MERALCO overcame lackluster shooting in the first half and a 16-point deficit to beat Barangay Ginebra, 89-75, for its second straight victory in the PBA 50th Season Philippine Cup.
The Bolts came roaring back from a 54-38 deficit once they began hitting their shots in the second half, sending the Gin Kings reeling to their second defeat in three games.
Chris Newsome made big shots and finished with 19 points, while CJ Cansino had 18 points for the Bolts. Bong Quinto scored all but one of his 11 points in the fourth after the Bolts shot just 23 percent in the first half.
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The table started to turn late in the third when Meralco closed the quarter with an 11-0 blast to come to within five points, 61-56.
Newsome handed Meralco the lead for the first time since 2-0 early in the game with a three-point shot that made it a 67-66 game.
Newsome, Cansino, and Quinto finished off Ginebra with a 12-0 blast for the biggest lead of Meralco in the game at 83-69 with one and a half minutes left.
The win was huge with Meralco in the middle of a three-game, five-day stretch before flying to Japan for the EASL. The Bolts beat Blackwater, 105-96, last Wednesday.
“You have to give Ginebra credit sa first half. Their defense was on point. We were a little bit out of control. I thought our defense played better in the second half,” said Meralco coach Luigi Trillo, whose team will face Magnolia on Sunday at the Ynares Center-Montalban.
“We fueled that and it was nice to see the guys put the ball in the hole. We had 26 in the third, 33 in the fourth.
"It’s always tough when you play Ginebra. The momentum was on our side, but I think maganda ‘yung ginawa namin na we went small. We were able to attack them in certain points of attack in the second half,” said Trillo.
RJ Abarrientos had 14 points while Japeth Aguilar had 13 points but Barangay Ginebra was outscored, 33-14, in the fourth quarter.
The scores:
Meralco 89 – Newsome 19, Cansino 18, Quinto 11, Black 8, Hodge 8, Maliksi 7, Banchero 6, Bates 6, Almazan 6, Pascual 0, Jose 0.
Barangay Ginebra 75 – Abarrientos 14, J. Aguilar 13, Holt 12, Gray 10, Estil 9, Thompson 6, Rosario 5, Pinto 3, Torres 3, Cu 0, David 0.
Quarters: 16-20; 30-42; 56-61; 89-75.
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