MERALCO took advantage of the absence of an injured Bol Bol to beat TNT, 87-76, on Friday in Game Two of their PBA 50th Season Commissioner's Cup semifinal series at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Bolts evened the best-of-seven series at 1-1, but the story of Game 2 was the suspected Achilles heel injury to Bol that is expected to keep the super import out for the rest of the conference.
READ TNT medical staff fears Bol Bol has suffered partial Achilles tear
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
With Bol out, Meralco finally got the lead for good after outscoring TNT, 30-19, in the fourth quarter. Chris Newsome had 24 points including 15 in that decisive stretch.
Marvin Jones had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Javee Mocon had 16 points and five rebounds for the Bolts.
Meralco coach Luigi Trillo said it was still very difficult to defeat TNT even with Bol out.
“This team is tough. They've been to the finals the last two conferences. We know what TNT is about. You just felt in that first game that they kinda picked us apart,” Trillo said.
“They were deliberate in what they did. They had their points of attack. You felt like it was a playoff game the way they were playing on both ends of the court. Coach (Nenad Vucinic) reminded [our players] that it has to feel like a playoff game,” said Trillo.
RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana picked up the cudgels by scoring 27 and 22 points respectively for TNT.
Bol's night ended after being on the court for nine minutes and 21 seconds, and had 10 points, six rebounds, and one block.
The scores:
Meralco 87 – Newsome 24, Jones 16, Mocon 16, Hodge 12, Quinto 6, Cansino 5, Brickman 3, Black 3, Rios 2, Banchero 0, Bates 0.
TNT 76 – Pogoy 27, Oftana 22, Bol 10, Heading 6, Nambatac 4, Chua 2, Khobuntin 2, Quitevis 2, Ferrer 1, Williams 0, Enciso 0, Nieto 0, Ganuelas-Rosser 0.
Quarters: 15-22; 35-40; 57-57; 87-76.
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