CHICAGO - The Meralco Bolts led the league in three-point defense during the Philippine Cup elimination round, allowing just 84 makes on 306 attempts, a meager 27.5 percent clip.
In Game One of the Finals last Wednesday, they held San Miguel to 7-of-23 from three on the way to a 93-86 victory.
In last Friday's Game Two, Meralco had handcuffed the Beermen yet again, holding them to just 5-of-21 from long distance with just 25.6 seconds left to play.
And then all hell broke loose.
READ: SMB avoids falling into 0-2 hole with gritty comeback vs Meralco
CJ Perez and Marcio Lassiter drained back-to-back triples that erased a 93-89 deficit and ultimately carried the Beermen to an improbable 95-94 reversal.
A CHOKE JOB?
Not exactly. And it wasn't a case of the defense falling asleep or getting sloppy, either.
Perez and Lassiter made pressure-packed treys that were tenaciously contested with a solid close-out and a hand on the face.
Eff the metrics.
CJ and Marcio showed the poise and testicular fortitude that will often trump analytics. And that's why we now have a compelling series tied at 1-1 instead of a 2-0 count which could turn unappealing in a hurry.
Even with San Miguel's late barrage, Meralco could have at least guaranteed itself an overtime session had Chris Banchero made both of his free throws in the final 20 seconds as they were holding on to a shaky 93-92 lead.
But the fact that CB missed a big one wasn't a surprise. Through 22 games this conference, he's just a 54.5 percent free throw shooter (18-of-33).
Still, the split charities didn't cause the Bolts' Game Two blackout. It always comes back to the Beermen's shot-making in the face of adversity.
TIME OF RECKONING
We've learned plenty about the Bolts this season. They are strong, scruffy, resilient, and versatile in a way that they can defend small ball or bully ball.
And with the 1-2 brainpower of active consultant Nenad Vucinic and coach Luigi Trillo, Meralco is a disciplined, well-coached team.
In tomorrow's Game Three, we're about to find out if the Bolts will have the mental toughness to overcome the trauma of losing a match that was already in the bag.
I know Cliff Hodge will show up. He's been robotic in this Finals - 32 points and 24 rebounds in all, while guarding the perimeter like a mean, territorial junkyard dog.
Hodge's energy and enthusiasm has clearly infected teammate Brandon Bates who has been crashing the boards and blocking shots with reckless abandon since the Ginebra series.
Hodge and Bates are probably sweating - and at the same time, salivating - at the mere thought of Game Three looming in less than 24 hours.
READ: June Mar left breathless by Meralco rookie Bates
The question is, will the rest of Meralco show up?
Or will they wilt like an overused, overwhelmed power grid?
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
