(UPDATED) BOCAUE, Philippines – Jason Ballesteros materialized into the hero Meralco Bolts badly needed as they stayed alive in their playoff hunt with an 84-82 win over Barangay Ginebra in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup at the Philippine Arena here Sunday, February 18.

Ballesteros, who finished with 17 rebounds and 7 points, provided clutch plays on both ends of the floor to power the Bolts to their second straight win.

Meralco avoided early elimination by improving to 4-6, forcing a 3-team logjam at 9th place with the TNT KaTropa and the Blackwater Elite.

Ginebra held a slim 82-81 lead with 58 seconds left before Ballesteros put Meralco in the front seat with a putback off a Chris Newsome miss, 83-82.

On the next possession, the burly center grabbed the defensive rebound after a Scottie Thompson miss before being fouled. He then split his free throws to push the Bolts’ lead to two, 84-82.

Ginebra had enough time to get off an equalizer with 17 seconds left in the game but to no avail as Ballesteros did enough to distract Japeth Aguilar, who muffed his 3-point attempt.

“I know it sounds cliché, it sounds corny but you know we just said this is our championship. Let’s just play our hearts out. What do we have to lose? Let’s give it our best shot and see what happens,” said Meralco head coach Norman Black.

“And that’s what the players did tonight. That’s the attitude they brought to the game. I think it relaxes them a bit tonight knowing they really have nothing to lose in this game.”

It was a fitting revenge for the Bolts, who lost the 2017 Governors’ Cup title to Ginebra in 7 games at the same venue, as they prevented the Gin Kings from clinching a spot in the playoffs.

Garvo Lanete scored 19 points and Anjo Caram chipped in 16 markers in the win. Newsome finished with 12 points, 6 assists, and 5 boards while Reynel Hugnatan added 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists for the Bolts.

Ginebra led by 8 points midway the 4th period, 77-69, before Meralco took an 81-80 advantage off a 12-3 spurt.

Aguilar chalked up 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists for Ginebra, which remained at 6th place behind a 5-5 card. 

Scottie Thompson churned out a double-double of 17 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists while Greg Slaughter had 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in the losing cause.

Joe Devance, who missed Ginebra’s first 9 games due to a foot injury, chipped in 4 points, 3 rebounds and two assists against 3 turnovers in his return.

The Scores:

Meralco (84): Lanete 19, Caram 16, Hugnatan 12, Newsome 12, Ballesteros 7, Salva 5, Amer 4, Bono 4, Canaleta 3, Faundo 2, Sedurifa 0, Tolomia 0

Ginebra (82): Aguilar 20, Thompson 17, Slaughter 12, Mercado 10, Caguioa 6, Cruz 5, Tenorio 5, Devance 4, Mariano 3, Ferrer 0, Manuel 0

Quarter scores: 15-20, 45-38, 67-64, 84-82

– Rappler.com