Meralco Survives PBA Governors' Cup Scare As Blackwater Erupts Late

0Shares

Meralco needed every bit of poise it had left.

The Bolts survived a furious fourth-quarter eruption from Blackwater, escaping with a 116-114 win Tuesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. It took a clutch layup from Chris Newsome and a game-ending miscue from the Bossing to seal it.

The victory pulled Meralco even with Blackwater at 2-1 in Group B of the PBA Governors’ Cup. But for most of the fourth quarter, it looked like the Bolts wouldn’t need any late help at all.

Antonio Hester finished with a double-double to lead the Meralco Bolts. [PBA Images]

Meralco’s Big Lead Nearly Vanishes

Meralco carried a commanding 98-91 lead into the final period and kept pulling away, pushing the gap to an imposing 110-92 with 7:35 left. The Bolts looked to be in full control.

Then Blackwater refused to fold.

The Bossing clawed back possession by possession, eventually knotting the score at 114-all. They even had a shot at the lead in the final 35 seconds.

Newsome Delivers, Ilagan’s Miscue Seals It

Sedrick Barefield and Kentrell Barkley each missed potential go-ahead attempts down the stretch. Chris Banchero grabbed the rebound and pushed it ahead to Newsome, who finished the fastbreak with a layup for a 116-114 lead with just 3.9 seconds remaining.

Blackwater’s final hope disappeared when RK Ilagan dribbled the ball off his foot, sending it out of bounds and effectively ending any chance of an equalizer.

Meralco coach Luigi Trillo credited Blackwater’s resilience after the game.

“You have to give Blackwater credit,” Trillo said. “I think we were up in the third quarter by 17 points. They have no quit and that’s a testament to what coach Pat’s been doing there. They’re playing really good,” he added. “Good na lang that we were able to shoot that last shot on that pass to ‘New.'”

Antonio Hester led all Meralco scorers with 25 points and 12 rebounds, despite going scoreless for most of the second half and adding just a single point after halftime. Newsome and Banchero each chipped in 16 points, with Banchero’s total fueled by three shots from beyond the arc.

Barefield paced Blackwater with 29 points, while Barkley notched a double-double with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Ilagan added 20 points and Dalph Panopio scored 11 as the Bossing mounted their late surge, capped by Ilagan’s 18-footer that tied the game for the third and final time.