest lead of 64-53 on a free throw by Banchero early in the fourth quarter.
The Fuel Masters, however, did not give up easily, threatening to cut the deficit several times, but the Bolts had its answers courtesy of Maliksi for a 77-72 edge with over a minute left.
Still, Phoenix made its last push with baskets from Javee Mocon and Kenneth Tuffin, but a layup by Banchero and free throws by Kier John Quinto sealed the win for Meralco.
Bolts head coach Luigi Trillo said barging back to the win-column is a positive sign for the team’s quarterfinals hopes after suffering a deflating defeat to also-ran Converge FiberXers last Sunday.
“With that loss to Converge (last Sunday), we now have to win all of our remaining (elimination round) games to secure a quarterfinals spot, maybe a top six,” said Trillo.
“Every game from now on is very crucial for us and our margin of error is very slim, especially if we want to be in the playoffs round,” he added.
Tuffin top-scored for the Fuel Masters with 14 points, while Michael Salado contributed 12 points and eight rebounds. They dropped to a 3-7 mark after sustaining their second straight setback./PN
BOX SCORE:
MERALCO 82 – Black 18, Newsome 15, Banchero 14, Maliksi 13, Hodge 6, Caram 6, Bates 4, Almazan 3, Quinto 3, Pasaol 0, Torres 0, Pascual 0.
PHOENIX 76 – Tuffin 14, Salado 12, Jazul 9, Rivero 9, Mocon 7, Garcia 6, Perkins 5, Muyang 4, Verano 4, Alejandro 3, Soyud 3, Daves 0, Camacho 0.
Quarterscores: 24-21, 34-38, 60-53, 82-76.
