Meralco twice-to-beat in quarters
With two chances to secure the No. 2 spot this week, the Bolts did not waste time clinching twice-to-beat advantage in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals, defeating NLEX, 104-101, on Wednesday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Meralco took control early before holding off NLEX, notching their eighth win in 10 outings.
That meant the Bolts, with still a game in hand, get the No. 2 spot behind TNT Tropang Giga, which went 10-1 in the eliminations.
Meralco secures the No. 2 spot due to the win-over-the-other rule, sending Magnolia (8-3) to the No. 3 slot.
The Bolts nail a twice-to-beat incentive in an all-Filipino conference for the first time in franchise history.
Meralco plays Barangay Ginebra on Thursday in its final elimination-round match.
NLEX still advances to the quarterfinals, although at 5-6 could still slip to No. 7 after the eliminations.
Allein Maliksi
SMB eliminates Alaska
SAN MIGUEL defeated Alaska to secure the No. 4 spot in the playoffs and will play in a best-of-three series in the quarterfinals.
Marcio Lassiter delivered the winner for the Beermen, hitting a late triple to eliminate the Aces.
The Beermen finished with seven wins in 11 outings, behind TNT, Meralco and Magnolia.
Alaska, which went 1-2 in a three-game schedule last week, suffered its seventh loss in 10 games.
Already out, the Aces still have a game to play against quarterfinals-bound NorthPort on Thursday.
CJ Perez
Calvin Oftana breaks Allan Caidic rookie record
CALVIN Oftanaset a new rookie record for three-pointers in the PBA.
Allan Caidic’s mark of seven triples in his freshman year in 1987 was eclipsed by NLEX rookie Oftana, making eight treys in the Road Warriors’ loss to Meralco in the Philippine Cup.
Oftana, a former NCAA MVP with San Beda, finished with 34 points on 12 of 18 shooing in 29 minutes of play. He made 11 attempts from beyond the arc.
Caidic set the mark in the 1987 Open Conference Finals while playing for Great Taste, which lost to Tanduay in overtime, 135-134.
Calvin Oftana
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