CJ Cansino scored a career-high 23 points for Meralco. His jumper with 31.2 seconds left gave the Bolts back the lead at 73-72 after Zavier Lucero scored back-to-back threes to put Magnolia on top after a long chase.
Before a big crowd at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo, the Kings beat the Bolts in the crunch, essaying a 94-87 victory to complete the Final Four cast, joining top seed NorthPort, second seed TNT and No. 6 Rain or Shine.
Chris Newsome scored 24 points, Cliff Hodge added 17 points, and Jansen Rios chipped in 15 as the Bolts captured their first victory over the Gin Kings on the sixth attempt this season to tie best-of-three series at 1-1.
Ricardo Ratliffe had 31 points and 19 rebounds to set the stage for the rout at the Philsports Arena for the Hotshots against a Bolts squad that sat out Akil Mitchell for the second straight game, and practically had nothing to play for in the match-up in having already sealed the fifth-seed.
The Gin Kings made a crucial separation in the third period and banked on clutch charities by RJ Abarrientos to fend off the Bolts' siege at endgame for a closing 8-4 win-loss card, catching up with the Converge FiberXers.
The Bolts won their third straight game following another solid defensive effort where they limited their opponent once again to less than 100 points.
Aside from their fiery shooting, the Bolts' defense limited the usually high-scoring Batang Pier to their fewest points in a game this conference on the way to their sixth win in nine outings. The Bolts, now riding a two-game winning streak, is tied with Eastern and Converge FiberXers for third in the standings.
Akil Mitchell had 24 points and 11 rebounds while five other players scored in double digits for the Bolts, who bounced back from their close defeat to TNT to improve their record to 5-3.
Hollis-Jefferson's timely heroics enabled TNT to preserve its third straight win, overcoming a late rally by Meralco from the depths of a 23-point deficit.
Akil Mitchell wound up with 31 points while anchoring the Bolts' defense that limited the guest team to its lowest scoring total so far and spelled the biggest difference in the hard-fought match.
Heading and Baltazar led the charge of the locals as the FiberXers improved their record to 6-2, while dealing the Bolts their second straight loss in five matches.
Sedric Barefield topscored with 33 points while George King put in 32 points and 14 rebounds to power the Bossing past the Meralco squad who are without their injury-hit ace locals Allein Maliksi and Raymond Almazan.
Rios' unmolested shot from the right corner gave the Bolts a 94-91 lead and Chris Newsome added two charities following the Dyip's erratic plays inside the final 9.4 seconds.
The Bolts endured the premature departure of Akil Mitchell due to a nose injury suffered just 11 seconds into the game to beat the Elasto Painters, who started the game without reinforcement Deon Thompson due to his lack of a special work permit.
Akil Mitchell converted a floater in the last 1.3 seconds that proved to be the game-winner, capping the Bolts' fightback from as much as a 23-point deficit and into their opening win in the mid-season tourney.
Unfortunately, it did not end up the way it was expected after the first option Rashawn Thomas asked for a much bigger paycheck.
Commissioner Willie Marcial said the set-up has been finalized in time for the 27 November opening of the mid-season conference.
League chief Willie Marcial disclosed recently that the Board of Governors gave the green light to tap imports of any height for the mid-season tournament next year. However, the Governors Cup, which opens Season 49 by the middle of August, will retain its previous height limit of 6-foot-6 among imports.