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    Maliksi hits dagger as Meralco outlasts Converge in OT, spoils Franklin's 57

    Maliksi, Bolts get last laugh in thriller, tie FiberXers in 5th spot
    Mar 3, 2023
    Allein Maliksi Meralco vs Converge
    Allein Maliksi gets the last laugh against the FiberXers.
    PHOTO: Marlo Cueto

    MERALCO leaned on a clutch three by Allein Maliksi late in overtime to outlast Converge, 132-129, in a wildly-fought PBA Governors Cup game on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

    Meralco vs Converge recap

    Maliksi drained the crucial three with 34 seconds left to play that put the Bolts in front for good, 130-128, and secure the hardearned win which spoiled the 57 big points of Converge import Jamaal Franklin and the unretiring of two-time MVP Danny Ildefonso.

    The game took a crucial twist though, in the final six seconds when Maliksi almost turned hero to goat for committing a flagrant foul 2 against Barkley Ebona following a chokehold on the Converge big man who fouled the Meralco wingman hard in an attempt to stop the clock.

    The F2 led to Maliksi's ejection, while Ebona was whistled for a flagrant foul 1.

    Meralco was protecting a two-point lead when the incident happened right in front of the Bolts bench, which also saw coach Norman Black getting in a heated exchange of words with Converge guard Alex Stockton.

    Two free throws were awarded to the Bolts, which Anjo Caram both converted for a 132-128 lead, before Jeron Teng split his own two free throws at the other end to make it a three-point game.

    "I was just trying to separate them so Allein wouldn't get thrown out of the game, which obviously he didn't do a good job coz he was thrown out," said coach Norman Black of the incident.

    ."That was it. Much ado about nothing, I guess."

    The Bolts improved to a 6-4 record for a tie with their victims at fifth spot and could still get a probable shot of sneaking into the Top 4 for a twice-to-beat advantage.

    KJ McDaniels led Meralco with 33 points and 12 rebounds, while Aaron Black added 28 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.

    The loss was a heartbreaker for the FiberXers especially Franklin, who had 19 of his total output in the fourth quarter before fouling out with 2:22 to play in overtime.

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    The import actually finished with a triple double as he added 14 rebounds, and 11 assists.

    Maverick Ahanmisi also fouled out in the fourth quarter, but not before scoring 24 points including 12 in the third period which ended with Converge leading, 92-83.

    Even without Franklin and Ahanmisi, Converge still had a chance to send the game into a second overtime, but Jerrick Balanza's potential game-tying three-pointer missed its mark at the buzzer.

    Ildefonso, 46, played for four minutes in the first quarter to mark his first game back since retiring in 2015.

    The scores

    Meralco (132) -- McDaniels 33, Black 28, Hodge 18, Almazan 16, Quinto 12, Maliksi 12, Newsome 11, Caram 2, Banchero 0, Jose 0.

    Converge (129) -- Franklin 57, Ahanmisi 24, Racal 14, Stockton 9, Tratter 7, Balanza 6, Tolomia 5, Arana 4, Teng 3, Ildefonso 0, Ebona 0.

    Quarterscores: 30-22; 62-55; 83-92; 121-121 (reg); 132-129.

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      Allein Maliksi gets the last laugh against the FiberXers.
      PHOTO: Marlo Cueto
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