A SHORTHANDED Meralco side still found little trouble in dispatching Converge, 116-88, on Wednesday in the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Bolts won their third straight game despite playing without Cliff Hodge, the latest addition to the team's injured list that already includes Allein Maliksi, Raymond Almazan, and Aaron Black.
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Allen Durham had 27 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists, while Chris Banchero had 12 of his 24 points in the second quarter as the Bolts wrested the solo lead in Group A with a 4-1 win-loss record.
The Bolts also got solid contributions from the likes of Anjo Caram and Alvin Pasaol in the blowout win that sent the FiberXers reeling to their third defeat in five games while playing without starting center Justin Arana.
Caram had 16 points including 11 in the third quarter, while Pasaol had 12 points - 10 of which came in the second half where the Bolts led by as many as 30 points, 114-84.
“What’s nice is that you have guys like Anjo, he is a pro and he is ready to play. Alvin played. The other guys who don’t really get as many minutes, they were huge in their contributions,” said Meralco coach Luigi Trillo.
The 28-point victory is the largest for Meralco since its 111-81 win over San Miguel during the 2018 Governors' Cup, according to PBA statistics chief Fidel Mangonon.
Meralco protected a 53-40 lead at the half, then outscored Converge, 33-23, in the third on its way to an 86-73 advantage.
Scotty Hopson had 33 points, six rebounds, and six assists, while Alec Stockton had 13 points for Converge, which missed Arana in the match due to an injury.
Their frontline suffered another blow when Patrick Maagdenberg got hurt early in the second quarter and never returned.
The scores:
Meralco 116 – Durham 27, Banchero 24, Caram 16, Pasaol 12, Mendoza 10, Cansino 6, Quinto 5, Newsome 5, Jose 5, Rios 3, Bates 2, Pascual 1.
Converge 88 – Hopson 33, Stockton 13, Delos Santos 12, Ambohot 10, Santos 8, Winston 5, Maagdenberg 4, Andrade 3, Melecio 0, Racal 0, Fornilos 0, Vigan-Fleming 0, Caralipio 0, Nieto 0, Cabagnot 0.
Quarters: 26-32; 53-50; 86-73; 116-88.
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