MERALCO’S Game Seven win over Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals in San Jose, Batangas marked its fourth out-of-town victory in as many tries this year.
Head coach Luigi Trillo credited the team’s proficiency in winning provincial games to last season’s stint in the East Asia Super League (EASL) where they played against teams from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
“We’ve been through a lot of wars this year – EASL, Doha, out-of-town games, PBA on Tour, and we’ve been travelling a lot,” said Trillo after Game Three of the semis in Dasmariñas City where the Bolts also won.
How Meralco generated provincial-game power
The Bolts finished with a 1-5 win-loss record through their EASL campaign that saw them play road games against Ryukyu Golden Kings, Seoul SK Knights, and New Taipei Kings.
Meralco’s lone win in the competition was actually played in a neutral site overseas where the Bolts defeated the Golden Kings in Macau, an overtime win with Chris Newsome nailing the key shots down the stretch.
Prior to the 2023-24 PBA season, Meralco also competed in the Doha International Basketball Championship where it wound up with a 1-4 win-loss mark.
The travelling, the Bolts believe now, helped in their perfect record in out-of-town games including last Friday’s match where they overcame Barangay Ginebra, 78-69, to reach the finals to face defending champion San Miguel.
And speaking of the Beermen, Meralco already tasted victory against its finals foe, 95-92, during the two teams' elimination round game held in Batangas City last May.
READ: Meralco foils San Miguel's sweep bid, gains quarterfinals
“So I think we are used to this setup. Our coaches led by coach Nenad [Vucinic], we do a good job of probably balancing the time on what we need to do,” said Trillo.
There won’t be an out-of-town game in the finals, as all matches will be held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Still, the confidence the Bolts gained in provincial matches will come in handy against mighty San Miguel.
“We are confident. We are in shape. And we have to continue what we are doing,” said Trillo.
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