The Meralco Bolts showed resiliency in the final half, overcoming a flat start and turning back the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, 89-75, in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last 17 October.
Chris Newsome, CJ Cansino and Bong Quinto were the catalysts as the Bolts fought back from 12 points down at the half and chalked up a second straight win while sending the Gin Kings to a 1-2 season start.
Quinto was good for just 11 points but made all but one of those in the fourth quarter, starring in a 33-14 closing barrage that handed the Bolts a second straight win after a 105-96 drubbing of the Blackwater Bossing on Wednesday also at the Big Dome.
Newsome top-scored with 19 points that went with eight rebounds and four assists while Cansino chipped in 18 markers as the Bolts went on a two-game run after heartbreakers against the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 96-100, and versus the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 95-96, in overtime.
They came alive after the first half where they trailed, 30-42, versus the Gin Kings led by RJ Abarrientos, Japeth Aguilar, Stephen Holt and Jeremiah Gray.
Through the third period, the Bolts had come to within five.
Then Newsome and his teammates stepped up even more in the payoff period, overtaking the Gin Kings then eventually handing them a second loss after a 73-80 defeat in the Manila Clasico season opener on 5 October.
With the win, the Bolts climbed up to 2-2 ahead of their clash with the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots on Sunday over at the Ynares Center-Montalban.
It's a key win for coach Luigi Trillo and his troops who are also bracing for their coming stint in the East Asia Super League where they will be bannered by the Rondae Hollis Jefferson-Justin Brownlee tandem.
The Gin Kings pummeled the Bolts, 20-16 and 22-14, in the first two quarters but suddenly blew cold, throwing bricks and eventually missing a shot at back-to-back triumphs.
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