Meralco trips TNT, grabs solo lead
Game Today (Mindanao Civic Center, Tubod, Lanao del Norte) 5 p.m. – Star vs GlobalPort Games Tomorrow (Ynares Sports Center, Antipolo City) 4:30 p.m. – Blackwater vs Rain or Shine 6:45 p.m. – Phoenix Fuel vs TNT Ka Tropa
Meralco continued to make heads turn as the Bolts showed maturity with the veterans leading the way in their 94-89 victory over TNT Katropa in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The win was the third straight for the Bolts, who assumed solo leadership with the victory over their sister team.
As expected, Meralco import Alex Stepheson provided big numbers anew with double-double 20 points and 27 rebounds, and he got the needed support from his local teammates.
Second year guard Baser Amer and veteran wingman Jared Dillinger finished with 17 points apiece, the latter shooting 3-of-8 from three-point land, while sophomore forward Chris Newsome had 10 points and seven assists.
Reynel Hugnatan, another veteran the Meralco roster, came off the bench to contribute 10 points.
“That seems to be the keys, that’s what we’re trying to focus on our defense,” said Meralco coach Norman Black as his team limited an opponent below 90 points for the third straight game.
“It’s very important for us to defend, and (tonight) our defense was solid. We also got a lot of contributions,” added Black, whose team’s franchise best start was 5-0, which the team had twice in the last two Commissioner’s Cup.
TNT, which rested top guard Jayson Castro (hamstring), got 19 points and 18 rebounds from Lou Amundson. Rookie Roger Pogoy and Ryan Reyes had 15 and 11 points, respectively.
Earlier, Mahindra import James White had another stellar performance but it was the Floodbuster’s locals that did most of the damage in the final frame as they downed the NLEX Road Warriors, 89-81.
White fired 30 points and grabbed 23 rebounds, although guard LA Revilla and veteran forward Mark Yee came through with clutch baskets for Mahindra in the final stretch.
Protecting a 76-70 lead with less than seven minutes to play, Yee hit a booming three-point shot that gave the team a 7970 lead with 6:23 remaining in the game, and then followed it up with a jump shot to make it 81-70 with 5:15 left to play.
Revilla, a member of the Gilas Pilipinas national team training pool, drilled in a triple of his own from the top of the key, which gave them an 8470 lead with 3:52 to go.
The win put Mahindra on the win column after it dropped its first two games with setbacks to Meralco (9486) and Rain or Shine (99-95) during the opening week of the mid-season conference.
White 30, Revilla 9, Celda 9, David 9, Arana 9, Mallari 7, Yee 5, Paniamogan 3, Galanza 3, Deutchman 2, Apinan 2, Salva 1, Ballesteros 0.
Chism 28, Rios 15, Camson 8, Soyud 7, Lnete 6, Alas 5, Taulava 4, Lastimosa 2, Tiongson 2, Guinto 2, Khobuntin 2, Baracael 0, Monfort 0, J. Villanueva 0.
Quarters: 24-18, 44-34, 68-62, 89-81.
Stepheson 20, Amer 17, Dillinger 17, Newsome 10, Hugnatan 10, Faundo 6, Daquioag 5, Hodge 5, Chua 3, Caram 1, Uyloan 0. Amundson 19, Pogoy 15, Reyes 11, Fonacier 9, Rosario 6, Tautuaa 6, Rosales 6, Carey 5, Ganuelas-Rosser 4, De Ocampo 3, Williams 3, Tamsi 2, Golla 0, Hernandez 0. Quarterscores: 22-22, 46-50,74-68, 94-89