MERALCO blew a 13-point lead in the final four minutes and fell against home team Busan KCC Egis, 72-68, in the EASL Home-And-Away Season 2 on Wednesday night at the Busan Sajik gymnasium.
The reigning Korean Basketball League champion went on a telling 19-2 run in the last 4:02 of the game behind a hail of three-pointers by Heo Ung to complete the huge reversal and notch its first win in the tournament.
The Bolts led 66-53 and appeared ready to repeat against Busan before suddenly collapsing in a maze of blown offensives and a defensive breakdown down the stretch, allowing the home team to pull off the dramatic win.
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Heo finished with a game-high 31 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the three-point arc, four of them coming during that crucial stretch run to spark the come-from-behind victory.
His layup with 12 seconds to go finally put the home team in front, 69-68.
Busan improved to a 1-3 record, but remained at the bottom of Group B standings.
The win avenged Busan’s 81-80 loss to Meralco last month where Akil Mitchell hit the game winning basket.
Coming off a surgery for his broken nose, Mitchell, suited up for the Bolts with a protective mask and delivered 17 points and 18 rebounds, but he couldn't replicate his heroics in their first meeting in Manila.
The Meralco import missed on a possible winning jumper with a second left in the game and the Bolts just down by a point.
Deonte Burton secured the rebound and scored on three straight free throws for the final count.
Playing with a depleted roster, the Bolts went down to a 2-2 record in Group B though remained in second place behind unbeaten leader Ryukyu Golden Kings.
DJ Kennedy led Meralco with 23 points and nine rebounds.
The scores
Busan KCC 72 - Heo 31, Burton 26, Choi 5, Williams 4, Lee 4, Lee G. 2, Epistola 0, Jung 0.
Meralco 68 - Kennedy 23, Mitchell 17, Kouame 8, Newsome 5, Hodge 3, Quinto 3, Caram 3, Black 2, Bates 2, Caram 2.
Quarters: 13-12; 31-31: 51-50; 72-68.
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