Last Friday, 7 February, the Meralco Bolts picked up its first win of the season against Barangay Ginebra, 108-104, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, extending their PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal to a rubber match.
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.
Game Three will be played today, 9 February, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Meralco coach Luigi Trillo was called for a technical foul at the 10:07 mark of the third quarter for complaining to the referees after the Bolts were slapped with a fifth foul in the quarter.
That outburst seemed to have sparked the Bolts, who went on a 9-0 run to break free from a 62-62 deadlock.
The Bolts never relinquished the lead after that even after a late comeback attempt by Ginebra, which had a chance until RJ Abarrientos missed a four-point shot in its final offensive possession.
Meralco won despite committing more fouls, 34-19, and turnovers, 15-7.
"Whatever way we got it, whatever it takes to get this one, we did that," said Meralco coach Luigi Trillo. "We haven’t done anything. Now, we have to focus on one more game to get it done."
A Cliff Hodge lay-up closed a 6-0 run that pushed Meralco’s lead to its biggest at 77-65 with 5:19 remaining in the third quarter.
Akil Mitchell also had an all-around game with 13 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists even after being saddled with five fouls in Game Two.
Justin Brownlee finished with 36 points on 14-of-30 shooting from the field, while Scottie Thompson had 21 points and nine rebounds.
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